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>The high-stakes negotiations for the next round of UFC television rights are intensifying, with at least four companies reportedly in the mix now that TKO and UFC’s exclusive negotiating window with current partner ESPN has closed. According to a report from John Ourand in his Puck Varsity newsletter, AEW’s broadcast partner, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), is considered a “wildcard in the negotiations,” a development that could have significant implications for AEW programming, particularly AEW Collision.
>WBD is actively seeking to acquire various sports rights to bolster its portfolio, especially as the NBA has officially departed its networks as of this week. According to Ourand, WBD would plan to air UFC fights on its linear channels (like TNT or TBS) in addition to its streaming platform, Max.
>Should WBD successfully acquire a significant UFC rights package, it’s assumed that AEW Collision would need to move from its current Saturday night slot on TNT. Ourand suggests that Collision could potentially go head-to-head with UFC on a different WBD station.
