Tony Khan Grilled Over AEW’s Lack Of Storytelling

AEW is still producing five hours of television every week, and that doesn’t even include ROH. They feature a lot of pro wrestling, but do those matches equal stories?

WWE is seeing a booming period in their company’s history, while AEW took off like a rocket, but they have seemed to fizzle in recent memory. Live attendance numbers aren’t what they used to be, and neither are television viewership numbers. That being said, there is a lot of work to do, and storytelling might need a focus.

Eric Bischoff addressed this issue with AEW on his Strictly Business show. He said that they have an issue, but it isn’t a new one. Two years ago, things were no different, but it doesn’t seem that they’ve listened, either.

“Here’s the truth. There’s nothing that I can say. There is nothing I can say that I haven’t been saying for two years. Right? There’s nothing new here. It’s the same issue over and over and over and over again. I can’t talk about storytelling any more than I have for the last two years. And by the way, two years ago, over two years ago now, probably, you know, everybody was like, oh, you’re so negative. Are you just pissed off that Tony wouldn’t give you a job? I wouldn’t want a job with you. And not because it’s not a good place, and it’s not an opportunity, and not because I don’t need the money, necessarily. But. At this time of my life, at this stage of my life, I just don’t want that. Scituate.”

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“I don’t. I don’t want that burden. I don’t want to have to because to do that job well, you’ve got to live with it. It’s 24 hours a day. You’re not there in the office 24 hours a day. You’re not on location 24 hours a day, but you’re thinking about it 24 hours a day. And I don’t have room to be, to be honest with you, in my life, I have other things that I’m far more interested in, and I’d rather maintain the lifestyle that I have now than try to improve upon it. By jumping back into the wrestling business. So it has nothing to do with all you trolls out there as to whether or not I was offered a job or want a job; that is not the case.”

We will have to see if AEW can pull things back up, because their success is the best thing for the pro wrestling business. It is great to have options in viewership, and strong competition, but AEW’s focus may need to be redirected a bit if they want to break out of this current stagnation period.

Eric Bischoff certainly has an opinion on the situation, but AEW does have fans who are very passionate about the product. Only time will tell if those die hards will be joined by the casual pro wrestling fans that a company the size of AEW needs to flourish.

What’s your take on AEW’s current creative direction? What can Tony Khan do to help things? Let us know what you think in the comments section!