All Elite Wrestling enters 2024 with ratings and business momentum as it gears up for talks on a new TV carriage agreement.

AEW, which launched in 2019, drew 15.6 million viewers in 2023 across its three weekly television shows on Warner Bros Discovery’s TBS and TNT — AEW Dynamite, which airs Wednesdays on TBS, and Rampage and Collision, airing Fridays and Saturdays, respectively, on TNT. 

With strong 2023 returns on its pay-per-view events as well as record-breaking international live gate performances, the company — led by its CEO, general manager and head of creative Tony Khan — is in position to successfully compete in a crowded pro wrestling ring led by category leader WWE.

Khan, who outside the ring serves as chief football strategy officer of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and as general manager and sporting director of soccer’s Fulham F.C. of the English Premier League, recently spoke to Multichannel News about AEW’s plans going into the new year.   

MCN: Has the AEW brand met your expectations since its launch in 2019? 

Tony Khan: It’s been an incredible first four-plus years for AEW. As we approach year five, we’ve accomplished so much in the world of pro wrestling and there’s still so much we can still do. We’ve expanded from two hours of weekly television to five hours; from one weekly program on Wednesdays to three weekly programs on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. We’ve gone from being on TNT to being on both TBS and TNT every week, 52 weeks a year. We’ve expanded internationally toward Canada and did one of the biggest live gates in the history of Canada with [pay-per-view event] Forbidden Door. One of the biggest accomplishments ever in wrestling was our AEW All In event held at Wembley Stadium last summer where we sold more than 81,000 tickets. It’s the most tickets ever sold for any wrestling show in history on record and it was also a huge success on pay-per-view. So there is a lot of really awesome stuff happening and for us, it’s an exciting time. We’re approaching our media rights renewal window and that’s a massive opportunity for us for all the growth we’ve had since our launch. 

MCN: As you approach media rights negotiations, is AEW considering expanding into the streaming arena somewhere down the line?

TK: We have a great library of content as we explore future distribution opportunities. Along with AEW content, I acquired Ring of Honor, which features thousands of hours of footage and trademarks. Given our library, we have an amazing opportunity to launch on a streaming platform.

MCN: What has made the AEW brand so popular for both audiences and potential distributors? 

TK: We have a lot of the best wrestlers in the world in AEW, and we have a great, knowledgeable fan base that is very passionate about wrestling. There has been a great base for AEW on Wednesday night since our launch and we’ve been able to expand it into Fridays and Saturdays. Our pay-per-view business has grown over the years significantly, and the loyalty of our pay-per-view customers and the strength of that business is, in my opinion, a testament to the great connection we have with the AEW wrestling fans who are so engaged with our brand each week. 

MCN: When you initially launched, the clear leader in the pro wrestling ring was the WWE. Four years later, how does the AEW brand match up with WWE? 

TK: I think it’s a great time for wrestling because over the last several years, both companies have grown. AEW is a challenger brand [to the WWE], and it’s an exciting time for wrestling. When we got into the industry, I believe it was unquestionably a monopoly. I’m working very hard to grow and sustain AEW as a challenger brand, and it’s been a lot of fun putting on great wrestling every week. I think the arrival and debut of AEW has helped create a market around wrestling that has helped both of the major domestic wrestling promotions. For us at AEW, we’re really happy that we've been able to grow our business and expand our pay-per-view calendar and have such great results.

MCN:  Along with wrestling, you also have business interests in the NFL and soccer. Do you have a preference for a particular sport?

TK: I love all the stuff I’m doing, but they’re different. They have great qualities and strength. I love working in wrestling; but I also love being a part of the Premier League with Fulham F.C. and the work we’ve done to get the team to where it is today. I love being a part of the NFL with the Jaguars and the great fans in Jacksonville and the turnaround the team has had over the last couple of years and being a part of it. It’s all so fun for me and they’re all very different. 

Multimedia company Triller is rebranding its FITE combat-sports streaming service  to TrillerTV as it looks to expand the service's content offerings.

FITE — which launched in 2015 and which Triller purchased in 2021 — will continue to offer boxing, wrestling and other combat sports events under the new moniker, along with its Triller Plus subscription service and Triller 24/7 FAST Channel, according to officials from the service. The service’s AEW Plus pro wrestling subscription service will maintain its name.

TrillerTV executives say the service’s brand association with its parent company will hopefully attract new content distributors to the platform. 

“TillerTV is everything you know and trust from FITE, but with doors open for even more sports,” said Michael Weber, co-founder and chief operating officer of TrillerTV, in a statement. “Our original name served us well, as have our loyal customers, promoters, and athletes to whom we are super grateful. The time has come to give even more to expand the experience we’ve built from the ground up to celebrate the passion and precision that makes us all love sports.”

Added TrillerTV co-founder and CEO Kosta Jordanov: ”Now that we’ve proven FITE in tens of thousands of live events from all over the world, it’s time to expand to more content verticals under our new brand TrillerTV. We will be adding new sports categories, more premium brand promotions, and continuing to improve our technology to give the best user experience in streaming sports and entertainment.”

FITE Plus has added Major League Wrestling content to its portfolio, including the pro wrestling outfit's MLW Fusion series, according to the subscription sports streaming service.

The weekly MLW Fusion series will debut on FITE Plus on May 25 along with other MLW content including the organization's Premium Live Events. FITE Plus, which retails at $7.99 per month, will also debut on May 18 the special MLW: Battle RIOT V: Special Edition.

“Adding MLW Fusion to FITE Plus is hugely important to what we set out to do – create a one-stop-shop with a low subscription rate for the most exciting promotions in Pro Wrestling and other combat sports,” said FITE COO Michael Weber. “[MLW founder and CEO Court Bauer] is probably the only major wrestling promoter who spent time as a writer at WWE – and in Fusion you can see that influence week after week in the storylines and the action.”

Also: The Five Spot: Michael Weber, FITE COO

Bauer added: “Now MLW fans can get Fusion and our Premium Live Events in one place, and with no extra fees. Each week fans can stream our flagship series as well as enjoy our signature events live all conveniently at FITE Plus.”

