During Thursday’s AEW Full Gear 2023 media call, AEW President Tony Khan replied to criticisms of his “major announcements.” Khan defended them as a way to create buzz for the AEW product. He said,
“It’s something I weigh all the time because we have to announce matches and announce moments and announce huge things and signings. Sometimes, you just try to do what feels right and create engagement. That’s something we’ve been able to do, whether it’s on television or through social media. Certainly, we created a lot of awareness about Wembley by putting a lot of fanfare around the announcement and then putting it on television and getting a lot of eyes on it and conversation about it. Now, there is a lot of awareness about the December 1st on-sale. We’ve been able to use the TV and social media to get people excited. Then, there are times when I like to keep people on their toes. It was fun to have something this past week on Collision that people are blown away by, and that’s the Continental Classic, which people are really excited for. I’ll have more information about that right after Full Gear. You mentioned an announcement about a new signing, I’m really excited about that and I think that’s someone that’s going to be a great addition to AEW and is going to be a big deal. As for how to announce the announcements or when to announce things, it’s something that there are lots of different ways to slice and dice it and tons of different ways to approach that, but it’s really trying to create excitement around our big promotions, events, wrestlers, and get good buzz around the company, and I think we’ve been able to do that.”
Khan also offered his perspective on Swerve Strickland’s B&E promo while in “Hangman” Adam Page’s home last month.
The AEW CEO clarified that he is a promoter and not a law enforcer, hence he prefers to have incidents settled in the wrestling ring rather than in court.
Strickland will face Page in a Texas Deathmatch at AEW Full Gear 2023.
Khan said, “I’ve had people ask me, at times, questions about what’s happening with some of the heels and why I haven’t punished them for some of the things they’ve done. Frankly, I don’t think it’s my place to and I don’t think it would serve the babyfaces in these situations for me to be doing that. In this situation with Swerve and Hangman, there has been some stuff that has happened outside of the ring and it’s really not my place. It would be the place of the authorities, perhaps. For me, it’s pro wrestling, and I would want them to settle it in the ring. Should I have suspended Swerve or punished Swerve for the home invasion? Absolutely not. That’s a place for the legal authorities, to do stuff like that, and in this case, I want them to settle it in the ring.”
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AEW President Tony Khan has responded to criticisms regarding his “major announcements” during a media call for AEW Full Gear 2023. Khan defended these announcements as a way to create buzz and engagement for the AEW product.
Khan explained that announcing matches, moments, signings, and other big things is a constant consideration for him. He aims to create excitement and awareness around AEW’s promotions, events, and wrestlers. By utilizing television and social media, AEW has been successful in getting people excited and generating good buzz for the company.
One example Khan mentioned was the announcement of an event at Wembley. By putting a lot of fanfare around the announcement and showcasing it on television, AEW was able to create a lot of awareness and conversation about the event. Similarly, Khan mentioned the upcoming Continental Classic, which has generated a lot of excitement among fans.
In terms of timing and approach to announcements, Khan stated that there are various ways to handle them. He also mentioned keeping people on their toes by surprising them with unexpected announcements. Khan teased a new signing that he believes will be a great addition to AEW and generate significant attention.
Addressing another topic, Khan shared his perspective on Swerve Strickland’s B&E promo while in “Hangman” Adam Page’s home last month. As a promoter, Khan clarified that he is not a law enforcer and prefers to have incidents settled in the wrestling ring rather than in court. He believes it is not his place to punish heels for their actions, as it would not serve the babyfaces in those situations. Khan wants the wrestlers to settle their issues in the ring and leave legal matters to the authorities.
In conclusion, Tony Khan defended his “major announcements” as a way to create excitement and buzz for AEW. He emphasized the importance of using television and social media to engage fans and generate awareness about AEW’s promotions, events, and wrestlers. Khan also expressed his preference for settling issues in the wrestling ring rather than involving legal authorities.