Dave Meltzer Analyzes Current TV Rights Landscape Amid AEW And WWE Negotiations

With the recent announcement that "WWE SmackDown" will be moving off of FOX and back to the USA Network, just as WWE is entering a period of negotiation over the media rights to all the other programming they have on USA, some are wondering if the multi-billion-dollar increases that wrestling promotions have seen from networks are drying up.

In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer points out that major sports like NBA, NASCAR, NCAA, and other leagues are starting to cost more and more, and the need for those tentpole live events means that as the prices for major sports go up, the budget available for wrestling programming shrinks, however the increases that have been asked for have resulted in loss of programming, such is the case with the NCAA Pac-12, which lost interest from ESPN+ and Amazon for its exorbitant asking price. Should networks lose their deals with leagues like NASCAR, the NBA, or others, that could potentially free up more money for wrestling. For AEW, future media rights negotiations are going to be contingent on the NBA's asking price, as the basketball league is set to negotiate with Warner Bros Discovery around the same time that AEW will also be seeking a rights increase.

Meltzer also notes that "SmackDown" and WWE programming are more important to USA Network than AEW is to WBD currently, as TNT and TBS distribution fees aren't as affected by AEW programming, as USA expects its distribution fees to be greatly boosted by the addition of "SmackDown." While the distribution fees aren't affected, WBD still does plenty of PPV business with AEW and has reportedly suggested that AEW increase its yearly PPVs.