Eric Bischoff: AEW’s Issues Stem from Tony Khan, Not Talent – Eric Bischoff has stirred up significant conversation about the ongoing challenges AEW faces, particularly regarding its booking and declining TV ratings.
With TV ratings dipping across the board—excluding the NFL—due to cord-cutting and the rise of streaming services, both AEW and WWE have felt the impact. AEW, in particular, has been experimenting with production changes and storytelling enhancements while preparing to simulcast its shows on Max in January. Despite these efforts, critics like Bischoff have been vocal about AEW’s struggles, particularly in comparison to TNA under Dixie Carter’s leadership.
During a recent discussion, Bischoff directly addressed comparisons between Tony Khan and Dixie Carter as bookers, emphasizing that AEW’s problems are not talent-related but stem from Khan’s approach.
“Well, I think the question was, who is a better booker? Although Dixie didn’t aspire to be perceived to be the head booker of TNA, she at least knew what she didn’t know and brought people in to do that for her. That’s why I think she’s a better booker than Tony Khan because she recognized what her weaknesses were and tried to surround herself at various times with various people to operate in that world, whereas Tony thinks he’s a good booker, and clearly is not. Tony Khan doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. Despite the obvious data, being that Tony is a data analyst from what I’ve been told, you would think one would simply look at the numbers and go, Okay, well, this sucks. It’s not working, so I’m going to do something different. Dixie would have done something different. Tony’s not doing anything different. I think Dixie, in retrospect, was a better booker.”
“If you look at the quality, I mean, you can argue about TNA and people laugh at TNA a lot now, or used to, but I think AEW would love to have the quality of content that TNA had for a long time before I got there, and even while I was there and afterwards. TNA gets a bad rap in a lot of ways, and some of it they deserve. A Lot of them don’t. Go back and just watch some of those shows. There were some great stories, some great actions, some top talent in there, and you have top talent in AEW as well. AEW’s issue is not a talent issue. It’s a Tony Khan issue. Dixie understood that, and she didn’t try to be the booker. She wanted to be perceived to be the female Vince McMahon, so to speak, of the wrestling industry. There’s nothing wrong with that. That was a lofty goal for her. Tony Khan wants the same thing, but he’s not willing to surround himself, or listen to the people that he is surrounded by, to help him achieve it.”
Bischoff’s critique highlights a key issue for AEW—leadership willing to adapt and evolve. While AEW remains a growing force in wrestling, overcoming these challenges may require a shift in how its leadership approaches booking and collaboration.
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Eric Bischoff: AEW’s Issues Stem from Tony Khan, Not Talent