TBS will expand its pro wrestling content with a new docuseries from the All-Elite Wrestling wrestling outfit.

The series, AEW: All Access, debuts in March, and follows AEW action from the perspective of the AEW wrestlers, said the network. Each episode will showcase such AEW stars as Adam Cole, Dr. Britt Baker, Sammy Guevara, Tay Conti, The Young Bucks, Saraya, Wardlow, and Eddie Kingston as they navigate the week-to-week challenges to remain at the top, as well as track the rivalries between talent as they vie for fans’ attention, according to AEW. 

“AEW has such an amazingly loyal and dedicated fan base that brings in more than 4 million viewers to TBS every Wednesday night,” Turner Networks, ID, & HLN Linear and Streaming President Jason Sarlanis said in a statement. “With All Access, we are bringing that incredible audience a whole new way to experience the wrestling universe they love. With this new series we are expanding the franchise in a way that invites viewers inside the world of wrestling like never before.” 

The show adds to TBS’ lineup of AEW content that includes its weekly AEW: Dynamite series, which launched in January 2022. “We’re always looking for new ways to engage with fans and give them unique access to our incredible talent,” AEW Head of Creative Tony Kahn said. “With the new AEW: All Access series, they’ll have a chance to peek behind the curtain and into the lives of their favorite wrestlers like never before.”■

Reelz has acquired the rights to a new pro wrestling series launching in February.

The weekly primetime series, Major League Wrestling, debuts February 7 and will feature a mix of world class fighters entering the ring to battle one another in front of a new generation of fans, according to the network. Immediately following the one-hour shows, Reelz will debut classic episodes from the MLW library.

MLW will feature the next generation of some of the most iconic wrestling families in the sport including the Samoan Dynasty, the British Bulldogs and more. 

Also: Stan Hubbard: Stan Hubbard: Reelz’s ‘On Patrol: Live’ Won’t Be a ‘Woke’ ‘Live PD’

“Major League Wrestling is for a new generation of fans and we’re thrilled to bring our viewers a ringside view with exciting nights at the fights,” Reelz Senior VP of Programming Steve Cheskin said in a statement. “With the strong response from our viewers to several Reelz originals celebrating the extraordinary lives and careers of professional wrestlers we’re stepping into the ring to bring them new Major League Wrestling events every week.” ■

FITE TV will look to provide knockout content to The Roku Channel with the debut on the platform of its free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service featuring combat sports programming, the two parties said Tuesday.

The FITE 24/7 service will deliver boxing, pro wrestling, mixed martial arts, bare-knuckle boxing and grappling matches from the FITE TV library to The Roku Channel, FITE said. Live content will also soon be available from FITE 24/7, including press conferences, weigh-ins and preliminary matches from marquee events.

“The quality and amount of action we provide on FITE 24/7 is stunning,” FITE TV VP of distribution Louis Lewow said in a statement. “Now, with The Roku Channel, the amazing content our partner promoters and athletes produce every week will now be available to the U.S households with an estimated 80 million people reached by the service.”

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The Roku Channel launch expands FITE 24/7’s distribution, which also includes carriage deals with LocalNow, Sports.TV, Sports Tribal, Rakuten, LG, FreeCast, Glewd, Freebie TV, Klowd and VivaLive TV, said FITE. ■

TBS officially steps into the pro wrestling arena tonight (January 5) as it takes over distribution of TNT‘s weekly AEW: Dynamite series.

The series, which debuted on TNT in 2019, is moving to TBS to make room for additional TNT National Hockey League telecasts. The network began airing NHL games in October as part of a new seven-year rights deal with the league. 

AEW: Dynamite reached more than 37 million viewers in 2021, and averaged 975,000 total viewers in its final airing on TNT on December 29, Nielsen reported. 

While TBS has aired Major League Baseball games and other live sports events in the past, it has been many years since it prominently featured pro wrestling as part of its schedule. TNT, TBS and truTV associate general manager and SVP of programming and operations Sam Linsky says he‘s confident wrestling fans will follow AEW: Dynamite to TBS. He added TBS is not looking to make any editorial changes to the two-hour AEW: Dynamite telecasts.

“Wrestling fans are about as passionate and smart as you get … I think they’ll find it [on TBS],” Linsky said. 

AEW may also attract new viewers who watch TBS’s more comedy-themed content. Linsky said the lead-in for AEW: Dynamite on TBS is The Big Bang Theory, which attracts a different audience demographic than the viewers who watched the action movies that served as the show’s lead-in on TNT. 

“The way you expand a wrestling brand or any sort of sports or brand is by going outside of the normal fans,” Linksy said. “If let's say half of [Big Bang Theory] viewers stay and watch AEW: Dynamite and fall in love with the great characters, the great action and the great fun of the show, you're expanding the audience while still delivering the product to the hardcore fans.” 

The AEW wrestling franchise will still have a presence on TNT through its weekly Friday series AEW: Rampage. Linsky added TNT will air quarterly specials throughout the year beginning January 8 with Battle of the Belts. AEW will also offer several pay-per-view events in 2022.

“The more you can expose different audiences to this product, the more opportunity you have for people to come in and find it,” Linsky said. “I’m glad to have it in as many places as possible.” ■ 

Starz Wednesday announced it will bring back its wrestling-themed drama series Heels for a sophomore campaign.

The series follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals war over their late father’s legacy. Heels stars Stephen Amell, Alexander Ludwig, Alison Luff, Mary McCormack and James Harrison.

The Lionsgate TV-produced Heels is executive produced by Michael Waldron, Mike O’Malley, Julie Yorn, Christopher Donnelly and Patrick Walmsley.

"It is clear from the critical and fan acclaim that the stories and characters from the Duffy Wrestling League have made a connection with audiences bringing a community that is not often found to premium Tv," Starz President and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch said in a statement. "I'm excited for our amazing cast and executive producers to get back into the ring together for a second season." 

Heels joins comedy series Run The World as freshmen shows recently renewed by Starz. 

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TNT in September will launch a new unscripted series that follows All Elite Wrestling power couple Cody and Brandi Rhodes.

