Triple H & Nick Khan Meet With Warner Bros. Discovery Over WWE Raw TV Deal

Warner Bros. Discovery are back in play for the United States media rights to Monday Night Raw, according to multiple reports. 

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer has reported that Endeavor's Mark Shapiro, WWE President Nick Khan, and WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H met with Warner Bros. Discovery on Monday morning. CM Punk was said to be a major part of WWE's pitch as he will be a regular on Raw. WWE reportedly pushed his merchandise sales, social media views, and the ratings Raw has drawn since Punk's return. 

PWInsider, meanwhile, reported that Shapiro, Khan, and Triple H met with WBD Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer Bruce Campbell and the meeting lasted several hours. 

A deal between Warner Bros. Discovery and WWE could have a huge impact on All Elite Wrestling. AEW Dynamite, Collision, and Rampage are broadcast on TNT and TBS in the United States but their current deal expires at the end of 2024. WWE may not push for brand exclusivity from WBD, something the company would have done under the Vince McMahon regime, but Haus of Wrestling has claimed the vibe they were given "is that AEW is in danger of not being renewed by WBD for TNT or TBS." One scenario presented would be for Raw to air on TBS or TNT while AEW moves to Discovery. 

AEW remain in talks with Warner Bros. Discovery over a new TV deal and streaming arrangements, with the media conglomerate believed to hold a minority stake in the promotion, although this has never been confirmed by Tony Khan. The AEW President stated just this week that he had "really good talks" with Warner Bros. Discovery.

PWInsider noted that WBD's major goal is to secure the rights to the NBA and there remain other suitors for the Raw media rights, including Amazon. 

WWE are looking for a big increase in the Raw media rights, according to Meltzer, and the company is hoping for at least a 50 percent increase. This would bring the cost of broadcasting WWE Raw to $398 million per year.