"That doesn’t mean it's going to grow an audience" – Eric Bischoff doesn't think Forbidden Door event will help AEW attract more fans
Eric Bischoff shared his two cents that AEW won't generate more viewers despite the upcoming Forbidden Door mega event.
The said event will be held on June 26, 2022, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. It will be the first-ever major joint pay-per-view between AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW).
On his podcast Strictly Business, Bischoff said that while Japanese wrestling is good, he's skeptical about how it would draw new audiences for Tony Khan's company:
“How is merging a television property that’s only getting 200,000 viewers a week with AEW, how is that going to increase or attract the casual viewer that AEW doesn’t have? I don’t know, doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea, I kind of dig the idea from a wrestling fan’s perspective, and I’ve spent a lot of time in Japan and have a lot of good memories and experiences working with New Japan. I love the Japanese style of wrestling but that doesn’t mean it’s going to grow an audience.” (H/T: Wrestling Inc)
AEW & NJPW SOLD OUT…THE UNITED CENTER. The 2nd biggest arena in the US!…IN LESS THAN A HOUR!!…on a pre-sale! BIG W!
A moment of silence to the haters, praying for AEWs down fall, the doubters didn’t think they could, and the trolls with no life.
#ForbiddenDoor BABY…LFG! https://t.co/fKHq2lE5Bc
Recently, the pre-sale tickets for the event were instantly sold out upon its release in just 40 minutes. Fourteen thousand tickets have been sold, with a resale value of USD 2000.
Eric Bischoff discussed a certain problem in AEW's booking
During the same podcast, Eric Bischoff said AEW tends to accommodate internet fans rather than casual ones in terms of booking. He questioned whether there are American fans who religiously watch NJPW:
“What AEW has been doing and what, at least up until the last episode I watched about two weeks ago, is kind of internet wrestling community-centric. They’re booking for internet wrestling fans more than they’re booking for the casual audience and I'd venture to guess, and it’s just a guess, but they’re satisfying an audience they already have. And they’re doing a phenomenal job at that, but how many people watch New Japan wrestling? How many people watch the New Japan product on a weekly basis [in the US]?" (H/T: Wrestling Inc)
FORBIDDEN DOOR OPEN 🔥
@AEW and @njpwglobal announce AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door PPV coming June 26 https://t.co/hrh2D8VZaR
As of right now, the upcoming event hasn't been confirmed or scheduled matches. It'll be interesting to see the stars involved in the spectacle next month.
What are your thoughts on Bischoff's comments about the upcoming Forbidden Door event? Sound off in the comments section below!