WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff says AEW has been flatlining for a long time.
Bischoff discussed AEW’s growth, or lack thereof, on a recent episode of his “83 Weeks” podcast, and wondered if AEW President Tony Khan even cares. Bischoff provided the following comments:
“How do you just not see it? How do you not look at your own product if you’re Tony Khan and go, okay, every once in a while, we crack a million, but we’re living in that 900K Zone and we have for a long time, let’s not kid ourselves, you can spin that thing anyway you want to spin it, it is what it is. They’re flatlining and have been for a long time. What do you need to do to get to that next level? That next phase, that growth phase, what do you do? What you’re doing isn’t working. Dream matches and getting dirt sheet Booker of the Year awards has done absolutely nothing for your growth. First of all, me pointing out facts is not being critical, so when I talk about flatlining, that is a term referencing their growth chart. I think there is pressure.
Now, maybe Tony doesn’t care if he’s at some point in the future at risk of losing his partnership, but I can assure you, not just from personal experience, but just paying attention to things a little bit, man, with turnover in the television industry, top management, companies being merged, bought, sold, all the things that’s been going on for quite a while, if you’re not growing, you’re dying. That’s just my opinion and maybe Tony doesn’t care and if he doesn’t, then great, by the way, he was the one that was making all the comparisons to WWE and taking shots at WWE. Talent still does it on a regular basis. So if you’re really not interested in competing, quit talking about yourself as a competitor to WWE and focus on your own stuff if you’re not competing. If you are competing, then go the other direction, fight like hell, get in the mid, etc.”
