The professional wrestling industry made a strong showing in Variety’s annual “Dealmakers” list, with AEW’s Tony Khan and WWE’s Nick Khan, along with several TKO executives, earning recognition for their impactful negotiations in the sports/entertainment world.
Tony Khan, CEO of AEW, secured the top spot on the list, thanks to his recent multi-year media rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). This agreement, reportedly worth $185 million annually, ensures that AEW’s flagship shows, Dynamite and Collision, will continue to air on TBS and TNT, while also being simulcast on the Max streaming platform. Variety highlighted the significance of this deal, stating that AEW will be “the first professional wrestling promotion to simulcast events weekly on top cable channels and a top streaming platform.” The publication also noted AEW’s impressive estimated valuation: “The company is now valued at more than $2 billion, making it the third-most-valuable combat sports company in the world.”
WWE’s Nick Khan and TKO executives Ari Emanuel, Mark Shapiro, and Andrew Schleimer were also featured on the list for their roles in orchestrating the monumental decade-long, $5.2 billion deal with Netflix for WWE content. This landmark agreement underscores the growing value of professional wrestling in the global entertainment landscape. Schleimer commented on the deal’s potential, highlighting the “downstream impact and ancillary benefits to being with the distributor and just south of 300 million homes globally.”
The inclusion of these wrestling executives in Variety’s “Dealmakers” list signifies the industry’s increasing prominence and influence within the broader entertainment sector.
