Tony Khan explains why he might delay the main event of Double or Nothing

The NBA playoffs are once again wreaking havoc on AEW’s television schedule and viewership. Even worse, basketball could also be hurting AEW’s pay-per-view buys this Sunday night (May 29) for Double or Nothing 2022.

The Boston Celtics currently lead the Miami Heat 3-2 in a best of seven game series in the NBA playoffs. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday night. If a Game 7 is needed, the NBA schedule has it listed for Sunday night at 8:30 pm ET. That means Double or Nothing will already be under way in Las Vegas when the game tips off, if the game happens.

Lots of sports fans might choose to watch an NBA playoffs Game 7 instead of ordering Double or Nothing on pay-per-view, but Tony Khan wants to assure everyone that they can watch both. In an interview on CBS Sports’ The D.A.Show, Khan said he will manage the timing of the main event and some other matches at Double or Nothing based on how the NBA game unfolds, if there is a Game 7 that night:

“Double or Nothing is gonna start up ahead of the tip off of the game, and I’m gonna make sure that we keep the wrestling going so that...if there is a Game 7 on Sunday, I’m gonna make sure that the main event and a lot of the great action doesn’t hit the ring until after the game is over. So I promise, if you are a fan of the Celtics or the Heat, if they are still playing in a series on Sunday, you’re gonna be able to watch it all. You’ll be able to order Double or Nothing. You may DVR some of the action, but I’m not gonna let that main event or some of the other great action hit the ring until after the game is over, if there even is a game.”

“I’ll be able to manage the night, kind of manage the timing and the pace of the evening...I’ll make sure that we don’t send that big main event fight, that world title fight, and some of the other great action too, I’m gonna hold it back until after the game’s over, even if it does go to overtime. And we’ve talked to the pay-per-view providers all over the country, all over the world. We don’t have that hard out. They’re gonna stick with us. It’s a holiday weekend and we’re gonna have a good time here in AEW on pay-per-view at Double or Nothing.”

Khan specifically mentioned that AEW doesn’t have a hard out on pay-per-view, which implies the show could run beyond midnight eastern time if necessary.

Here’s the current card for Double or Nothing:

• Hangman Page (c) vs. CM Punk for the AEW World championship
• Thunder Rosa (c) vs. Serena Deeb for the AEW Women’s World title
• Jurassic Express (c) vs. Ricky Starks & Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland for the AEW Tag Team championship
• Jade Cargill (c) vs. Anna Jay for the TBS championship
• Jericho Appreciation Society vs. Blackpool Combat Club, Eddie Kingston, Santana & Ortiz
• The Hardys vs. Young Bucks
• Wardlow vs. MJF
• Samoa Joe vs. Adam Cole in the men’s Owen Hart tourney finals
• Britt Baker vs. Kris Statlander or Ruby Soho in the women’s Owen Hart tourney finals
• House of Black vs. Death Triangle
• HOOKhausen vs. Tony Nese & Smart Mark Sterling (pre-show)

Which matches besides Page vs. Punk do you think Khan will consider holding back until after a potential NBA Game 7 is finished? And which matches don’t even qualify for “some of the other great action” that could be affected by the timing of the NBA game?

Let us know in the comments below, Cagesiders.