AEW & Warner Bros. Discovery Could Make TV Deal Announcement Next Week

-- After months of negotiations and more recently several hints being dropped, it appears that the much expected media rights TV deal between AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery is about to be announced.

-- Puck, a premium newsletter that covers the entertainment industry, released a story last night that indicated that WBD head David Zaslav was ready to re-allocate the funds he has at his disposal after the $1.5 billion NBA deal didn't materialize. Of course, AEW is strongly believed to be part of his new strategy to spend.

-- The report added that AEW and WBD are close to finalizing a package and that an official announcement could conceivably come as soon as next week unless there are some last minute obstacles. Next week, AEW is returning to Arthur Ashe stadium in New York City which would be logical venue to make such an announcement as Warner representatives will be in attendance.

-- The report further speculates that the the new deal with be for four three years that will be comprised of three guaranteed years plus an option and that AEW programming will be broadcast across WBD properties TNT, TBS and TruTV on a twice weekly basis though it didn't give context on whether that would mean given there are currently three shows on three different days.

-- From a monetary perspective, the report states that the deal will be in the "ballpark" of $170 million annually but that AEW is also proposing another separate package aimed primarily to broadcast channels rather than cable. There was no mention of the future of AEW PPVs or whether they would be incorporated into WBD's streaming service, Max.