Earlier today, it was announced that AEW signed a deal with In Demand regarding pay-per-view events. Per the recent press release, this deal will extend through June 2021 and cover quarterly events until then.
Mark Boccardi, the Senior Vice President of Programming and Marketing at In Demand, spoke positively about this business venture. “We’re huge fans of AEW’s exciting wrestling talent and events, and are pleased to partner with them as they continue to build their audience, marketing and distribution,” said Boccardi. It’s worth noting that In Demand reaches more than 60 million homes with cable television. In addition, they have distribution deals with 200 companies, which makes In Demand one of the most accessible PPV networks.
Tony Khan, President and CEO of All Elite Wrestling, expressed his thoughts on said business venture. “With In Demand’s vast reach and connectivity, we’ll be able to bring all of our AEW pay-per-view shows into the homes of wrestling fans throughout North America,” said Khan. As of this writing, there have been 5 PPV events held under the AEW banner: Double or Nothing, Fyter Fest, Fight for the Fallen, All Out, and Full Gear. With this new PPV deal, expect such events to be held, at minimum, on a quarterly basis.
So @AEWrestling just announced a deal with In Demand, and the important part here is that at LEAST one PPV is guaranteed per quarter. This is in addition to its existing usage of B/R Live. #AEW pic.twitter.com/x6n7sjhkBv
— Jon Alba (@JonAlba) December 3, 2019
Sutter’s Synopsis:
In terms of pay-per-view and on-demand content, In Demand is one of the largest names in the game. With that said, news of the company’s partnership with AEW cannot be ignored.
One can make the argument that this new partnership can pose some challenges heading into the new year. With the advent of the WWE Network and other streaming services, the idea of wrestling pay-per-views has become an increasingly harder sell for fans. However, with AEW being a relatively new name in the industry, they will have to rely on this traditional model. This isn’t to say that there will be an “AEW Network” in the near future. However, if the promotion continues to grow, it’s a possibility.
