The announcement of All Elite Wrestling coming to TNT was made Wednesday ahead of WarnerMedia’s Upfront presentation in New York City.
A press release was issued confirming that AEW would be airing weekly on TNT “later this year” in prime time on the network. They added that the weekly matches will be available on multi-platforms and stream through their B/R Live streaming service, which will also include pay-per-views.
They have not announced specifics regarding the night of the week or the length of the show.
Tony Khan, President of All Elite Wrestling:
Wrestling fans have wanted — and needed — something different, authentic and better for far too long. AEW is answering the call. AEW is about more than wrestling. It’s about a movement fueled by wrestling fans who have been underserved and perhaps even disappointed by what the industry has produced in recent years. AEW is rising to the occasion with DOUBLE OR NOTHING and today taking it a step further by partnering with WarnerMedia, which is as committed as we are to making wrestling fans the one and only priority. With WarnerMedia, AEW is poised globally to redefine wrestling as we know it today.
B/R Live will be the exclusive U.S. digital carrier of Double or Nothing on May 25th with the card from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. This follows last week’s announcement that the card will be carried on ITV Box Office in the U.K. with other regions having access to buy the show online through Fite TV.
The Double or Nothing pre-show, “Buy In”, will also stream on WarnerMedia and AEW’s social media channels leading into the pay-per-view.
Michael Quigley, Executive Vice President of commercial operations, content strategy, and monetization for TNT and TBS:
All Elite Wrestling is a talent-forward, fan-first league whose inclusive approach to creating high-quality athletic wrestling competitions is already making waves with fans and attracting top-tier wrestlers. It is high-adrenaline, gripping entertainment and we can’t wait to bring it to fans everywhere with this game-changing new business.
The announcement marks the return of professional wrestling to TNT after 18 years when WCW folded in March 2001.
In September 1995, the network launched Monday Nitro, a one-hour live Monday night program, and went on to become a cable juggernaut and propelled WCW into becoming the top wrestling company in the world. The show would expand to a two-hour format in May 1996.
In January 1998, WCW expanded its programming with the addition of a two-hour Thunder program on sister station TBS while also adding a third hour to Nitro at the same time. In January 2000, Nitro reverted to a two-hour format with Thunder moving to Wednesday nights later that year. In early 2001, the company was purchased by the World Wrestling Federation with WCW losing programming on TNT and TBS.
