RUMOR: AEW’s Weekly TV Show Could Be Headed to TNT/TBS

This is just a rumor that has been floating around today, so take it with some healthy skepticism for now.

Twitter account @fightoracle is claiming that Warner Media Group, which owns TNT and TBS, will present AEW at their upfronts to advertisers next month, on May 15. “Upfronts” are events when networks announce their lineups to advertisers for the upcoming TV season.

The account claims that AEW will air on Tuesday nights and will debut the same week that WWE SmackDown moves to Fox (SmackDown debuts on Fox on October 4).

-BREAKING- @WarnerMediaGrp aka Turner Sports (TNT, TBS) will present @AEWrestling at their upfronts to advertisers next month. WarnerMedia/Turner upfronts are currently scheduled for May 15th. This is how Networks announce their content lineup for the fall season to advertisers.

— The Fight Oracle (@fightoracle) April 10, 2019

Word is @AEWrestling will debut the same week as WWE Smackdown moving to Fox. AEW will be on Tuesdays.

— The Fight Oracle (@fightoracle) April 11, 2019

Pro Wrestling Sheet’s Ryan Satin also said that he heard the same rumor from a “trustworthy source” but has not yet been able to confirm it.

I heard the same thing over the weekend from a trustworthy source, but hadn’t been able to work on confirming yet since I’ve been sick since getting home.

— Ryan Satin (@ryansatin) April 11, 2019

In an interview on Friday, Jim Ross said that a weekly live two hour AEW show will debut on a “major network” in October, adding, “when people hear what network we’re going on they’re gonna be doubly excited cause it’s a network that we can all find.”

TruTV is also owned by Warner Media Group, but that doesn’t seem as likely as an “exciting” network. Dave Meltzer previously reported that the networks that were in serious talks with AEW were more prestigious than any network that any promotion since WCW has been on, including TNA on Spike TV.

WCW, which was owned by Turner Broadcasting System (which also owned TBS and TNT), aired on TBS and/or TNT from its inception in 1988 until it was bought by WWE in 2001.

It'll hopefully air Saturday nights at 6:05.

— Martin Ellis (@CraftyWink) April 10, 2019