The series, Rhodes to the Top, debuts Sept. 29 and goes inside the lives of the married couple as they navigate their growing family while helping to build AEW’s global wrestling empire, according to TNT. The series will debut with a one-hour show, followed by weekly, 30-minute episodes.

Read Also: TNT's 'AEW: Dynamite' Wrestling Series Moving to TBS in 2022

The Warner Bros. Unscripted Television-produced series is executive produced by Sam Berns and Paul Storck.

WWE and Blumhouse Television will develop a scripted series based on WWE chairman Vince McMahon.

The limited scripted series, The United States of America Vs. Vince McMahon, will delve into the government’s 1994 indictment of McMahon for allegedly supplying anabolic steroids to WWE talent, according to the pro wrestling outfit. The series marks the first scripted series for  the WWE and the first scripted portrayal of the organization’s longtime chairman. 

Read Also: WWE to Offer New Year's Day Event 

Blumhouse Productions CEO Jason Blum along with Blumhouse TV President and former USA president Chris McCumber will develop the series. 

“We have a dramatic, riveting saga – one that’s crazier than fiction – that will appeal to the cross-section of Blumhouse and WWE fans,” said McCumber in a statement. “To say I’m thrilled about collaborating again with WWE is an understatement.”

Added WWE Executive Producer and Chief of Global Television Distribution Kevin Dunn: “Jason [Blum], Chris and their team at Blumhouse create amazing work and we look forward to delivering an inside look into one of the most pivotal moments in our company’s history.”

McMahon, Blum, McCumber, Dunn and Jeremy Gold will serve as executive producers for the series, said WWE. 

The WWE will add a New Year's Day pay-per-view event to its current lineup of monthly premium shows.

The show, slated for Jan. 1, 2022, will take place in Atlanta and will be available on the Peacock streaming service as well as through traditional PPV distributors, according to the pro wrestling outfit.

Also Read: WWE Network Content Available on Peacock 

The New Year's Eve event was announced during Fox's SmackDown telecast Friday night.

The event will feature WWE superstars from both the SmackDown and Raw franchises, including WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, SmackDown Women's Champion Bianca Belair, Raw Women's Champion Nikki A.S.H, WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews, and Raw Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Omos, said the WWE.

“State Farm Arena is a phenomenal venue with a long history of hosting world-class events,” said Scott Zanghellini, WWE senior VP, revenue strategy & development in a statement. “We’re excited to deliver this pay-per-view to the people of Atlanta and the many that travel to the city to celebrate New Year’s.”

Also Read: WWE to Showcase 'SummerSlam' Event On Movie Screens

Starz will step into the pro wrestling ring with its new drama series Heels, debuting Aug. 15.

The series stars Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig as brothers feuding over their late father’s legacy as the head of a family-owned wrestling promotion business, according to Starz.

Read Also: Summer 2021 TV Premiere Dates  

Heels also stars Alison Luff, Mary McCormack, Kelli Berglund and Allen Maldonado.

Heels is executive produced by Michael Waldron (Loki) as well as Mike O’Malley (Shameless) and Peter Segal (Get Smart), according to Starz.

Pro wrestler Jon Huber died Saturday from a reported lung issue, according to The New York Times.

Huber, who wrestled under the names Luke Harper for the WWE and Brodie Lee for All-Elite Wrestling, was a fan favorite as a soft spoken yet imposing presence in the ring, according to the WWE. 

Huber worked at the WWE for seven years before joining the All-Elite Wrestling company in 2020, according to the Times. 

Huber’s wife in an Instagram post said that Huber passed away “after a hard fought battle with a non-COVID related lung issue."

The WWE and AEW also posted social media tributes to Huber, as well as fellow pro wrestlers and personalities.

AXS TV will look to build momentum for its Oct. 24 Impact Wrestling pay-per-view event with a series of specials and events.

The Bound For Glory PPV event will be supported by "Impact Week" featuring such specials as talk-themed show Talk'n Shop: Full Keg (premiering Oct. 20) and documentary This Is Bound For Glory (Oct. 24).

In addition, the network will offer an one-hour pre-show, Live Countdown to Glory, prior to its Oct. 24 event.   

“Impact Week on AXS TV demonstrates the strength of the individual Anthem brands coming together organically under our Anthem Sports & Entertainment banner,” said AXS TV General Manager Frank Tanki in a prepared statement. “This first year of IMPACT! on AXS TV proved that Impact has some of the most passionate and loyal fans in the world, and we wanted to deliver to them in a big way as we continue to grow the IMPACT brand.  We worked across Anthem to create a week on AXS TV focused on providing the ultimate preview of this huge PPV event.  And in addition to serving Impact's fans, we are working to deliver to our affiliates and sponsors as well."

The WWE is offering viewers a free version of its subscription WWE Network streaming service, which will feature more than 15,000 WWE titles, the company said Monday.

The service, which is available through the WWE App, will offer select historical WWE pay-per-view events as well as weekly WWE highlights and recent episodes of Monday Night Raw, Friday Night SmackDown and NXT, said WWE officials. The service will also offer new programming such as Raw Talk, which will air immediately following each RAW episode. 

The service will complement the $9.99 per month WWE Network, which currently has more than 2 million subscribers, and offers library content as well as the WWE’s pay-per-view events. 

“The launch of WWE Network’s Free Version is a key component of our company’s digitization strategy and a new way for all fans to be able to experience premium WWE content,” said Jayar Donlan, WWE Executive Vice President, Advanced Media. “As we continue to re-imagine WWE Network’s offering, the Free Version will serve as an effective way to reach a broader group of consumers and allow them to experience the history and spectacle of WWE.”

World Wrestling Entertainment shares continued their slide Monday, even as speculation swirled that online retail giant Amazon could be a potential partner.

WWE has been in a tailspin since Jan. 30, when the company said it had terminated its co-presidents George Barrios and Michelle Wilson. The fall off continued after WWE said last week that it was evaluating strategic alternatives for its streaming video service, WWE Network.

WWE shares closed Monday at $41.99 each, down 54 cents or about 1.3%. The stock, which traded as low as $40.88 (down 4%) on Feb. 10, has fallen about 33% since Jan. 30. 

WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon told analysts Feb. 6 that among WWE’s options is licensing its content to a “major” network or streaming service. While McMahon did not reveal who the company could partner with, he said if that route were taken, a deal could be reached as soon as next month. 

“That’s how far along we are,” McMahon said last week.

That touched off a whirlwind of speculation as to who that partner could be, with Needham and Co. analyst Laura Martin telling CNBC that Amazon could be a possible buyer of WWE content.

Martin had no knowledge of any talks between the two but said Amazon, which has shown interest in sports in the past -- it has purchased streaming rights to Thursday Night Football and is a minority partner in the YES Network RSN -- could find WWE content attractive. She added that a rights purchase could lead to an eventual buyout of the entire company.

“We believe that such a licensing deal would put Amazon in the best spot to purchase all of WWE, whenever the family is ready to exit,” Martin said, according to CNBC. “Vince McMahon is currently 74 years old, going on 50.”

Another possibility, offered FBN Securities analyst Robert Routh in an interview, could be NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service.

Peacock, set to launch on April 15, could use all the content it could get. And its parent, NBCUniversal already has a relationship with WWE -- its USA Network airs WWE Raw on Monday nights.

“They [WWE] are being very tight lipped in terms of what their options are, but they have been clear that they have a bunch of them,” Routh said.

Heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder’s exciting one-punch knockout of top contender Luis Ortiz during their Nov. 23 pay-per-view event effectively concluded In Demand’s 2019 boxing campaign — a year in which the PPV content aggregator survived some early programming body blows from emerging sports streaming services.

Despite losing monthly UFC mixed martial arts events to ESPN+ this past March — and still reeling from the loss of marquee boxing matches from draws such as light heavyweight champion Canelo Alvarez to DAZN in late 2018 — In Demand officials said the company has found its footing in an evolving PPV events ring and is poised for a breakout year in 2020.

In Demand, owned by Comcast, Charter Communications and Cox Communications, has reached multi-event distribution deals with Premier Boxing Champions and All Elite Wrestling that will provide at least eight PPV events for its cable affiliates, representing more than 60 million subscribers. With negotiations for other high-profile events currently ongoing, In Demand executives said the reports of the PPV industry’s death at the hands of growing sports streaming services is highly exaggerated.

Money Still to Be Made

“The pay-per-view model is still a good business,” said In Demand president and CEO Dale Hopkins. “For big events, the greatest profits are still in pay-per-view.”

RELATED: Fox Sports Cornering the PPV Boxing Category

The Wilder-Ortiz fight was the sixth major PPV boxing event In Demand distributed in 2019, with four of those fights coming from PBC and Fox Sports. The new multiyear boxing output deal calls for PBC/Fox Sports to distribute a PPV boxing event each quarter, via In Demand. Bruce Binkow, president of Integrated Sports, a sports marketing and operations agency that represents PBC, said the company is bullish about In Demand and the PPV event category.

“Boxing has a long and successful history with the PPV platform … fighters have long known that becoming a ‘pay-per-view attraction’ is the ultimate achievement in terms of notoriety and earning potential,” Binkow said. “Additionally, fight fans are accustomed to gathering friends and family for a communal viewing party when a big fight comes around on PPV.”

For In Demand, the deal solidifies a lineup of marquee PPV fights in 2020 that offer revenue opportunities for affiliates. One of 2020’s first major events of the year could be a potential Feb. 22 heavyweight title rematch between Wilder and Tyson Fury. Their 2018 fight ended in an exciting draw.

“The matchups on PPV are stronger than those on the streaming side,” In Demand executive vice president of programming and general counsel Michael Berman said. “Not only are we getting a large number of fights over the next few years, but we know we’re going to get some great matchups as well.”

In Demand’s long-term output deal with AEW brings a former event staple back to PPV. (It’s unclear if the events will be made available on Turner’s streaming Bleacher Report Live service, as was the case with prior AEW events.) World Wrestling Entertainment had moved its monthly PPV events to its in-house streaming service, WWE Network, back in 2014.

The deal calls for AEW — which launched earlier this year and currently airs the weekly AEW: Dynamite on TNT — to distribute a minimum of one PPV event per quarter through June 2021.

AEW president and CEO Tony Khan said the deal with In Demand is a perfect complement to the wrestling franchise’s basic-cable series.

“PPV is still available in millions of homes, and it's still a convenient and easy way to order events,” Khan said. “In Demand has a great history in delivering big PPV events, and we’ve been able to connect with our fans already through events on In Demand.”

Mark Boccardi, In Demand senior vice president of programming and marketing, added that two previous AEW PPV events performed well for the company, although he would not reveal specific results. “[AEW] has a very energetic leader in Tony Khan; they have a very good stable of wrestlers; they have a Turner deal; and they have the industry's support,” he said.

“They have a lot of ingredients to make a successful PPV run.”

Early Blows in ’19

In Demand’s PPV event prospects for 2020 look a lot more promising than they did in early 2019. The move of UFC’s PPV events to ESPN+ in March was a big loss, particularly since $19.99-per-month subscription service DAZN had already picked off several popular boxers with pay-per-view appeal, including Alvarez, former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, to air exclusively on the streamer.

Fox Sports and Showtime helped filled the PPV event void with several marquee fights in 2019. While none of those events reached the gold standard of 1 million PPV buys, each event generated between 200,000 and 500,000 buys at suggested price points ranging from $65 to $75, according to industry sources.

Fox Sports executive vice president and head of programming and scheduling Bill Wanger said the PPV industry remains a viable option for the distribution of its biggest boxing cards.

“A lot of people forget that ESPN+ is doing PPV under a different model that doesn’t use traditional MVPDs; we think it's important to have traditional MVPDs selling the fight,” he said. “We also have a strong digital buying apparatus, where people can buy our events on a phone or tablet or however they want to watch it. We think we have the best of both worlds.”

Showtime, which distributed a Manny Pacquiao-Adrien Broner fight in February, will look to distribute two to four PPV events in 2020, according to president of sports and entertainment programming Stephen Espinoza.

“It’s undeniable that the market is going through a lot of changes spurred in large part by technology, but proclaiming the end of PPV is premature to say the least,” he said. “The best strategy for a content owner is to make the content available on as many platforms as possible whenever and wherever the consumer wants it.”

