All Elite Wrestling has generated a buzz in the sports entertainment industry before its first event has even taken place. Tickets are selling out, television rights are being shopped, and merchandise is popping up everywhere.
Eventually, that buzz will give way to an actual professional wrestling product but what will that product look like?
Tony Khan On His Vision For AEW
We have heard from Executive Vice President Cody on what his vision for All Elite Wrestling is, and now President and CEO Tony Khan has explained his own on Talk Is Jericho.
“It’s going to be a much more interesting time to be a fan of wrestling,” says Khan. “The time when [Jericho] came to national and international prominence in WCW and then on Raw, was the last time it was like that.”
Khan says that while not looking to challenge WWE in a wrestling war, he is looking to recapture the feelings and interest that fans had during the Monday Night Wars era.
“There’s still numerous podcasts and books being written about this era that’s been gone for 18 years now,” Khan says. “We still relive it week by week all the time. There’s just something about it.”
“I’m not saying that this is going to be that, or that were trying to do that again or copy that.”
“I just want people to feel that way again.”
Khan also says that fans should not expect to see All Elite Wrestling’s TV show going head to head with Raw or Smackdown.
“It doesn’t have to be that shows are on the same time of the same night,” he says. “If anything, put more shows on more nights of the week so there’s more wrestling for people to watch… There’s a lot of wrestling now, but there’s not as much high-budget, quality wrestling as there was 20 years ago.”
“That’s a problem, and that’s something we’re going to do something about.”
A Clear Vision For All Elite Wrestling
Khan, who grew up watching every promotion imaginable, cites Memphis Wrestling and Mid South Wrestling as particularly influential on his vision. To that end, he says that fans can expect a product with a serious bend.
“Great promotion, taking the stars seriously, the fans seriously, and treating the product as a legitimate sports property, and treating wins and losses as everything,” Khan says of his vision.
“Winning should make your day, make your week, make your year, and losing should break your heart.”
“If that’s not important, what are we even doing this for?”
You can hear much more from Khan, including stories of traveling to ECW events, his Jericho fandom, and why he chose to get into the wrestling business, on the full episode of Talk Is Jericho below.
When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Are you excited for Tony Khan’s vision for All Elite Wrestling?
