"Blowing a big opportunity" - Former WWE RAW GM blasts Tony Khan for boasting about AEW's success
Wrestling legend Eric Bischoff recently explained why Tony Khan boasting about AEW's growth and success could backfire in the longer run.
Unlike Vince McMahon, who rarely interacts with media, Khan regularly sits down for interviews, where he talks in detail about his plans for AEW going forward. He also never shies away from sharing his opinions on WWE, which, quite naturally, aren't always positive and glowing.
Did you know #AEWDynamite on Wednesdays on @TNTdrama has beaten EVERY single show on @FoxNews for 6 straight weeks? Surely @FOXNews knows as they like talking tv ratings; maybe they should focus on their content instead of playing boar on the floor. See you TONIGHT @ #AEWRampage https://t.co/2NpUxCKqsS
This has made Tony Khan a divisive figure in the business, with many believing he should try to improve his product rather than critiquing WWE. One among them is Eric Bischoff, who recently explained the drawbacks of doing this on the latest edition of his podcast, 83 Weeks.
Bischoff thinks Khan is "blowing" a big opportunity as AEW had a wave of support from fans when it came into existence. He added that, unlike WCW, All Elite Wrestling didn't have many detractors as people were craving an alternative.
"Tony is blowing a big opportunity, he really is because AEW came into existence at a point in time when the audience was craving for an alternative. They had a clean slate, they didn't bring any negative baggage like WCW did when we launched Nitro, everyone was telling us, 'This is never gonna work, Bischoff doesn't know what he's doing,'" said Eric Bischoff.
Eric Bischoff thinks AEW could gradually lose fans' goodwill
The former RAW GM pointed out that AEW kicked off with massive fan support and that they simply had to put up good programming to attract fans.
Eric Bischoff feels Tony Khan continuously "denigrating" WWE in all his interviews could backfire in the longer run, with the company gradually losing all the goodwill it had generated.
"AEW didn't have that issue, AEW came in with a massive amount of public support and goodwill. AEW just had to come out and say we're doing this and hire a couple of key pieces of talent, and they're off running, and they had all of this goodwill. What happens when you start putting yourself over, in my opinion, prematurely, just in the way they are doing it, by constantly denigrating and comparing to WWE is you start losing that goodwill because people see through it," said Eric Bischoff.
“I applaud him (Tony Khan) for caring as much about his talent as he does, how could that be a negative thing, it’s not.
But here’s the reality, again, WWE is a publicly held company, AEW is not.”
- Eric Bischoff on Tony Khans criticism of WWE contracts
(via 83 Weeks) https://t.co/UsDPfQD6k2
Given just how much experience Bischoff has in the wrestling business, Khan will surely keep an eye out on what the legendary manager has to say about AEW's style of business. It now also remains to be seen if he responds to Eric Bischoff like he has several times in the past.
Do you agree with Eric Bischoff's take on why AEW and Tony Khan should stop comparing themselves to WWE? Sound off in the comments section below.