This morning the partnership between WarnerMedia and All Elite Wrestling was made official, just moments before the conglomerate was set to take the stage for the 2019 television upfronts in New York.
While details were unveiled on plans for future online streaming options and even plans to run on pay-per-view going forward, the biggest piece of news coming out of the announcement was of course that AEW will air live on TNT in a primetime slot every single week beginning later this year.
TNT, originally shorthand for Turner Network Television, was of course home to WCW Monday Nitro from 1995 until 2001 when World Championship Wrestling was bought out by Vince McMahon’s WWE. The network has not hosted professional wrestling since the end of the Monday Night Wars, making this new deal even more significant in the minds of a whole lot of fans.
The official social media account for the TNT network released a series of tweets, first hyping that they are finally “back in the wrestling business”, before providing some information from the WarnerMedia upfronts. “Later this year we’re introducing some real superheroes with a new live franchise: All Elite Wrestling #AEW – a brand-new league – with a new style and a new generation of talent. Big names like @IAmJericho will headline an emergent group of entertainers such as @CodyRhodes, @KennyOmegamanX, and @NickJacksonYB.”
We’re back in the wrestling business! #AEW @AEWrestling pic.twitter.com/1DVRLRdQgd
— TNT Drama (@tntdrama) May 15, 2019
Big names like @IAmJericho will headline an emergent group of entertainers such as @CodyRhodes, @KennyOmegamanX, and @NickJacksonYB. #WarnerMediaUpfront #AEW pic.twitter.com/xP9A6shfLT
— TNT Drama (@tntdrama) May 15, 2019