Tony Khan says the new ownership group overseeing AEW’s broadcast home has been enthusiastic about the promotion’s direction. Speaking during the 2026 WrestleDream media call on October 15, 2026, the AEW President revealed that Skydance CEO David Ellison has been “very excited and positive” about AEW in their discussions since the completion of the Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery merger.
Khan told reporters on the call that he has been in regular contact with executives at the newly formed Skydance since the merger closed, describing the conversations as a positive sign for the promotion’s standing within the restructured media company. The merger brought Paramount and CBS under the control of Ellison and Skydance, a shift that has prompted questions across the wrestling industry about how AEW’s television deals and overall corporate relationship might be affected going forward.
According to Khan, those questions have so far been met with reassurance rather than disruption. He characterized his dealings with the new leadership as constructive, framing the merger as a potential benefit rather than a threat to AEW’s programming. Khan’s comments suggest that, at least from his vantage point, the corporate shakeup has not translated into uncertainty for AEW’s day-to-day operations or its relationship with the network side of the business.
The remarks carry weight given the scale of the Paramount-Skydance deal and the scrutiny any major media merger brings to existing programming partners. AEW has built its television presence around deals tied to the Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount ecosystem, making any change in ownership at that level a matter of direct relevance to the promotion’s long-term broadcast future. Khan’s framing of Ellison’s attitude as “very excited and positive” was offered as evidence that AEW remains a valued property under the new corporate structure.
Khan made the comments at the outset of the WrestleDream media call, before turning to other topics related to the upcoming event. No further details were disclosed during the call regarding the specific nature of the discussions with Ellison, the scope of any agreements discussed, or a timeline for any further corporate announcements involving AEW and Skydance.
