AEW President and CEO Tony Khan has reflected on the difficult road to securing the promotion’s first television deal, revealing that the company came dangerously close to launching without a broadcast partner in place.

Speaking with Wide World of Sports, Khan explained that negotiating a television agreement proved to be the biggest obstacle during AEW’s formation. Despite spending nearly a year working to secure a network, he reached the spring of 2019 with a roster already under contract and no deal finalized.

“The biggest hurdle was to make the TV deal. I reached a point in early-2019 where I had signed the wrestlers, but didn’t have a deal. I had been working on the TV portion of it for nearly a year, but I had got into April and still didn’t have a deal. Reaching a point where it became a reality was very challenging. It’s hard to launch, but things have grown so quickly.”

At the time, AEW was preparing for its official debut and had already committed significant resources to signing talent on multi-year agreements. Without a television contract in place, the company faced a major financial risk, especially with its first event only weeks away.

Fortunately for AEW, a partnership with WarnerMedia was eventually secured, paving the way for Dynamite to premiere on TNT in October 2019. The relationship has since expanded across both TNT and TBS and remains a key part of the company’s ongoing success.

Before that agreement was finalized, Khan had already assembled a roster that blended established stars with emerging talent. Founding Executive Vice Presidents Kenny Omega, Cody Rhodes, and The Young Bucks were central figures in the company’s launch, while names such as Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, PAC, MJF, Darby Allin, and Jack Perry helped establish AEW’s identity during its early days.

The women’s division was also built with a mix of proven performers and international standouts, featuring Britt Baker, Nyla Rose, Riho, Hikaru Shida, Brandi Rhodes, Kylie Rae, Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki, Bea Priestley, Penelope Ford, Allie, and Leva Bates.

AEW officially introduced itself to the wrestling world with Double or Nothing in May 2019, an event that capitalized on strong fan demand for a new major wrestling alternative. Backed by Khan’s experience working with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, Premier League side Fulham FC, and the wider Khan family business empire, the promotion quickly established itself as a major player in the industry.