Major Update On TNA's New Media Rights Deal (Exclusive)

TNA's media rights future has been a major talking point in the wrestling industry over the course of the past six months, and details on a potential timeline for a deal and suitors for the promotion have emerged.

High-ranking television industry sources have indicated to The Takedown on SI that there is an expectation that TNA will announce a new media rights deal by the end of 2025, if not sooner. The Takedown on SI reached out to TNA officials about when an expected deal would be announced, and they said that there are no further updates at this time.

TNA President Carlos Silva has been actively shopping TNA's media distribution rights in 2025, a move he was brought in to lead the charge on when he was named to the position earlier this year. He told The Takedown on SI this summer that he and Creative Artists Agency estimated the average annual value for TNA's rights to be somewhere between $7 million and $10 million.

Currently, TNA's programming airs on AXS TV and the TNA+ app, though AXS TV is owned by the promotion's parent company Anthem Sports & Entertainment. As a result, TNA iMPACT! has not been generating the money it would otherwise be if it were to be licensed elsewhere.

It is not clear at this time what the length of a potential deal or its value would be.

A New Suitor For TNA's Media Rights Emerges

TNA President Carlos Silva led the charge in rights negotiations for the company. | TNA Wrestling - The Takedown on SI

Since news of TNA shopping its media rights became public, multiple names have emerged as being interested in the promotion.

Wrestling industry sources told The Takedown on SI earlier this summer that all options were on the table for TNA as far as its media rights future was concerned, including a potential move to a WWE-friendly network or going head-to-head with AEW programming. Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer also noted back in August that A&E and The CW were among the interested parties in TNA's media rights, both of which have WWE affiliation.

The Takedown on SI has learned through TV industry sources that another network with no current WWE ties has been pursuing TNA's media rights, with them indicating that AMC has emerged as a potential landing spot.

AMC has been known for its premium cable TV show offerings in the past, such as "Breaking Bad," "Mad Men," and "The Walking Dead," though it has never aired pro wrestling programming. Back in 2014, there were brief rumors that there had been interest in the network acquiring WWE and merging with it. Those proved to be unfounded.

While no network can avoid the trend of cord-cutting, a deal with AMC would present a substantial increase in potential eyes for the TNA product.

Wrestlenomics estimated in 2023 that AXS TV was in a little more than 30,000,000 homes in the United States, while last year's industry estimates for AMC put it at approximately double that.

AMC falls under the AMC Networks umbrella, which is majority owned by James Dolan's family. Dolan is also the executive chairman and CEO of Madison Square Garden Sports and Madison Square Garden Entertainment, overseeing not just the venue's operations but also those of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.

Among other AMC Networks assets are BBC America, IFC, Sundance TV, and We TV.

WWE, which is in an official partnership with TNA, has run The Theatre at Madison Square Garden once this year and will return this month for a couple of episodes of WWE NXT. Monday Night Raw is also at the main arena for John Cena's final Raw appearance.

It is not known at this time whether a potential deal with AMC (or any other interested partner) would include changing nights or if the company would continue to broadcast its signature program on Thursday nights.

TNA's Path to a TV Deal

The Dudley Boys and The Hardys hugging — The Dudley Boyz and The Hardys hugging after their match at Bound for Glory 2025 | TNAwrestling.com

Though its access to AXS TV was a major part of TNA staying afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has been actively seeking a new media rights deal to bring in new revenue for some time.

It was not indicated with certainty whether the programming would be fully live, but the aforementioned sources said that they believed there would be more live shows from the company in a new media rights package.

TNA had two of its biggest North American wrestling houses ever this past year with TNA Slammiversary and TNA Bound For Glory, the latter of which featured marquee matches that saw The Hardys retire Team 3D and Mike Santana win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship from Trick Williams.

The company took a month-long pause from TV tapings after Bound For Glory, resuming them this past week. During those tapings, Santana would lose the TNA title to Frankie Kazarian in his first official defense as champion.

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