Tony Khan Discusses AEW Future With Skydance CEO

All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan held talks with Skydance CEO David Ellison following a major media merger.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Wrestling

Expressive editorial sports illustration depicting a wrestling ring under dramatic spotlights, evoking the atmosphere of a professional wrestling promotion. — All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan is evaluating the promotion's future operations following the recent Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount merger. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan has entered into direct conversations with Skydance CEO David Ellison regarding the future of the promotion. The discussions follow the recent merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount, which brought the two entities under a single parent company.

Why it matters

Tony Khan is exploring future opportunities and resources for AEW in light of the corporate restructuring within its primary media partner. These developments come as AEW maintains a longstanding media rights deal to broadcast its programming across TBS and TNT.

AEW currently operates under a media rights deal valued at up to $150 million per year. This agreement is set to run until at least 2028 and includes an additional option year.

The players

Tony Khan

Tony Khan is the President of All Elite Wrestling and an executive who oversees the strategic growth and programming of the promotion.

David Ellison

David Ellison serves as the CEO of Skydance and holds a significant leadership role following the recent corporate merger.

The details

The recent merger, which finalized earlier this month, has prompted leadership to assess the organization's strategic path within the new parent company structure. The existing television partnership remains a central focus for the promotion as it looks toward future operations.

Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount merged in October 2026.
The AEW WrestleDream event occurred on October 17, 2026.
The current AEW media rights deal is scheduled to run until at least 2028.

Season Trajectory

The merger involving Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount marks a significant shift in the broadcasting landscape for professional wrestling. This corporate consolidation forces promotions to re-evaluate their media rights strategies to maintain competitive positioning within the changing industry ecosystem.

The ongoing evaluation of the media rights deal ensures that AEW programming will remain available on TBS and TNT through at least 2028. Viewers should expect no immediate changes to the broadcast schedule as the promotion navigates its long-term partnership strategy.

The takeaway

The recent merger highlights how corporate restructuring at the parent-company level can directly impact the long-term planning of sports media properties. Stakeholders should monitor future official announcements to determine if any shifts in broadcast distribution or programming resources occur.