Comcast has officially announced plans to separate NBCUniversal into its own publicly traded company, with the split expected to be completed within the next year.

The new standalone NBCUniversal will include Universal Pictures, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, NBC News, streaming service Peacock, Bravo, its lucrative theme parks business, and Sky, the British broadcaster Comcast acquired in 2018.

Industry analyst Rich Greenfield of LightShed Partners believes the move has been a long time coming, arguing that Comcast and NBCUniversal have grown into businesses with very different priorities.

"It’s time to split. They have better futures on their own," Greenfield told CNBC. "Those days are over."

Comcast confirmed that existing shareholders will own stock in both companies once the separation is finalized. The company said creating two independent businesses will allow each to focus on its own strategic goals, invest more effectively for growth, and deliver stronger long term value for investors.

For wrestling fans, there does not appear to be any immediate impact on AEW. The promotion's U.S. media rights agreement is with Warner Bros. Discovery, which broadcasts AEW programming on TBS and TNT while also streaming content on Max. Those platforms are entirely separate from NBCUniversal and Comcast, meaning AEW's television and streaming arrangements remain unchanged by this announcement.

The only notable wrestling connection is WWE, whose U.S. Premium Live Events and extensive content library continue to stream on Peacock under NBCUniversal. Unless the new company chooses to revisit its media strategy after the split is completed, fans should not expect any immediate changes to WWE's Peacock partnership either.