Sports analyst Lee Berke said there’s room for In Demand and the PPV category to coexist with upstart subscription sports services in today’s multiplatform sports TV marketplace, given that both platforms offer quality content.

RELATED: Wrestling Flies High on TV Again

“Purchasing a PPV event and subscribing to a streaming service is just another way of phrasing the same concept,” he said. “Combat sports continues to have strong appeal, but you need enough fighters that are deemed to be quality fighters to maximize revenues.”

Boccardi said the streaming services actually give boxing, MMA and wrestling a boost by exposing more up and coming fighters to fans who will hopefully go on to become major PPV draws.

“I don’t think it's all a negative that you have all of these distribution outlets,” he said. “If you’re a fan of the sport, you can go and watch fighters that you wouldn’t otherwise see.”

In Demand chief technology officer John Ward said the best platform to view high-profile PPV sports content continues to be through traditional pay TV. Current technologies like voice-enabled remote controls and online ordering — as well as new technologies like 5G — will continue to enhance the PPV experience for cable viewers.

“We want to give the consumer as many options and opportunities to get the content as possible,” he said.

This story was updated on Dec. 3. Showtime will look to distribute two to four events in 2020, not 2019.

Upstart pro wrestling franchise All Elite Wrestling (AEW) will make its cable debut Oct. 2 with a weekly primetime series on TNT. 

AEW Chief Brand Officer Brandi Rhodes and Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes -- who also appear in the ring -- talk about the series as well as competition in the pro wrestling genre in a new MCN Original Videos interview. 

RELATED: TNT Wrestling Rookie Steps Into The Ring 

USA Network is adding a new wrestling show from WWE that will appear Wednesday nights, when WarnerMedia’s TNT is launching its series from the upstart promotion All Elite Wrestling.

Under a new agreement with WWE, the new series NXT, will be live on USA starting Sept. 18.

NXT, which features new and upcoming wrestlers, has been appearing on Wednesday nights on WWE’s streaming network. It launched in 2010.

All Elite Wrestling is set to debut on TNT on Oct. 2.

“The move to USA Network provides an opportunity to deepen our relationship with NBCUniversal and further build the Nxt brand,” said Vince McMahon, WWE chairman & CEO. “Over the long term our goal is to develop a following that can be monetized to the same level as our flagship programs, Raw and SmackDown.”

Smackdown begins airing on Fox this fall.

“USA Network and WWE have one of the longest and most successful partnerships in television history,” said Chris McCumber, president, Entertainment Networks – USA and Syfy. “As the #1 cable entertainment network, we’re excited to add Nxt to our weekly lineup alongside powerhouse flagship Raw, and to bring a new generation of Superstars to a wide audience.”

TNT will jump back into the pro wrestling ring on Oct. 2 with a weekly series from All-Elite Wrestling, the network announced during its Television Critics Association tour session Wednesday morning. 

The as yet titled series will be the first wrestling series on the WarnerMedia-owned TNT cable network since 2001 when it aired content from the now defunct WCW wrestling franchise. WarnerMedia's Bleacher Report Live sports streaming service will also stream the episodes as well as other AEW content. 

AEW will compete against the WWE in the pro wrestling ring, but AEW executive vice president Cody Rhodes said the company is not focused on the competition.

“The thing we have to do is not focus on WWE,” he said. “The WWE coins itself as sports entertainment; we’re coining ourselves as pro wrestling. We just want to be our best selves.” 

Turner Sports has also stepped into the combat sports ring with martial arts organization One Championship as part of a three-year partnership agreement reached this past January. Bleacher Report Live will stream 24 One Championship events in 2019, with TNT televising at least 12 one-hour, taped re-airs featuring One Championship events per year, according to the organization. 

Netflix Monday released a new trailer for the new season of its female pro wrestling-themed series GLOW, which premieres Aug. 9

According to Netflix, the third season of the series follows the ladies of GLOW as they take the Vegas strip by storm. Now headliners at the Fan-Tan Hotel and Casino, the women quickly realize Sin City is much more grind than glitter.

WarnerMedia will launch a new professional wrestling franchise in partnership with All Elite Wrestling, WarnerMedia announced prior to its Thursday morning upfront presentation.

TNT will air live weekly AEW matches later this year, marking TNT’s re-entrance into the wrestling ring in nearly 20 years since airing content from the now defunct WCW pro wrestling franchise in the late 1990s. 

In addition, the AEW will stream content through WarnerMedia’s B/R Live event as well as via pay-per-view, according to company officials.

B/R Live will serve as the exclusive digital streaming partner in the United States for AEW’s May 25 inaugural event, Double or Nothing, said AEW officials.

“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,” said Michael Quigley, executive vice president, commercial operations, content strategy and monetization for TBS and TNT in a statement. “It is high-adrenaline, gripping entertainment and we can’t wait to bring it to fans everywhere with this game-changing new business.”

E! has greenlit a new season of its WWE-inspired reality series Total Bellas, the network said Tuesday.

The network will produce a fourth season of the series, which follows the lives of WWE Superstars Nikki Bella and Brie Bella. The show’s third season was its best from a ratings perspective, drawing in nearly 1 million viewers per episode and posting double-digit increases among the 18-49 demographic, according to the network.

“Nikki and Brie’s willingness to be open about their struggles and celebrate their triumphs with their fans is what makes Total Bellas such a hit with our audience,” said Amy Introcaso-Davis, Executive Vice President, Development and Production, E! in a statement. “The Bella Twins embody the strong, empowered women that we celebrate here at E!, and we are so excited to see what the future has in store for them next.”

USA will debut its WWE-infused reality series Miz & Mrs on July 24, according to network officials.

The six-episode series follows married WWE Superstars The Miz and Maryse as they adapt to become first-time parents while juggling their fast-paced lifestyle, according to USA officials.

The series is produced by WWE and Burnin/Murray Productions, with The Miz, Maryse, Gil Goldshein, Farnaz Farjam-Chazan, Russell Jay, Kevin Dunn serving as executive producers.

The WWE will take its brand of professional wrestling entertainment to Facebook with a live, in-ring weekly series to debut in January, the company announced Wednesday.

