Why Tony Khan and AEW are winning The Game
The Game is afoot... and Tony Khan is winning.
All Elite Wrestling - which Triple H considered a joke when they started a few years ago - is now making moves that will help them rival WWE. While this was once inconceivable to many pro wrestling fans, it appears that the number two company is winning a complicated chess game.
Speaking of The Game, his attempts to program NXT as Wednesday night competition failed like an airball from the free throw line. After that, his father-in-law went on a streak of questionable releases. Vince McMahon also scoffed about AEW in a recent press conference.
It's like it's the fourth quarter, and the McMahons believe they are still winning in a blowout.
Still, there's is no denying the roughly 29 million dollar profit that World Wrestling Entertainment produced last quarter.
Those are huge earnings for the company, but the promotional side has suffered in an effort to reach those astronomical amounts. Talent has been let go to cut costs, and therefore the overall product has suffered because of it.
Names like Bray Wyatt and Brawn Strowman - once considered two power players in WWE - were recently released and would be a good fit on the AEW roster. Fellow stars like Andrade and Malakai Black have already stepped in to fortify Tony Khan's All Elite lineup.
Add in rumors that pro wrestling legends like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan could be arriving for the upcoming, sold-out, ALL OUT event. That's a virtual murderer's row of stars that Tony Khan is likely to call on.
Now that seemingly every big name in wrestling is interested in joining Tony Khan and AEW, they have a shot at becoming the New York Yankees of the industry.
Tony Khan has the checkbook to sign any free agent out there that he desires. The Khans are worth more than Vince McMahon, and own two pro sports franchises.
Their rosters get paid a LOT more money than the average wrestler. After all, if you're willing to pay your rookie quarterback 36.8 million over three years? Most grapplers would be happy to grab even half of that kind of green.
So it's very conceivable that AEW owner Tony Khan could just load up and see if he can throw a hail mary for AEW. Khan was once called a 'money mark' by several observers, but he's a lot more astute than many fans think.
Like the general manager of a sports franchise? He's picking off the best talent and putting them in his lineup. He's also had a huge influence on other promotions, by breaking down so-called 'forbidden door.'
Anyone who doubts the acumen of the Khan family can only trace their history to learn a lesson. Shahid Khan came to America as a poor college student, hoping to live his dream. Then, he built a billion dollar empire.
Now? His son is building a wrestling empire with AEW.
Tony Khan has the resources and intelligence to do that. Expect to see a lot more 'surprises' in the weeks to come, which will only fortify their television product.
“I don’t want to be the next ‘blank’ wrestling company of the past—fill in the blank. We love wrestling of the past, wrestling of the present and wrestling of the future... That’s what gives us a great chance to retain and gain audience share.” Khan told Forbes magazine in an interview back in June.
So Triple H is right about one thing... It IS time to play the game. Except right now, Tony Khan is the one throwing all the fastballs. So batter up!