AEW is still in the process of finding a home for its rumored new show, AEW Shockwave. This development comes as part of AEW’s efforts to expand its content offerings following their new TV deal with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Current Status of AEW Shockwave

Ongoing Negotiations

While rumors about AEW Shockwave have been circulating for weeks, the company is actively exploring various possibilities for the show’s placement. No official deal has been announced yet, indicating that negotiations are still underway.

Potential Network – FS1?

FOX has emerged as a heavily rumored landing spot for AEW Shockwave, with FS1 being a potential destination. However, it’s important to note that this is still speculative, and no agreement has been finalized.

Rampage Replacement?

Some reports indicate that Shockwave might replace AEW Rampage in the promotion’s programming lineup. However, the exact fate of Rampage and its potential relationship to Shockwave remains unclear.

AEW’s Content Expansion Strategy

Post-WBD Deal Plans

Following their new TV deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, AEW is actively exploring opportunities for additional content. The pursuit of Shockwave appears to be part of this broader strategy to diversify and expand their programming.

Logo and Trademark

While no official logo has been revealed, AEW has taken a significant step by filing a trademark for “AEW: Shockwave.” This move suggests that plans for the show are progressing, even if final details are yet to be confirmed.

There are several fanmade logos doing the rounds on social media, but none of these are official.

Eric Bischoff, the former WWE executive and wrestling industry veteran, has recently shared his thoughts on the possibility of AEW’s rumored new show “Shockwave” airing on FOX. Speaking on his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff expressed strong skepticism about the likelihood of such a deal.

Bischoff’s Stance on AEW and FOX

Bischoff didn’t mince words when addressing the rumors, stating emphatically that AEW landing on FOX’s broadcast network is “a fantasy.”

He pointed out the significant disparity between SmackDown’s viewership on FOX and AEW’s current ratings for shows like Rampage and Collision:

“Does anybody in their right f*cking mind think that FOX Network is going to go, ‘Well, we couldn’t make SmackDown work with two and a half million viewers. But man, that Rampage or that Collision show, hmm! And this new one they’re coming out with, let’s do that.’ I understand why Swerve did it. He got excited, he’s emotional. He’s doing what he should do. But that was a bad take. I don’t see it, no. And to think that it could happen is a reflection of lack of information and knowledge, aka ignorance.”

Criticism of Swerve Strickland’s Comments

The discussion was sparked by recent comments from AEW wrestler Swerve Strickland. While Bischoff acknowledged Strickland’s enthusiasm for promoting his company, he criticized the wrestler’s suggestion that FOX might replace SmackDown with an AEW product

Viewership Comparisons

Bischoff highlighted the stark contrast in viewership numbers:

• SmackDown on FOX: Approximately 2.3-2.5 million viewers per week
• AEW Rampage and Collision: Around 300,000-400,000 viewers per week

He argued that it would be illogical for FOX to replace a show drawing over 2 million viewers with one that struggles to reach even a quarter of that audience.

AEW star Swerve Strickland has seemingly confirmed that Tony Khan’s promotion will be producing a show for Fox Network soon.

Youtuber Trevor “Queenzflip” Robinson recently published a video about his visit to Sneakcon in Coney Island, Brooklyn. The convention took place on 21 and 22 September at the Maimonides Park stadium.

Robinson ran into the former AEW Champion during his trip. Strickland first educated him about all the work he has been doing with the wrestling promotion, including him becoming the first African American world champion of the company.

During the talk, the AEW star mentioned how SmackDown has moved from Fox to USA Network and claimed that they’re taking Fox after that:

“We about to get on Fox. Cause SmackDown’s leaving Fox. And then we’re taking Fox. TNT, TBS, and Fox, we got all three of them. Tony Khan lets me do whatever I want.”

• Swerve Strickland Overpaid? “We Shake the Foundation of Things”

AEW’s New TV Deals

The new TV deals of AEW will be a historic event not only for Tony Khan but for the whole sports entertainment world. Reports suggest that the company will be getting around $170 million a year for producing two shows a week for various Warner Bros Discovery platforms.

Unlike their current agreement, however, AEW programming is not expected to be exclusive to WBD anymore. The cancellation of Rampage would open doors for the company to produce a new show for a different network.

The show expected to be called ‘AEW: Shockwave’ has been teased by Khan and all reports so far have been pointing towards it airing on Fox Network.

Swerve Strickland is currently off TV after suffering two big losses. He lost the AEW World Title to Bryan Danielson at All In on August 25 and suffered another brutal defeat at the hands of Hangman Page at All Out on September 7.

• Swerve Strickland Responds To Negative Reactions of Brutal All Out Match

Earlier this month, AEW filed a trademark for ‘AEW Shockwave’, exciting fans with the prospect of another weekly show from Tony Khan’s promotion. AEW Shockwave could provide a bolt of excitement into the company’s weekly schedule, but it will also reportedly mark the end of one of AEW’s current programs.

