Report: WBD Wants AEW to Increase Number of PPVs
Warner Bros Discovery(WBD) is suggesting All Elite Wrestling(AEW) to expand its PPV events schedule as part of its new TV rights deal.
AEW currently has held 4 PPV events every year since its inception in Double or Nothing, All Out, Full Gear and Revolution. In 2022 and 2023, they held a joint PPV with NJPW in Forbidden Door. This year, they are also holding “All In” event on August 27, which is not confirmed to be a PPV event so far. But, if this new report is to be believed, WBC wants even more AEW PPV events in its schedule.
Fightful Select reported via a source in WBD that one of their major proposals to AEW as part of the new TV Rights deal is a subject of PPV events. The source states that it is very much possible that we might see significant expansion of AEW PPV Schedule.
https://t.co/jy8u4a7WDa has learned that WBD has been in favor of expanding AEW's PPV schedule significantly.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) July 12, 2023
The full story is up for subscribers. pic.twitter.com/7X3STF7nTq
One of the possibilities rumored as part of the new AEW-WBD deal is that AEW PPVs might be shifted to MAX streaming just like WWE PLEs(Premium Live Events) stream on Peacock. However, Fightful’s report currently does not surely states whether that is part of the proposal for more AEW PPVs.
The report does not include AEW’s views on the matter, but AEW President Tony Khan has previously expressed his satisfaction with AEW holding 4 major PPVs every year along with Forbidden Door with NJPW.
In United States, AEW PPVs air via WBD’s Bleacher Report Live PPV apart from traditional PPV providers. AEW PPV Buys have been trending in between 125000 to 160000 since the start of 2022(including international PPV count). AEW PPVs cost $49.99 in US.
There is a case to be made for AEW PPVs to shift on MAX streaming to increase it’s viewership base. WWE has seen its PLE viewership increase significantly over the past year. As part of Peacock’s monthly, WWE PLE has surpassed the viewership numbers for every event this year as compared to previous years, be it WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, Backlash or Money in the Bank.
