AEW President Tony Khan knows a thing or two about what it takes to create a successful television product. Under his leadership, AEW Dynamite has enjoyed a steadily growing audience in recent months.
In an interview with Variety, Khan, who is also the co-owner of both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham FC, discussed televised sports. During the interview, he described the importance of unpredictability as a motivation for viewers to tune in across all sports.
“Unpredictable matches help viewership,” said Khan. “You definitely want unpredictability in whatever you’re offering, and that’s one of the key strengths of the NFL.”
He continued by using NCAA March Madness as an example. Khan pointed to the tournament’s inherent unpredictability and stated that this component is a factor in the games’ impressive viewership. Every year, March Madness is filled with thrilling upsets at any given turn, and this pattern creates must-see TV.
Likewise, with Khan at the helm, AEW continues to create appointment viewing with fresh matches. Specifically, working with IMPACT Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling has helped AEW present buzzworthy dream matches, such as Jon Moxley’s bout with Yuji Nagata.
This contest was particularly remarkable, as Moxley defended another promotion’s title on AEW programming. Khan explained that allowing fans to see AEW stars hold other titles is an easy way to showcase how far the company’s reach extends.
“A lot of AEW wrestlers hold belts in other companies,” Khan continued. “It’s great for us, it expands our reach, and it shows what great wrestlers we have.”
The company’s working relationship with the National Wrestling Alliance allows Khan’s promotion to feature the prestigious NWA World Women’s Championship. Plus, AEW’s own world champion, Kenny Omega currently holds both the IMPACT World Championship and the AAA Mega Championship. Clearly, the “Forbidden Door” is wide open, and AEW continues to reap the benefits.
