AEW President Tony Khan recently sat down with Ariel Helwani for a conversation we're sure most of you never expected to happen after their last encounter ended so poorly!
Helwani pushed the billionaire on several potentially uncomfortable topics, including what's been perceived as WWE's repeated attempts to counterprogram AEW events. Khan was asked if he believes it's intentional, and confirmed that, yes, he does.
"I do think it’s done on purpose, and I understand it, and it’s part of wrestling," Khan acknowledged. "And I think we’ve seen a lot of it, but I think other wrestling promotions that have been the challenger wrestling brand in our lifetime have seen a lot of it."
"Jim Crockett promotions, which was the forerunner to WWE, saw a lot of this," he continued. "And Jim Crockett promotions ended up having to sell the company to Ted Turner, who then made a great run. It took a while. And really, if you look Ted Turner took over at the start of 1989 and the strongest run came over six years later, almost seven years later, it started, really, when business peaked and took off their peak years."
"I do think that we’ve seen that kind of counter programming in those things, and I understand, and looking back at wrestling history, kind of expect that and frustrate you," Khan added. "I think it’s okay, because for us, it’s always worked out, and we’re in a great position. So it hasn’t ever been a thing where it’s cost us anything...I definitely don’t take it personally."
When Khan has so much money to play with, WWE isn't going to be able to put AEW out of business. However, as ratings continue to decline for the promotion, there's a risk they'll lose their TV deal with Warner Bros. Discovery (which is currently in the process of being sold).
As of now, Khan isn't concerned. "I feel really great about AEW’s relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery, and I think it’s a great situation for us that we’re one of those strong franchises on multiple channels and properties where AEW’s clearly, very strongly figured in."
"We’re becoming a bigger and bigger part as we’ve grown," he noted. "And now it’s been six years of AEW. We’ve continued to become a bigger part of the Warner Bros. family. So, I feel like no matter what happens in the future, I think we will be a really important part of that family, and also for different media properties."
In the age of streaming, AEW would likely end up somewhere. However, we've seen what's become of TNA after they lost their mainstream TV deal, and that's what WWE is going to be banking on.
Ultimately, WWE is the bigger, far more powerful company of the two, and continues to have a major advantage that allows it to frequently toy with Khan and AEW. How much of a difference that ultimately makes remains up for debate.
You can hear more from Khan in the player below.