TNT becomes US home of All Elite Wrestling

Alternative wrestling league All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has secured US broadcast distribution via a deal with WarnerMedia’s TNT. 

The channel is to give AEW a weekly primetime slot, launching later this year — an arrangement that marks the first time in decades that wrestling has been broadcast on TNT.

Fledgling independent wrestling collective AEW is headlined by members of The Elite and Chris Jericho, and serves as an alternative to mainstream wrestling groups such as WWE, which has dominated the arena for several decades.

AEW will also be streamed on WarnerMedia’s B/R Live — which is to be US streaming partner for the forthcoming ‘Double Or Nothing’ event on 25 May — and on pay-per-view.

Hour-long pre-show special The Buy-In will also stream on WarnerMedia’s social channels.

The US deal comes on the back of UK distribution for the league. ITV revealed last week that it had partnered with AEW to air a major wrestling event on its pay-per-view Box Office channel as well as a pre-show special on ITV4.

In the UK, wrestling events via WWE have traditionally aired on Sky Sports. The AEW partnership is seen as a major coup for ITV.

Michael Quigley, EVP of commercial operations, content strategy and monetisation at TBS and TNT, said: “All Elite Wrestling is a talent-forward, fan-first league whose inclusive approach to creating high-quality athletic wrestling competitions is already making waves with fans and attracting top-tier wrestlers.

“It is high-adrenaline, gripping entertainment and we can’t wait to bring it to fans everywhere with this game-changing new business.”