AEW Dynamite’s lengthening overruns are being done for Warner Bros. Discovery rather than for AEW’s own benefit, according to Sean Ross Sapp.
Speaking during a Fightful Select Q&A, Sapp said the extra time past the two-hour slot does not count toward AEW’s contractual programming obligations.
“WBD is getting 30 minutes of free content throughout all this, and AEW sources that I talked to told me that that didn’t really go towards the hours that AEW owes WBD in that sense.”
“If Warner Brothers wants the overruns, why would they not do them? They are appeasing their broadcast partners so they can get their 2028 options picked up. That’s pretty much what it is.”
Sapp said nobody within the company enjoys the format, and that Tony Khan is not being paid for the extra time.
“Guys, you realize I talked to people in AEW. Nobody likes this overrun. Like, the people there are like, ‘Why is this show going so long? I left and got home and the show was still going.'”
“He’s not getting paid for the overruns. I could tell you that for a fact. He’s losing viewers. He’s shooting his big angles in front of the smallest audience. Like, what are we doing?”