5 Reasons why AEW went with TNT

It's official. It' just been announced that TNT will be the official broadcaster for AEW's weekly TV show. This was rumored to be in the works for a while but it's certainly a big move on the part of TNT to go with AEW. It'll also mark the first time that AEW will debut on TNT since WCW closed its doors back in 2001.

The press release released by TNT's parent company, WarnerMedia provides clarity on the way forward for this new partnership.

Later this year, WarnerMedia will provide exclusive multi-platform access for fans to watch AEW events, airing live weekly matches on TNT in prime time, as well as streaming them through WarnerMedia's B/R Live and on pay-per-view. A leading digital sports enterprise, B/R Live's high fan engagement will provide an invaluable opportunity to build AEW's audience.

All Elite Wrestling is a talent-forward, fan-first league whose inclusive approach to creating high-quality athletic wrestling competitions is already making waves with fans and attracting top-tier wrestlers," said Michael Quigley, executive vp commercial operations, content strategy and monetization at TBS and TNT. "It is high-adrenaline, gripping entertainment and we can’t wait to bring it to fans everywhere with this game-changing new business.

But really, why did AEW pick TNT as its broadcast partner or should I vice-versa as well? It's quite obvious that they gave them the best deal. But what are the underlying reasons as to why they eventually went with the very large broadcast cable network? With that in mind, here are 5 reasons why AEW has gone with TNT.

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#5 More wrestling than ever before

It's true that WWE is the big corporate entity when it comes to professional wrestling. But it's even truer that a lot of smaller companies have been providing an alternative outlet for wrestling fans who are tired of the sameness of the WWE product.

When All In sold 10,000 tickets last year just on the names of Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks, it caught the attention of the wrestling world. And most certainly got the attention of WarnerMedia executives who were impressed by the showing.

#4 A viable alternative to WWE

Since the demise of WCW and perhaps the decline of WWE programming, a lot of wrestling have been crying for something different. Impact Wrestling tried when they were still on Spike TV (now named Paramount Network) but they seemed to be a pale imitation of WWE. They even brought back Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan in an ill-fated attempt to repeat the Monday Night Wars. It was a failure, to say the least. AEW promises to be something different.

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#3 The TNT Network has a wide reach

The TNT Network has a wide variety of programming. Whether it's the NBA, Golf or shows like The Animal Kingdom, it has something to offer for everyone. In 2018, it was ranked fourth among basic cable networks. But moreover, what they lack is 'original programming' and that's where AEW comes in.

AEW's weekly TV show, whose name is unknown at this time, can provide 52 weeks of original content that will air consistently. It's a return to the WCW days of old.

#2 WCW Nostalgia

A lot of wrestling fans have been clamoring for this for a very long time. No, AEW is not WCW. But they can certainly learn from their mistakes. It can be argued that wrestling was at its best when both companies were going head to head in the Monday Night Wars.

In 2019, while they may not happen, they're already competing for wrestling talent and putting on a show that can only improve the creativity of both companies. Good things are coming.

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#1 Anticipating another wrestling boom

The last wrestling boom was the famous Attitude Era. But times have changed. The way viewers access their content is on multiple platforms including TV, streaming platforms, mobile devices, etc. looking for instantaneous gratification. This has actually leveled the playing field for smaller companies to thrive.

Impact Wrestling is seeing far better results by going on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. ROH has their own app and NJPW has their own streaming platform as does WWE. Thanks to this, wrestling is more accessible than ever.

AEW with its financial backing can even go a little further. If they are able to maintain consistent good ratings and WWE SmackDown is a hit on FOX, we could see the birth of something special.