A new report appears to confirm the ongoing rumor that AEW CEO Tony Khan does not own 100% of the company he funded.
While wrestling greats like Kenny Omega, Cody Rhodes, and the Young Bucks were the driving force behind the creation of All Elite Wrestling, they could not create a promotion on their own. This is where Khan came. The son of billionaire Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan was the man who had the money to help fund a pro wrestling startup in 2019.
However, along with financing the operation, they also gained ownership of the brand. While Omega, Rhodes, Bucks and Adam Page were given roles as vice presidents and helped run the operations, Khan was the ultimate decision maker due to his ownership of the company.
WBD owns a minority stake in AEW
Nevertheless, when Khan negotiated the brand’s first television deal with Warner Bros./Discovery, there were rumors that it came with some backstage influence over the wrestling company. This speculation intensified in 2024 when AEW agreed to a new deal with WBD worth more than $500 million.
Well, a new report seems to confirm that the entertainment giant has some control over AEW. According to a new CNN article about AEW’s unexpected involvement in the frustration of some Americans with the ongoing ICE raids, it is noted that “Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent corporation, owns a minority stake in AEW.”
The report will add further fuel to recent rumors that WBD asked Brodie King not to appear on the recent edition of AEW: Dynamite after chants of “F*** ICE” were heard during his last match. The company has since denied the claims.
It is unclear whether the minority stake was part of the recent TV deal that AEW agreed to or if it was in place before then. Either way, the entertainment giant has a far greater influence on the wrestling company than the fans.
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