Why the August 21st, 2024 AEW Dynamite Didn't Air Live on UK Television

The August 21st, 2024 edition of AEW Dynamite took place in Cardiff, Wales, but it was not broadcast live in the United Kingdom. During a media call to promote the upcoming 2024 All In PPV event, AEW President Tony Khan clarified the situation:

“It’s not legal for me to put the show on live in the UK before I put it on for the people that pay 97% of the TV rights fees in Warner Brothers Discovery. They have earned the first right of airing the show and they have the legal first right to air the show. I can’t put Dynamite on anywhere before it airs on TBS and TNT, nor should I. TBS and TNT have been a great home to us. FITE has had at times issues in the stream of the show.”

Khan also expressed his desire to air the show simultaneously in the UK if possible: “I would love to do the show at some point, if possible, on ITV and put the show, ideally, on at the same time it’s on TBS and TNT. I just can’t jumpstart our primary media partner. In pro wrestling, those TV rights are a huge component of the business and really drive a lot of the revenue, along with huge tentpole events like AEW All In. Ideally, what I would like to do is simulcast it, but that would still be very late here. It’s a 1 AM start, that’s not ideal.”