Huge update regarding AEW Shockwave; trademark being contested by rival promotion

A new legal development has surfaced involving AEW, with one of their trademark filings now under dispute. The issue was raised by a well-known rival wrestling promotion.

The National Wrestling Alliance has officially contested Tony Khan’s attempt to trademark the name “AEW Shockwave.” According to a report from PWInsider, NWA filed a 'Notice of Opposition' on June 5, citing prior use of the term 'Shockwave' in their own programming.

NWA originally launched Shockwave as a television show on their YouTube channel in 2020 and revived the name earlier this year for a series of live events in Texas.

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Meanwhile, the Jacksonville-based promotion had filed for the trademark last year, with speculations suggesting it would be the name of a new one-hour program potentially airing on FS1 or Fox. However, the proposed show never materialized.

Tony Khan now has until June 15, 2025, to formally respond to NWA.

AEW's poor ratings reportedly the reason for stalled Shockwave deal with FOX

Before the latest trademark dispute, Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez had given an update on the Wrestling Observer Radio about AEW’s ongoing efforts to expand its television presence through Shockwave.

One of the key discussions at the time involved a potential deal with FOX, the network that previously partnered with WWE for several years. Tony Khan's promotion had reportedly been in talks with the network regarding a new one-hour wrestling show tentatively titled Shockwave. However, these discussions seemingly fell through. Addressing the same, Meltzer noted that the Jacksonville-based promotion's declining television ratings played a major role in the slowdown.

"I mean, you know, the thing like, obviously, that there were talks with FOX and AEW, numbers fell. And, I mean, that's the key. I mean, it's like, if their numbers had stayed stronger, or, you know, I think that they would have a lot better shot getting on FOX," said Meltzer [H/T: WrestlingInc.]

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As of today, All Elite Wrestling only has two weekly shows, Dynamite and Collision. It will be interesting to see if Shockwave will ever materialize.

About the author

Karan Raj is a senior writer in Sportskeeda's AEW division. He holds an engineering degree from Manipal University, but his passion for sports motivated him to pursue an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Liverpool. Karan has been in the sports marketing industry for the past seven years.

As a lifelong WWE fan and enthusiast of wrestling entertainment, he has always been drawn to the industry's unique blend of sports and storytelling. Karan was introduced to the business by his elder sister when he was 10 years old.

Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Karan worked for several reputable organizations, such as Ting Works LLP and Sportz Interactive, wearing different hats. He also wrote the anthem of UP Rudras, a hockey team that played in the Hockey India League. Karan conducts thorough research while writing articles and only relies on credible sources for information.

Karan's favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's versatility as a performer and his ability to play both heel and babyface characters to perfection. Besides Rollins, Karan looks up to Roman Reigns for his storytelling skills and ability to captivate audiences.

In AEW, he enjoys watching Will Ospreay compete inside the ring. Karan loves The Aerial Assassin's technical in-ring ability and athleticism. If Karan could go back to the Attitude Era, he would combine forces with Jericho and promise to elevate his career to the same level as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.When not writing about pro wrestling, Karan loves to play and watch football. It is a huge part of his life.

He is also a massive fan of tennis and is learning to play the sport. Apart from sports, he also knows how to play the ukulele.

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Edited by Sayantan Niyogi

Huge update regarding AEW Shockwave; trademark being contested by rival promotion - Reports

AEW's poor ratings reportedly the reason for stalled Shockwave deal with FOX