Tony Khan Discusses AEW's 'Bright' Future, Status With TBS & TNT

As AEW approaches its fifth anniversary, the company appears on the cusp of announcing a new TV deal that would guarantee its future for at least a few more. While no official announcement has been made, Tony Khan spoke with enthusiasm about what's to come during a recent appearance on "Busted Open Radio."

"I didn't bring my sunglasses to the Sirius studio today, but the future is so bright, I need them," Khan said. "The future is that bright. I know there have been a lot of reports. I have not done any of the leaking. With all due respect to the fine people at the Puck establishment and the Puck people, I didn't talk to them. I know they have been reporting things that are very interesting. There are a lot of reports and rumors. I have not confirmed, and Warner Brothers have not confirmed anything officially. We have a really exciting future there. I can say with 100% certainty, AEW and TBS and TNT are here to stay for a long time."

The recent leak from Puck indicated that AEW's deal with Warner Brothers Discovery could span three years with an option for a fourth, and may bring in around $170 million annually. The report suggests that WBD will feature AEW programming "twice a week" on either TNT, TBS or TruTV. AEW also recently filed a trademark for "AEW Shockwave," indicating a new TV show may be in the works. AEW was also negotiating with FOX at one point, but it's widely believed that was merely exploratory. The deal with WBD appears imminent and could be announced as early as "AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam" on September 25, or perhaps on the official five-year anniversary of "AEW Dynamite" the following week on October 2.