Felix Upton on January 6, 2026
With the future of Warner Bros Discovery hanging in the balance and major media powerhouses like Netflix and Paramount circling, AEW’s long-term home on TNT and TBS could be in jeopardy. But Tony Khan isn’t sweating it—at least not publicly.
In a new interview on The Mark Hoke Show, Khan was asked directly about the growing speculation surrounding a potential Netflix acquisition of WBD, and how that could impact AEW’s broadcast future. The AEW President didn’t dodge. Instead, he went all-in with praise for the man steering the ship: WBD CEO David Zaslav.
“The person who put us in this position in the first place — when he came in and took over Warner Brothers and built Warner Brothers Discovery — is David Zaslav. And David Zaslav’s always been a great supporter of AEW since Warner Brothers Discovery was formed.”
Khan recalled how Zaslav personally greenlit Collision for Saturday nights with very little prep time:
“It was his idea to launch Saturday Night Collision and give us two hours on TNT on Saturday nights… I only got a few months’ notice, and he said, ‘Put together a great show on Saturday nights. If you want it, you can have it.’ And I said, ‘Yes, sir. I would really like that. Thank you, sir.’”
Khan made it clear that despite the ongoing merger drama, he remains confident in the company’s leadership—and specifically Zaslav’s role in expanding AEW’s reach, including streaming access:
“Just as we were working out the deal for this long-term partnership to keep AEW here with TBS, TNT, we came up with something really exciting — which was adding AEW to HBO Max. And it’s worked out great for AEW and our fans.”
And if WBD’s future still feels like a ticking time bomb, Khan isn’t showing any nerves:
“Whatever David Zaslav does — for the shareholders and with the board — I think it’s going to be great for Warner Brothers Discovery and the shareholders. Mr. Zaslav’s done a great job, and I think he’s going to continue to.”
The comments come days after Paramount’s renewed $30-per-share offer—backed personally by Larry Ellison—aimed to revive buyout talks with WBD. If a merger shifts control of TNT, TBS, or HBO Max, AEW could find itself without a reliable network partner. But for now, Tony Khan is publicly staying the course and standing behind the man who gave AEW its national platform.
Do you think Tony Khan is smart to back David Zaslav publicly—or should he start exploring other media options just in case? Share your take in the comments below.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
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