Tony Khan sat down for an interview with CNBC’s Alex Sherman on Friday.
The AEW President was in New Orleans in his capacity as an executive with the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of Super Bowl Sunday.
After some football talk, Sherman asked Khan about AEW. Khan said that the simulcasting of their television shows on Max has presented a “huge opportunity”.
We’re building a new audience. It has not cannibalized the existing audience at all. We’re seeing growth. And that’s what’s amazing. Growth in streaming and television. And I’m really excited about that because the audience expanded and our cable numbers are still very strong.
He acknowledged that streaming numbers had not been made publicly available but claimed AEW had been successful.
They keep the Max streaming numbers close to the vest. But Warner Bros. themselves disclosed to the media that we’re one of the top sports streaming shows.
He also touted recent all-time high ratings for AEW programming on ITV in the UK, where Dynamite and Collision air on a several-day delay.
Sherman pressed him on how business was going, noting that there is “a window” into WWE because it is a publicly traded company.
Khan responded:
This is our biggest year ever. Our revenue is so much bigger now with our new contract —
Sherman then interjected to ask for “ballpark figures”. Khan continued:
Well, it’s much bigger, multiple times bigger than ever before on revenue because of our new deal, which is… I think it’s well known. It’s much a bigger deal now with AEW Dynamite and Collision simulcast and streaming every Wednesday and Saturday on TBS and TNT.
Now with Max added in, we’re creating also as one of the top sports streaming shows. And it’s a path to the future.
And as the cable industry has changed, AEW has been a proven consistent winner year in, year out. We do great on TBS and TNT. And now we’re a top show for Max. And it’s great to be associated with a company that frankly for us has given us all these great opportunities.
Wrapping up, Sherman asked whether Khan would consider taking AEW public. He answered:
I don’t want to. I think we have a great family business. I want to build a… I’m a young guy. I’m still a relatively young executive. And someday I’d like to have a family and hopefully they can work in the business. But, you know, it’s a family business.
