TNT Executive On WWE Vs. AEW, Tony Khan On Dynamite Moving To TBS, Supercard Specials Note
AEW President, CEO, General Manager & Head Of Creative Tony Khan says it means a lot to him, personally and professionally, to call TBS home for AEW programming beginning in 2022.
As noted earlier, AEW has a new one-hour TV show, AEW Rampage, premiering on TNT on August 13. The show will air each Friday at 10pm ET. It was also announced that AEW Dynamite will move to TBS in 2022, whith Rampage making the jump to TBS at the same time. The new agreement between AEW and WarnerMedia will also see TNT air quarterly AEW TV "supercard" specials beginning next year.
Brett Weitz, the General Manager of TBS, TNT and truTV, spoke with The NY Daily News and said he doesn't view AEW vs. WWE as an "us vs. them" thing. AEW Rampage will not air head-to-head with WWE's SmackDown on FOX, which ends at 10pm ET each Friday night.
"More wrestling is better for wrestling fans," Weitz said.
Regarding the 4 "supercard" specials that will air each year on TNT beginning in 2022, Weitz said the network is still working with Khan on crafting the specials.
Sam Linsky, the Associate General Manager and Senior Vice President of Programming & Operations at TBS, TNT and truTV, told Deadline that the network is looking forward to helping Khan expand his company. He also borrowed a line from the late Brodie Lee.
"It's a pleasure to be able to help Tony Khan expand his wrestling fiefdom across our networks and bring more content to our fans that fits the thrill ride brand of TNT and good time of TBS," Linsky said. "It's Wednesday. You know what that means."
In a statement, Khan commented on the history of pro wrestling on TBS, and said this new expansion will establish the network as the world's undisputed destination for pro wrestling.
"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," Khan said. "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."
Stay tuned for more on AEW and WarnerMedia.