AEW expanding into Friday nights, will move to TBS in 2022

[cero2k]

source: https://www.f4wonline.com/aew-news/aew- ... ced-341826

In less than a year, the TV home of AEW Dynamite since its inception will change.

WarnerMedia announced Wednesday that starting in January 2022, AEW Dynamite will move to TBS with the long-touted new hour-long series called AEW: Rampage debuting on TNT on Friday, August 13th at 10 PM Eastern. The show will also move to TBS in 2022, but may not remain on Fridays after the move.

As part of the changes, four new annual specials will air on TNT starting in 2022.

In a statement to the New York Post, AEW founder, president and booker Tony Khan said, "While we’re looking forward to our arrival on TBS, we’re not saying goodbye to our original and current home of TNT, which will air four new special supercard events annually. Plus, the financial upside to our new agreement will give us the opportunity to continue to invest in and grow AEW to serve the most important people in our industry: our fans, our wrestlers, our staff and our sponsors.”

In January 2020, both sides announced an extension through 2023. While no new extension was announced, Dave Meltzer is reporting that AEW is getting a 'significant' amount of money with the changes.

That means starting in August, AEW will have two weekly traditional televised products in addition to Dark and Dark: Elevation on YouTube. How the taping schedule goes for all of those shows remains to be seen.

In a statement to the Post and The Wrap, TBS/TNT/truTV GM Brett Weitz said the reason for the move wasn't just due to WarnerMedia recently acquiring an NHL rights package that Wednesday nights were previously a big part of.

“Both TBS and TNT have an incredibly storied history with wrestling, so the idea of us being able to put more AEW onto TBS is a natural fit. Did the NHL have anything to do with it? Sure. NHL had something to do with it. NBA had something to do with it, the college schedule, the ton of preemptions. When we looked where the consumer’s gonna be, where wrestling fans were going to be, we want to give them the most opportunity to consume as many shows as possible. We felt TBS had an opportunity to be the network and the best platform for expansion," he said.

This will be the first time pro wrestling has aired on TBS since 2001 in the dying days of WCW. AEW debuted on TNT with Dynamite in October 2019, the first wrestling show since the final Nitro on March 26, 2001.

[cero2k]

All positive stuff

[Big Red Machine]

All positive stuff

- Less sports screwing up the Dynamite schedule

Ah. I was wondering how much of a positive it would be to move to a less relevant network, but this is definitely a big thing.

- They keep presence in TNT with Rampage and it technically already has it's own title

Assuming they don't just rename the title. I don't think they'll go the route of "this title will only be on this show and not the other show.

[cero2k]

- They keep presence in TNT with Rampage and it technically already has it's own title

Assuming they don't just rename the title. I don't think they'll go the route of "this title will only be on this show and not the other show.

I changed the previous article cuz the writing was straight forward, but F4W has a better description. Rampage also seems to be moving

"The show will also move to TBS in 2022, but may not remain on Fridays after the move."

[Big Red Machine]

- They keep presence in TNT with Rampage and it technically already has it's own title

Assuming they don't just rename the title. I don't think they'll go the route of "this title will only be on this show and not the other show.

I changed the previous article cuz the writing was straight forward, but F4W has a better description. Rampage also seems to be moving

"The show will also move to TBS in 2022, but may not remain on Fridays after the move."

That's... I don't quite know what. TNT is definitely the more prestigious channel, so them not being on it at all could be seen as a sign of the network not quite having confidence in them. Or it could be seen as the network having a lot of confidence in them and thanking that they will boost other programs on the network.

[cero2k]

That's... I don't quite know what. TNT is definitely the more prestigious channel, so them not being on it at all could be seen as a sign of the network not quite having confidence in them. Or it could be seen as the network having a lot of confidence in them and thanking that they will boost other programs on the network.

I think it's the latter, if they didn't care for them, they'd leave them on TNT and not give a fuck if they get preempted by NBA or Hockey. Plus they're getting a new show, more money for each show, and those 4 specials. They're definitely putting their coins in the AEW basket.

Also, not sure now a days, but I do think TBS is in more homes than TNT, but don't quote me on that

[Thelone]

That's... I don't quite know what. TNT is definitely the more prestigious channel, so them not being on it at all could be seen as a sign of the network not quite having confidence in them. Or it could be seen as the network having a lot of confidence in them and thanking that they will boost other programs on the network.

It could be a bit of both really. Clearly, they see more value in basketball/hockey on TNT and didn't want to move AEW around all the time, but this feels like a lateral move at best, and a downgrade at worst. I'm pretty sure the new show was included in that deal they signed after a few weeks of Dynamite (and then THE PLAGUE happened), so the only new thing is the four TNT specials (and more money allegedly), most likely to soften the blow of moving to TBS.