The National Hockey League and Turner Sports officially confirmed they have signed a seven-year deal that put 72 regular season games along with various postseason matchups and three upcoming Stanley Cup Finals on TNT, TBS and various streaming platforms beginning next season. Wrestling fans immediately perked up at this news, as the league’s emphasis on Wednesday nights could theoretically forced AEW Dynamite off its Wednesday night time slot. However, AEW president Tony Khan appeared on Busted Open Radio on Wednesday to address the situation.
“I know Wednesday night is our slot and our home,” Khan said (h/t Fightful). “I’m thrilled with our partnership with TNT. It’s the lifeblood of our company and our primary revenue source. It’s the way most fans get exposed to AEW and see our show. Every Wednesday that we do Dynamite, for a lot of wrestling fans, it’s a really important night of the week. I want everyone rest assured that they’re not going to have to worry about these kind of major….we have a contract with over two and a half years left for Wednesday nights in this slot. If there was ever an opportunity to move or a deal to be had, I would consider it. If we did something, it would have to be a really good deal for AEW and make sense for us. As it stands right now, that is the spot we’re in. If we move, I would certainly consider a deal if there was something in it for AEW.”
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As of now, Turner has reportedly not decided which network will host games on which night. With NXT now on Tuesdays, Wednesdays have become the ideal slot for the Jacksonville-based promotion. The NBA season dominates Tuesdays and Thursdays on TNT and moving to the other weeknights would result in competing with either Monday Night Raw (and Monday Night Football for a quarter of the year) or Friday Night SmackDown. Dynamite has brought in more than one million viewers each episode since NXT made the transition to Tuesdays. Stay tuned for more details on the situation as they become available.
Here’s what’s on the lineup for tonight’s episode:
- Brian Cage vs. Hangman Page
- TNT Championship: Darby Allin vs. 10
- The Young Bucks vs. Matt & Mike Sydal
- Kris Statlander vs. Penelope Ford
- Orange Cassidy vs. Penta El Zero Miedo
- The Nightmare Family vs. The Factory
- The Inner Circle & The Pinnacle’s Parley
- Kenny Omega to Appear
