Eric Bischoff says Tony Khan should walk into his first meeting with any new AEW television decision-maker with a credible plan for growing the promotion. Speaking on 83 Weeks, Bischoff framed the advice as a response to a hypothetical change in network management, rather than a claim that Khan has already been summoned to a meeting.
Bischoff argued that the pitch needs to explain how AEW can reach beyond its most vocal online audience. He said:
Here’s what I would do if I had his ear. That’s where you got my attention. I would have a plan. I would have a believable, plausible plan for how I’m going to grow this brand over the next three years. But you got to have a plan and it can’t be a wrestling internet community plan based on what wrestling fans like because that’s what gets a reaction on the internet. That’s part of the problem that they already have is they’re satisfying a group, an audience that is not ever going to be significant enough to sustain or grow the brand long term. It’s just not going to happen.
Conrad Thompson had asked what Bischoff would tell Khan about approaching new management, drawing on Bischoff’s own experience after a merger. Bischoff said the preparation would matter regardless of which executive ultimately handles AEW’s business:
But if you’ve got a plan, so when you have your first meeting with whoever is going to be the decision maker, I don’t think it’ll be Larry Ellison at the end of the day, but if it were to be Larry Ellison, you got an opportunity to walk into the door with a guy that has the keys to your future as a product. So go in freaking loaded for bear with a real plan and point out why this plan is going to grow your brand in ways that previous efforts didn’t.
Bischoff said storytelling should be central to that presentation and suggested Khan seek help from someone with wrestling story experience. His comments come after Khan called the WBD-Paramount merger fantastic news for AEW.
I would just have a plan. I would make sure that plan talks a lot about story and not Tony Khan’s version of a story because I don’t think he understands what a story is, to be honest with you. I would look for somebody that understands story and wrestling to help you come up with something that is plausible and doable and take your best shot.
Bischoff allowed that strong business results could change the conversation, but said Khan should still be ready to make the case before a problem develops:
Unless your numbers, when they finally analyze your numbers, are so favorable that you don’t have to have a plan. And then you’re going to emphasize how you’re going to stay consistent and keep doing what you’re doing, and maybe talk about a couple of the improvements and a couple areas of growth. You won’t have that much work to do if your numbers are there. But if your numbers are not there, Tony, as your friend, get a plan. Get ahead of it. Be in control of things and not wait for meetings or conversations. Put the plan together and ask for the meeting before you get the bad news or the good news. Either way, have a plan.
Source: 83 Weeks.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit 83 Weeks, with a h/t to Wrestling Headlines for the transcription.
