Former WWE personality advises Tony Khan to not add "too many people" in creative (Exclusive)
A WWE legend gives AEW president Tony Khan some vital advice about forming a creative team. The wrestling veteran is none other than Dutch Mantell.
There have been several reports that multiple wrestlers have joined the AEW creative team. Stars such as Bryan Danielson and Dax Harwood have reportedly joined the crew to pitch in ideas and help the creative time.
During the latest episode of Sportskeeda's Smack Talk, Sid Pullar III asked Dutch Mantell about his thoughts on multiple AEW talents joining the creative team. Mantell felt that it could turn into a disaster and suggested Tony Khan not add too many people to the creative team.
“Well, one thing I would advise Tony on, don’t get too many people on that. Because you’re not going to get a lot of people agreeing on the same thing. And then they would actually form cliques. They will agree with each other on certain things and… That’s the way it works. Because, we get too many people on a creative team, it really… Now, it may have worked this time, will it work over the Long Haul? I don’t know." [04:55 - 05:26]
The WWE veteran also mentioned that even if there are a lot of people on the team, what truly matters is how much of their input is taken into consideration.
"But it's how much input each one of them is allowed to give but it’s not even allowed to give, it’s ‘listened to’. Would it be taken to heart? So, I don’t know," Dutch Mantell said. [05:27 - 05:41]
WWE veteran Dutch Mantell revealed why having a large creative team did not work for him
After sharing some words of wisdom for Tony Khan, on the same episode, Mantell shared his experience of having a large creative team.
Dutch Mantell said that he would usually have the team sit in a round table and one idea will be whispered to one person and the idea would be shared from one person to another. In a manner that is similar to Chinese Whispers. He then stated that the final story that is shared would be totally different from what was initially pitched.
"I’ve said this before, you can go around a table and you give an idea to the first guy and he can whisper it in the ear of the next guy, go down the table, come back. I’ve done this before, I did a… It came back, it was nothing like I’d sent out to the first guy. That was off. Even one guy, one talent was changed, that’s not what I gave. But anyway, we’ll see if it works or not. Good luck to them.” [05:43 - 06:07]
During the same episode, the WWE veteran also shared his thoughts on the debut of AEW Collision. He mentioned that Jim Ross's absence was strongly felt during the show.
Do you agree with the WWE legend with regard to the creative team? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please embed the YouTube video and credit Sportskeeda Wrestling when you use any quotes from the article.