Brandi Rhodes Says AEW Isn’t Focused on Ratings, Talks Thinking Outside the Wrestling Bubble

– Brandi Rhodes spoke with Sports Illustrated for a new interview discussing AEW’s women’s division, the company’s progression and more.

On her involvement in the women’s division: “I don’t book the women’s division, but I provide a voice from the women to the men to get their voices out there. I’m sure it’s annoying after you’ve been involved in wrestling for all these years, and you’ve had all this success, to have a woman come in and say, ‘Hey, that’s not how we like to do things.’ But you’re not a woman. And women hate being told by men how they’re going to think, how they should be, and what they’re going to feel. There are plenty of smart women that are interested to work in wrestling. It’s part of my job to remind people that there still aren’t enough women in wrestling.”

On making AEW shows sensory inclusive by partnering with KultureCity: “We’re trying to make it easier for people all across the board. Parents to engage with their kids, or adults with sensory issues, PTSD, extreme anxiety, autism,” said Rhodes. “We’re educating venues about KultureCity, too, and it’s really great that people are saying how great the experiences are.”

On thinking outside the traditional wrestling mindset: “We need to remain open-minded. Sometimes wrestling tends to be in this bubble, where nothing else exists but wrestling. We need to reach other areas of entertainment, like when we worked with Stephen Amell or the crossover with DC Comics. We need to remember we’re not too big, or a bully to anyone else in entertainment.”

On Dynamite’s ratings: “We’re not focused on a rating. We’re focused on being our best selves every single week and providing the best show we can possibly provide. We’re going to keep focusing on what we’re focusing on, without getting sidetracked with ratings or competing against any one group.”

On the company staying focused on its own fans: “AEW is centered around the fans, more so than any other company that I’ve been involved with, and that’s because of the way the company came together. We want to keep the fans as part of the process, not just as an outside, external factor. For us, that makes tough decisions that much easier. We’ve had such an outpouring of support and we are so grateful for it. That weighs over anything else for me and for us. We know that those people are extremely important. If you love this, we’re so thankful for it.”