The 12-episode series, Mixed Match Challenge, will feature WWE Superstars from both the RAW and SmackDown Live rosters competing in a single-elimination mixed tag-team tournament, said the WWE.

Each 20-minute episode will be optimized for mobile consumption and social interaction, including the ability for fans to engage with WWE Superstars during the show. Fans will also have the opportunity to select match-ups on Facebook, said the WWE.

The storylines for Mixed Match Challenge will continue between episodes across WWE’s Facebook Pages with short-form videos and social content, with the series promoted through a new Facebook Watch show Page dedicated to Mixed Match Challenge.

“As we continue to expand our strategic partnership with Facebook, this new series, Mixed Match Challenge, jointly reflects our innovative approach to content distribution and fan engagement,” said Michelle Wilson, WWE Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer in a statement. “This show will deliver the action and excitement our passionate fan base is accustomed to while offering new production elements and social experiences that only Facebook can provide.”

While most televised professional and college sports games can be watched online on multiple devices, a good number of major pay-per-view ring-sports events have yet to enter the digital arena.

FITE TV is trying to change that. The mobile app, developed by digital media company Flipps Media, currently offers live boxing events, as well as pro wrestling and mixed martial arts content, streamed to mobile phones. The app is available via iTunes or Google Play and gives users the option of watching on their devices or connecting directly to a smart TV.

Through distribution deals with such event providers as Golden Boy Promotions (boxing), TNA (pro wrestling) and World Series of Fighting (MMA), FITE TV is streaming an average of eight live free and fee-based ring sports events per week.

FITE TV CEO Kosta Jordanov recently spoke to Multichannel News programming editor R. Thomas Umstead about the service, as well as his aspirations to eventually offer fight fans the opportunity to watch the biggest PPV ring-sports events online. An edited excerpt of their conversation follows.

RELATED:Spring's Live Ring Sports on Cable and Broadcast

MCN:Do people actually want to watch a fight on a mobile phone?

Kosta Jordanov: It depends on the content. The trend is that people are shifting to short-form clips, and for those people who watch that content, the size of the screen doesn’t matter that much.

When it comes to sports, however, people want to watch live sports on a large screen. For a three-hour show that you’ve paid $30 to $40 for, the small screen doesn’t work. You want to sit with friends, drink a beer and watch a fight on the large screen. That’s what’s so attractive about FITE TV. The biggest differentiator is our technical ability to connect the stream and bring it to the big screen. We don’t have any hardware for a specific box to be connected to the TV, and there’s no need for a cable subscription.

Basically, we do IP delivery over the big screen using the mobile device as a remote-control interface. The only requirement is that the mobile device and the TV have to be on the same network. The stream goes through a cloud service that we support going to the big screen.

MCN:What are some of the rights deals that you have with ring sports providers?

KJ: We already have deals with 35 event providers on the wrestling, MMA and boxing side. We have a deal with TNA [and] Ring of Honor, on the wrestling side; Legacy [Fighting Championship] and WSOF [World Series of Fighting] on the mixed-martial-arts side, and Golden Boy Promotions and Integrated Sports for boxing. There really isn’t a reason for a content partner not to work for us — it’s all upside for everyone involved.

We’re just one more distributor that they have to work with, but we have a slightly different reach. We’re reaching cord-cutters; people outside the country. We also help our partners with the promotion of the event through Facebook and Twitter ads, sponsored ads. We can also provide content to specific countries.

MCN:Do you see a time when you’ll be able to stream a major PPV boxing event from HBO or Showtime?

KJ: I think it’s doable. I think we would probably start with some distribution outside of the prime window, or it could start with streaming of prelims, weigh-ins and other supporting events leading up to the main-event card. Again, we’re just another Dish or DirecTV; we’re one more provider that can help provide revenue.

MCN:How does a consumer purchase an event to stream?

KJ: Through the FITE TV app, you can purchase the event just like you would through iTunes or Google Play. Once purchased, you get a confirmation from both FITE TV and from iTunes or Google Play.

MCN:The knock on streaming has been the piracy factor — there’s a lot of stealing of the signal when it’s on the Web. How can you assure event providers that you can eliminate piracy?

KJ: We have a very secure content-protection platform that we’ve been working on for the last four years. Through this platform, we’ve streamed content from CBS, Bloomberg [Television] and some of the movie studios that really have high requirements for signal protection. That said, every single signal can be hacked, but we’re actually more safe than traditional systems. It’s harder to steal the content from us than it is from cable.

MCN:Are there any plans to extend your content beyond ring sports?

KJ: We’re very focused on ring sports — we don’t have any plans to go to any areas until we own the space. After that, we may look at other events.

World Wrestling Entertainment stock has taken a hit over the past few days in the wake of a 60-day suspension of an African-American wrestler who playfully grabbed CEO Vince McMahon’s arm briefly during a telecast, and a drop in subscribers at its online service WWE Network.

The twitter-verse lit up Wednesday night after WWE suspended wrestler Titus O’Neil for what it called “unprofessional conduct” after the wrestler grabbed McMahon’s arm during a taping of WWE’s Monday Night Raw in Seattle. The incident was not shown on the official broadcast – subscribers to its WWE Network were able to catch a glimpse though – and after news of the suspension hit, several versions of the video were widely available on the Internet. 

Many fans saw the suspension – initially a 90-day suspension that was reduced by 30 days – as a racist move by the controversial CEO. WWE denied the suspension was racially motivated.

“The suspension of Titus O’Neil had nothing to do with race and everything to do with unprofessional conduct,” the company said in a statement to the New York Post.

The WWE also sent the post a copy of a text they said O’Neil sent the organization “‘I feel like sh** now so if you have to let me go, I understand. Stupid mistake.’”

O’Neil (his real name is Thaddeus Bullard) graduated from the University of Florida and played football for the Gators (1997-1999) as a defensive tackle under head coach Steve Spurrier.  He is well-known for his charity work and is one of the more well-liked wrestlers on the circuit.

The O’Neil move likely played a role in WWE’s stock dipping on Feb. 10 – it fell 4.4% (72 cents each) to $15.75 per share from $16.47 the previous day.

