In the latest instalment of his “83 Weeks” podcast, Eric Bischoff, former wrestling promoter and executive, delved into a range of subjects encompassing the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) scene. His discourse included critiques of AEW CEO Tony Khan’s abilities as a TV producer, suggestions on rejuvenating the characters of The Young Bucks, his views on the current AEW landscape, and other diverse areas of interest.
Highlights from the podcast are as follows:
Commenting on Tony Khan’s inadequacy in TV production, Bischoff stated, “That’s where the root of the problem lies. Tony doesn’t grasp how television production works. His producing approach is directed towards Dave Meltzer and Cagematch Wrestling, and he seems preoccupied with the number of wrestling minutes his shows have. What he should really be concerning himself with is the amount of emotional engagement each minute of your show generates, and the audience count that tunes back in the next week. That’s the only vital concern. Trying to relate the number of wrestling minutes to a superior quality product is equivalent to, say, Michael Bay deciding to make an action film with no storyline or plot, just perpetual car chases with no apparent reason. But it has the most minutes of a car chase compared to any other movie. The point is it’s absurd, and I believe that’s where the crux of the problem lies.”
Addressing the not-so-successful storyline of The Young Bucks, Bischoff provided his solution: “Given a hypothetical where someone forced me at gunpoint to come up with an immediate solution, the only idea I could possibly have without risking a bullet would be to expel them from the television screen for about half a year. Allow the audience to erase the memory of this trash because that’s what it’s amounted to. The progression and application of their characters have been nothing short of pure trash for a considerable period. You can’t simply flip from trash one week to gold the next.”
Bischoff further elaborated on his strategy for The Young Bucks, stating, “Take them off the prime screen for six months. Give their characters a thoughtful reevaluation. I would retain them as babyfaces, as they simply lack the effectiveness to be heels. Have them return as babyfaces, but they unquestionably need a break. The audience has had more than enough of them shoved down their throats and they’ve choked on it for a considerable duration. The crowd is unresponsive. Not only towards the Bucks but also towards Ospreay and the other wrestler. None of the present wrestlers in the ring have managed to win over the audience.”