AEW Rampage will not be continued, a source informed the Wrestling Observer, and instead, AEW Shockwave will serve as the promotion’s third weekly show. The new show is expected to be shopped around to FOX, who recently finished their relationship with WWE, as well as other networks.

John Ourand notes that AEW is pitching another package “primarily” to broadcast channels, which would include ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, Telemundo, Univision, The CW, and ION. The CW will soon be the home of WWE NXT and the gold brand will make its debut on the network on October 1, with a stacked show in Chicago, Illinois.

AEW Rampage

Rampage launched in 2021, close to two years after AEW Dynamite hit screens in October 2019. While the show received a strong start, including the debut of CM Punk, Rampage quickly fell in terms of significance as AEW’s main storylines were kept to Dynamite. This pseudo-irrelevancy became the case even more in 2023 when AEW launched Collision, with Rampage becoming the least important of AEW’s weekly shows when it comes to developing storylines.

AEW’s TV Deals

AEW’s current TV deal with WarnerBros Discovery is scheduled to expire later this year and the company’s media rights has been a hot topic among fans. Tony Khan has teased some big announcements for the company including saying that AEW was “here to stay” on TBS and TNT.

AEW’s new deal with WBD is said to be in the ballpark of $170 million a year, according to Ourand. The deal will see AEW shows airing on TNT, TBS, and TruTV twice a week, leaving open the possibility of Shockwave appearing on FOX after SmackDown’s recent exit from the Network.

Current AEW TV deals are believed to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $70 million, so this ballpark figure is a huge boost for Tony Khan and his promotion. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on AEW and its future on TV.

AEW’s new TV deals are expected to be announced any day now and if latest reported numbers are to be believed, it will mark a clear success for the company.

John Ourand of Puck News recently provided some inside information on the negotiations between the wrestling company and its TV partners, once again noting that the package is close to being finalized.

According to him, it’s expected to be a four-year deal with three guaranteed years and WBD having the option to extend the contract by another year. The number of $170 million a year that’s been floated is ‘apparently in the ballpark’ according to Ourand.

The deal with see AEW shows airing on TNT, TBS, and TruTV twice a week. It’s part of a strategy from WBD CEO David Zaslav to make the latter two networks more valuable and sport-oriented. This comes after WBD lost the NBA media rights bid to Amazon.

The report makes no mention of the highly anticipated Max streaming deal but they note that AEW is also pitching another separate package to broadcast channels. Though there is no timetable for when the company will start pushing that deal.

This is in reference to the company trademarking ‘AEW: Shockwave’ for a new entertainment show which is rumored to be airing on Fox after SmackDown left the network to return to USA.

The current AEW TV deals are believed to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $70 million per year so if true, the new numbers would be a huge success for Tony Khan’s promotion.

• Tony Khan Teases Creating A Shockwave After Latest Trademark Filing

On September 6, All Elite Wrestling filed a trademark for the term ‘AEW: SHOCKWAVE‘ exciting fans over possible changes to the company. In August, Tony Khan teased that some of the biggest, most important announcements about AEW were coming soon.

Speaking on the post-AEW All Out media scrum, Khan was asked about the trademark and what it means going forward. The AEW President shared high hopes for his future after another successful All Out pay-per-view.

“It would be safe to say that AEW is set to create a shockwave throughout all of professional wrestling. I think people are going to be talking about what they saw at AEW All Out, which was a huge business success for us… We’ll continue to send that shockwave through the world of professional wrestling here at AEW.”

AEW is no stranger to making huge announcements including recently sharing that they will be hosting stadium-sized events in Australia and the United States next year. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on AEW: SHOCKWAVE and what this trademark is eventually used for.

A new trademark filing may have revealed one of the announcements Tony Khan has been teasing for All Elite Wrestling in recent weeks.

The AEW President claimed that the most important announcements in his company’s history ‘were looming large’ earlier this month.

Now it has been revealed that on September 6, the promotion filed a new trademark application with USPTO for ‘AEW: SHOCKWAVE’ for ‘Entertainment services in the nature of production of professional wrestling programs and events.’

It’s unknown what the officials intend to use the trademark for at this point, but the naming scheme suggests it to be a special similar to NXT: Heatwave instead of a weekly show.

AEW’s New TV Deals

AEW’s current TV deal with WarnerBros Discovery is scheduled to expire later this year. The company’s media rights renewal has been a hot topic of discussion among fans.

There have been many reports of positive talks between the wrestling company and its TV partners but so far there has been no solid development in the matter.

President Tony Khan has teased some big announcements for the company a number of times. While addressing the crowd after last night’s Collision, Khan said that he thinks AEW on TNT and TBS was ‘here to stay.’

One of the things people are expecting to see with the new deals is the inclusion of a streaming agreement which will finally provide a home to the promotion’s tape library.

While not confirmed, it’s possible that the new trademark is in preparation for a media rights renewal announcement. It can be used for specials on streaming platform or TV, that gets announced alongside the new media deal.