Four meetings. That's how many sit-downs Tony Khan has already had with David Ellison, the CEO of Skydance, since the new leadership took charge of Warner Bros. Discovery's corporate landscape. The AEW president disclosed the count on a November 12 media call ahead of the Full Gear pay-per-view, and the message behind it was deliberate: the relationship is warm, the business is not yet urgent.

The mechanics matter here. Skydance's takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) put a new set of decision-makers above the networks that carry AEW's programming. That kind of corporate change usually triggers two things — uncertainty about existing partnerships, and early positioning for the next contract. Khan is doing the second without pretending the first doesn't exist.

What did Khan actually say?

He offered a direct read on how the new owner sees his company. Khan said Ellison "has a high opinion of AEW" and indicated satisfaction with the promotion's performance as a cable television property. Encouraging words. But he was equally clear that none of the four meetings involved formal contract negotiations.

"Absolutely, we'll be looking to a contract renewal; we're not really in the process of doing that as a negotiation right now because we still have a lot of time left," Khan explained.

There's a simple reason for the patience. AEW's current domestic television agreement covers Dynamite and Collision on TBS, TNT and HBO Max (WBD's streaming platform) through the end of 2027. That's more than two years of runway before the rights come back on the table. Khan acknowledged a renewal will eventually be necessary — he just doesn't consider it a priority yet.

Why isn't Khan chasing a deal?

The AEW president laid out his negotiating philosophy in blunt terms, and it's a stance he says predates Ellison's arrival.

"I'm not the person that's gonna chase people around and ask about contracts," Khan stated.

He recalled delivering the same message to former WBD chief David Zaslav, framing his priority as a productive working relationship rather than leverage-seeking. "You'll always get my very best, and I'm not chasing you for money," Khan recalled telling Zaslav.

The logic is straightforward. Chase executives for terms, and you signal weakness. Deliver strong weekly programming, and the numbers argue for you when the negotiation finally starts. Khan is betting on the second path.

What's at stake financially?

Plenty. Khan acknowledged that television rights remain AEW's biggest revenue source, which makes the 2027 expiry the single most consequential date on the company's business calendar. Additional investment, he added, is important for the company's growth.

There's also a strategic wrinkle worth watching: Khan believes a potential HBO Max and Paramount+ streaming bundle could create further opportunities for AEW. Skydance's control of Paramount assets makes such a combination plausible, and a bundled platform would expand the audience reach a future rights deal could command.

What happens now?

Nothing dramatic. Khan is focused on making AEW's weekly programming count rather than rushing into negotiations, letting the current contract run while the new corporate structure settles.

Whether that unhurried approach secures another television deal under Skydance remains to be seen. Four meetings with the CEO suggest the door is open. The negotiation, when it comes, will tell us what AEW's programming is worth to the new regime.