While the incident did keep social media humming for awhile, the real hit to the stock occurred the following day (Feb. 11) when shares dipped as much as 10% after WWE revealed that subscribers for its WWE Network fell to 1.2 million in the fourth quarter from 1.3 million in the previous period. The stock finished the day at $14.94 per share, down 5.1%. WWE shares closed at $16.40 each, down 2%, (30 cents) on Feb.12.

The weak WWE Network numbers overshadowed what was otherwise a strong quarter for the content company – revenue was up 18% and the company reported $3.4 million in net income, compared to a loss of $600,000 in the previous year.

Fans of lucha libre can now enjoy a second season of the Mark Burnett-produced Lucha Underground, El Rey Network’s hour-long weekly reality series about the action and stars of Mexican-style wrestling.

Burnett is teaming with United Artists Media Group, El Rey Network chairman and founder Robert Rodriguez and FactoryMade Ventures, a Los Angeles-based "entertainment and media incubator" and El Rey co-owner, on the second season. Production is underway in the Boyle Heights section of Los Angeles.

The series will air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) staring Jan. 27. Leading up to the second-season premiere, El Rey will air five hours of back-to-back episodes from season one on Wednesdays from 8 p.m to 1 a.m., starting Jan. 6. El Rey will then hand over its entire programming grid to Lucha Underground with a 40-hour marathon of the entire first season from Saturday, Jan. 23, at 10 a.m. (ET) to  Sunday, Jan. 24 at 2 a.m. (ET).

“Mark Burnett and his team have delivered a truly compelling series and we are proud to bring the ancient traditions of lucha libre to life in an unexpected and action-packed format that has become a favorite for wrestling fans everywhere," Rodriguez said.

Meanwhile, El Rey has confirmed that its signature offering, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, will return for a third season. El Rey Network's lineup also includes a wide range of cult films and TV series.

 Shares of World Wrestling Entertainment soared more than 8% ($1.58 each) after the scripted sports giant announced it was expanding its over-the-top offering WWE Network into India.

WWE shares were closed at $20.82 per share on Friday after noon, up 8.2% on the news.

Beginning on Nov. 2, customers in India will be able to watch the networks on their desktop, laptop and mobile devices for $9.99 per month. The first month of service is free, WWE added, and customers will get access to 24/7 scheduled programming, 3,700 hours of on-demand content and every WWE, WCW and ECW pay-per view event. In addition, all 12 WWE pay-per-view events will be available to subscribers 24 hours after they air in India, and will be broadcast live on WWE Network beginning in 2017.

“India is a strategically important market for WWE and we are thrilled to make WWE Network available to our fans there,” WWE chief strategy officer and chief financial officer George Barrios said in a statement. “The global expansion of WWE Network is a key driver in our commitment to growing the WWE brand internationally.”

WWE Network will be made available on additional devices, including Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Roku and Smart TVs prior to Survivor Series on Nov. 22.

WWE Network will also be available in other countries in the Indian subcontinent including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

Shares of World Wrestling Entertainment soared Tuesday after an analyst report pointed out that Dutch reality show mogul John de Mol has snapped up 6% of the company’s stock.

WWE shares rose as high as $22.30 each Tuesday (up 10.6%, or $2.13 each) after BTIG media analyst Brandon Ross issued a report that said an investment company headed by de Mol – Talpa Beheer BV – recently disclosed that it has purchased a 6% stake in the wrestling enterprise. Shares closed at $22.23, up 10.2% or $2.06 each.

de Mol is the co-founder of Dutch reality show  pioneer Endemol, creator of reality icons Big Brother, Fear Factor and Deal or No Deal. Endemol was sold to Telefonica in 2000 for about $6 billion. After leaving Endemol, de Mol formed Talpa Media, which created another slew of reality-type programming, including The Voice. He sold Talpa Media to British commercial broadcaster ITV in March for $544 million, which could grow to $1.2 billion if he stays with the company for 8 years and reaches predetermined performance targets.

Wall Street was intrigued by de Mol’s interest in WWE, especially since its pro wrestling programming seems to fit perfectly with the fare that the Dutch mogul has developed in the past.

In his report Ross speculated that de Mol could merely want to keep a passive stake in WWE, but that his input on programming would be invaluable, adding that WWE revived its Tough Enough reality series in June which would seem to be right in the Dutch mogul’s wheelhouse. Another possibility? That ITV could be interested in a relationship with WWE. Ross notes that John Malone's LIberty Media owns a 9.9% interest in ITV, which has sparked some speculation that it would be interested in acquiring ITV.

“WWE does seem to be a good fit for ITV given their strategy of buying content producers with global and/or digital appeal,” Ross wrote.  “ITV has been very acquisitive, especially in the United States, even allowing certain companies to run as independent entities while leveraging the infrastructure of the parent company.  This is exactly what ITV has done with Talpa Media.”

Despite taking the equivalent of a pile-driver and  a double-suplex from Wall Street and cable networks  after the launch of its online WWE Network last year, World Wrestling Entertainment could be ready for a rebound,  with BTIG analyst Brandon Ross initiating coverage on the stock with a “buy” rating and a $25 price target, adding that the network is a precursor for how consumers will interact with content providers in the future.

The WWE Network launched in February 2014 offering a lengthy list of content – including past matches and access to pay-per-view events – for the low price of $9.99 per month. Cable networks initially weren’t happy about the service, fearing that it would cannibalize ratings for its Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown programming, as well as take a huge bite out of lucrative PPV revenue. WWE stock traded accordingly, rising steadily on speculation that it would attract millions of subscribers, but when that proved to be overly optimistic, WWE stock plunged. Since then better subscriber numbers for the over-the-top channel (it topped 1 million customers in Q1) have helped the stock. On June 17 it closed at $16.45 per share, up 33% from the beginning of the year, but still nearly half the $30 level it traded at in early 2014. So far the upgrade has had little impact on the stock -- it was trading at $16.29, down 16 cents (1%) in afternoon trading Thursday.

