Eric Bischoff: AEW Has A Little “Too Much Of An Indie Feel To It”

WWE Hall of Famer and former WCW President Eric Bischoff has once again took to the 83 Weeks Podcast with Conrad Thompson. On the latest edition of the long-running show, Bischoff was asked about AEW, specifically their relationship with TNT as opposed to WCW’s relationship with the same network in the 1990s.

“I’m not involved, I’ve got no skin in the game,” said Bischoff “but I think people also need to realise the Turner Broadcasting that exists today is not the Turner Broadcasting in terms of management that existed 20 years ago.

“None of the same people are there at any level, maybe some, but none of them that I ever dealt with. It’s a completely different company with a completely different agenda and goals and rules and list of things that are acceptable and not acceptable. And by the way, the world has changed in the last 20-25 years too so nothing bothers me, it’s got nothing to do with me.”

Bischoff went on to discuss how AEW caters to the hardcore wrestling audience and in particular independent wrestling fans:

“If AEW knowingly and intentionally is writing and producing their show to appeal to that 10% of the audience that makes 90% of the noise and it’s working for them, go forth and f***ing prosper folks,” Bischoff said. “Keep doing what you’re doing if that’s your goal and it’s working. If you’re growing your audience by doing what you’re doing, continue to grow your audience.

“I personally feel that the show does cater to the smallest but loudest percentage of the audience and does have a little bit too much of an indie feel to it. It’s not a criticism, it’s a distinction. There’s nothing wrong with Indie wrestling, there’s a lot of it that I really really enjoy.”

Bischoff does have his two cents on how AEW needs to grow their audience:

“In my humble opinion, AEW does need to balance with different types of storytelling and characters that have a bigger feel because right now, other than a handful of people, they kind of all feel the same,” Bischoff said. “Some are way better than others, some are spectacular, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, but for the most part, they all kind of feel the same.

“I think for wrestling to continue to grow and to grow the audience beyond what it currently is, you need to find those characters that appeal to a different affinity for the project. I’m not saying they all need to be like WWE characters, but there needs to be a good balance.”

Credit: 83 Weeks Podcast H/T: Wrestling Inc. for the transcription