AEW Dynamite is moving to TBS in January 2022 with WarnerMedia doubling down on its wrestling content with the news of additional programming.
On Wednesday, it was revealed by WarnerMedia that AEW’s flagship program will move to TBS next January while launching a new one-hour program titled ‘AEW: Rampage’ beginning Friday, August 13th on TNT.
AEW will migrate the ‘Rampage’ program to TBS in 2022. Tony Maglio of The Wrap reports that it has not been determined yet if ‘Rampage’ will remain on Friday nights when it moves to TBS next year.
In addition, AEW will have four annual specials as part of this deal, which will air on TNT allowing AEW to retain a presence on the network. Tony Khan shared the following with the NY Post:
While we’re looking forward to our arrival on TBS, we’re not saying goodbye to our original and current home of TNT, which will air four new special supercard events annually. Plus, the financial upside to our new agreement will give us the opportunity to continue to invest in and grow AEW to serve the most important people in our industry: our fans, our wrestlers, our staff and our sponsors.
Additional comments from Tony Khan from Deadline:
As a lifelong wrestling aficionado who is privileged to present AEW to longtime and new fans alike, it means a lot to me – personally and professionally – to share the news that All Elite Wrestling will call TBS home beginning in 2022. The history of wrestling in the United States cannot be told without acknowledging the contributions of TBS, which as WTBS years ago delivered wrestling to the Southeast and eventually to a massive national audience. TBS has the same passion for wrestling today, but will offer AEW and our fans more prime time programming, content and global opportunities that will establish TBS as the world’s undisputed destination for wrestling.
TNT, TBS & truTV General Manager Brian Weitz spoke with the NY Post stating that the NHL was a factor in the decision to move AEW programming:
Did the NHL have anything to do with it? Sure. NHL had something to do with it. NBA had something to do with it, the COVID schedule, the ton of preemptions. When we looked where the consumer’s gonna be, where wrestling fans were going to be, we want to give them the most opportunity to consume as many shows as possible. We felt TBS had an opportunity to be the network and the best platform for expansion.
Dynamite launched in October 2019 becoming the first live pro wrestling programming on TNT since WCW went out of business in March 2001. In January 2020, AEW and WarnerMedia extended their deal with a new four-year pact worth approximately $175 million.
Two weeks ago, AEW was the #1 program on cable television for the May 5th ‘Blood & Guts’ edition of Dynamite.