In a blog post, Ross argues that while a loss of investor confidence in management has been a big overhang on the stock, that is about to change. He believes the Network is gaining subscribers, and as one of the pioneers in the concept of cutting out the distribution middle man and going direct to consumer, is on the verge of becoming more profitable.

“WWE is a vertically integrated media company that is well positioned to take of advantage of the changing media landscape, with a scaling direct-to-consumer network, increasingly valuable content, as well as global live entertainment and consumer products businesses,” Ross wrote. “Underpinning its business is a large and passionate fanbase.  The value of the content and fanbase should put a floor under the stock.”

WWE Network gained about 551,000 subscribers in the first quarter, a 63% gain that was largely fueled by a WrestleMania PPV event during that period. The stock fell after those results were announced, largely because investors feared a big increase in churn after the WrestleMania event, with some predicting the service would dip below 1 million subscribers.

While Ross agrees that customer growth will be seasonal and will peak around PPV events, he believes churn won’t be as harsh as some have guessed, with overall subscribers numbering about 1.18 million in the second quarter.

“We believe there is plenty of growth ahead for the Network,” Ross wrote.  “The fact that there are still PPVs being sold, despite the availability of the events for much cheaper on the Network is evidence enough.”

Syfy will look to pin down wrestling fans on Thursday nights with the January move of its popular WWE SmackDown series from Friday evenings.

SmackDown, which is averaging 3.1 million viewers on Friday nights, will move to Thursdays beginning Jan. 15 at 8 p.m., said the network. Currently the network airs acquired movies in primetime on Thursdays.

"Quite simply, more young men watch television on Thursday nights than on Fridays,” said Michael Engleman, Executive Vice President, Marketing, Digital and Global Brand Strategy for Syfy in a statement. “Among Men 18-49, PUTs (persons using television) are 15 percent higher compared to Fridays, expanding the potential audience for SmackDown. Since the majority of broadcast programming skews female, we're also using Thursday nights to counterprogram."

WWE and Ten Sports said they have extended their television distribution agreement for five years through 2019 while growing their partnership beyond WWE’s weekly flagship programming to include localized content, more languages and live events.

In addition to continued broadcasts of WWE staples like Raw, SmackDown, NXT and monthly pay-per-view events, beginning  Jan. 1, Ten Sports will introduce a new one-hour fully customized version of Raw tailored specifically for the Indian audience and add WWE Main Event to its programming lineup. Ten Sports will also air WWE content in multiple Indian languages for the first time and bring WWE live events back to India in 2015.

“We are very excited to extend our long-standing, successful partnership with WWE for the Indian Subcontinent,” said Ten Sports CEO Rajesh Sethi in a statement. “WWE is the leader in sports entertainment, and its high-quality entertainment is a huge hit among Indian audiences. Being rights holders since 2002, we have seen WWE grow over the years to dominate the sports entertainment space, and with this new deal through 2019, we are confident of taking our partnership to the next level, delivering audiences more breakthrough programming and engagement opportunities in the years to come.”

Ten Sports and WWE first signed a distribution deal in 2005.

“India remains a strategically important market for WWE and we are thrilled to continue our long-term partnership with Ten Sports, the region’s leader in sports programming,” said WWE Executive Vice President, International Gerrit Meier in a statement. “As the value of the WWE brand and our content continues to increase around the world, the scale and scope of this new agreement illustrates our ability to drive a passionate and engaged audience as well as the potential we have for future growth.”

E!’s WWE-produced Total Divas reality series drew more than  1.2 million total viewers in its season three premiere Sunday night, the network said Monday.

The series, which follows the exploits of several female WWE superstars, also drew 821,000 adults 18-49, up 17% from its season two premiere.

 On the digital front, Total Divas garnered 26,000 Tweets and ranked as the #1 ad-supported cable program of the night (excluding sports), said network officials. 

World Wrestling Entertainment stock plunged more than 40% on Friday, a day after it had announced a disappointing carriage deal with NBC Universal and warned investors it would need to attract more subscribers to its over-the-top network to make up for pay-per view losses.

WWE announced on Thursday that it has secured a multi-year deal with NBCU’s USA Network for its Monday Night Raw franchise and Syfy channel for Friday Night Smackdown.

The deal ended months of speculation regarding the future of the programs, but apparently fell short of expectations. Analysts had speculated that the shows – Monday Night Raw is USA’s top rated show and is one of the main reasons that network is tops with young adults – could double or even triple their rates. In a recent research report, CJS Securities analyst Daniel Moore said the Raw and Smackdown deals “will shape the direction of earnings and cash flow for the next several years.” In an interview back in March, Moore said that at least of doubling of those fees was already built into the stock price.  WWE did not reveal what it received from NBCU in the new deal, but in a Friday note, Moore estimated the increase was about 85% above the old deal. Coupled with its announcement that it would need to add between 1.3 million and 1.4 million subscribers to its over-the-top channel to make up for Pay-Per-View losses, and investors apparently were spooked.

The NBCU deal is just the latest disappointment for WWE investors. In April, the company had said it added 667,000 new subscribers to its over-the-top network,  far short of the 1-million-plus additions investors were hoping for. WWE has said it expects to reach the 1 million subscriber milestone by the end of the year.

“Given management’s more optimistic tone and the fact that other major sports franchises have garnered much higher increases, this outcome is likely to be viewed as disappointing by many investors,” Moore wrote in a note to clients Friday.

WWE stock fell as much as 47% ($9.38 each) to $10.55 per share in early trading Friday. The stock closed at $11.27 per share, down $8.66 or 43.5%.

The WWE explored traditional linear distribution and a-la-carte distribution through cable operators for its upstart WWE Network before deciding to offer it as a digital over-the-top service, according to George Barrios, WWE chief strategy and financial officer.

“On the network side we couldn’t get to a deal that made sense for both of us,” Barrios said during a recent video interview with Multichannel News multimedia and programming editor R. Thomas Umstead.

Barrios also said the company’s Wrestlemania event franchise has generated more than $1 billion in pay-per-view, live gate and merchandising revenue since launching 30 years ago. Wrestlemania 30 takes place Sunday (April 6) in New Orleans, and for the first time will air live via traditional pay-per-view and through the $9.99 per month WWE Network. Click here to see the full interview.