"Has a really good eye on a cult favorite" – Top AEW star gives an insight into Tony Khan's booking philosophy
Cody Rhodes has detailed Tony Khan's booking philosophy and why AEW crowds mostly never burn out when it comes to long shows.
In an interview with Robbie Fox, the former TNT Champion mentioned that Khan has an excellent eye for a cult favorite. A cult favorite is usually someone large vocal groups wait for — a superstar who can go out at any point in the night and get a good reaction.
Rhodes went on to mention how AEW fans always have a distinct answer in terms of who their favorite wrestler is. Rhodes stated that fans don't just come to the arenas to see their favorite stars, but also to buy merch, do their catchphrase, etc.
"I actually like more of a traditional wrestling standpoint, like, I'm always the one to say, 'Less is more, let's be careful. Let's not burn them out.' Because I've been in plenty of buildings where we've burned folks out, but Tony has a really good eye on a cult favorite and a cult favorite can go out at any point in the night and get this great reaction because that's somebody that a large vocal group has been waiting for. Like, if you come to an AEW show and ask twenty people who their favorite is, you might get twenty distinct answers in terms of who they are there to see, and when they come to see him, they're not just coming to see him. They're coming there, they're going to buy a t-shirt, they're going to do whatever their catchphrase is, they're going to tell the people in the seats next to him, 'Hey this is the guy that puts his hands in his pockets...' whatever it is, there's a layer of pride with our fans and I think that's why they don't burn out," said Cody Rhodes.
Tony Khan and the rest of the AEW crew have been delivering some incredible shows constantly
AEW is currently on the back of one of their most successful weeks in history. Following AEW Dynamite and Rampage: Grand Slam, Tony Khan's promotion will host their next show in less than 24 hours in Rochester, New York.
Tony Khan took to Twitter to confirm that the show will be in honor of former TNT Champion the late great Brodie Lee.
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