How the 2022 MLB Playoffs and World Series Could Affect WWE and AEW
The MLB released its official preliminary schedule for the 2022 Postseason on Monday, confirming that the opening round will begin on Friday, Oct. 7. A quick glimpse at the scheduled games confirm that both WWE and AEW will be preempted off their usual TV slot because of conflicts with scheduled games. For AEW, Game 1 of the American League Championship series will take place on TBS on Wednesday, Oct. 19 and conflict with AEW Dynamite. The company will have the same problem the following week if the series reaches Game 7.
As for WWE, Friday Night SmackDown will be booted off FOX for at least one episode during the World Series as the network holds the rights to air every game in the series. Game 1 is booked for Friday, Oct. 28 and Game 6 (if necessary) will be the following week on Nov. 4.
AEW's status on TBS and TNT has become a hot topic this year as the current television deal AEW has with Warner Bros. Discovery is set to expire in 2023. And while fans hold their breath hoping that the young promotion gets another TV deal, AEW President Tony Khan has been hyping it up as "historic."
"I'm incredibly grateful every day that AEW has this great relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery and we've done well for TBS and TNT with 'Dynamite' and 'Rampage' where we're a strong performer for Warner Bros. Discovery on a weekly basis. I think there is still a lot of time left for the next rights deal, but we have a great thing happening right now and I do believe our future media rights will be important and frankly a very large revenue stream for AEW going forward, and I think that's because of the great support we've had from the fans and the hard work of everybody backstage and the wrestlers every Wednesday and Friday, pulling it together and delivering great shows," Khan told The New York Post back in July.
"Whenever our next media right deal, the next one does kick in, it will be historic," he added. "It will be recorded in history because everything in wrestling is recorded in history into posterity. It will make history however it goes. Right now, everyone would expect very, very well. We expect it's going to go very well for us based on how strong we've been performing."