Eric Bischoff On WWE Potentially Moving Raw To WBD, Impact On AEW

On the latest episode of Strictly Business, Eric Bischoff talked about the reports that WWE and Warner Bros. Discovery have had two meetings as recently as the latter being on December 11th about Raw’s media rights.

CM Punk reportedly may have been the reason for the two sides to have the second meeting with the previous one happening a month ago. AEW’s TV deal with WBD expires at the end of 2024. You can check out some highlights below:

On his initial reaction to WWE potentially signing a TV deal with WBD after having two meetings: “I’m not surprised. Anybody that’s been listening to this show since we started it, or some of the discussions that Conrad Thompson and I have had over the last couple of years will tell you how I reacted to it. I saw this, I saw the end of this movie coming. I’ve been watching the end of this movie. And let’s be clear, the movie’s not over yet. Things can change, we’ll see. And despite the way this show is going to sound, or at least my portion of it, I’m not happy this is happening. I’m frustrated because it shouldn’t have happened. We shouldn’t — even if nothing else happens beyond this, we shouldn’t have gotten to this point of discussion. Right now, AEW and WBD should be in a long-term relationship. This deal should have been renegotiated, it should have been moving forward with a plan months ago. Months ago. Those conversations should have started almost a year ago, all right? But instead, here we are. And presumably, if the reporting is accurate — and I absolutely have 110% confidence in Mike Johnson from PWInsider, so it’s not as not to suggest I don’t. But I don’t think anybody knows except for the principals what’s likely to happen.

“But we all have a pretty good idea of where those dots are, and it’s not that hard to connect the dots. And unfortunately, I’ve been connecting those dots, and identifying the dots and the patterns for the last two years, which is why we’re here. And this is not an ‘I told you so.’ This is trying to explain why this s**t frustrates me. It’s the same thing — whenever I talk about TNA, I get frustrated because of the loss of opportunity. You’ve heard me say this a million times before if you listen to the show or anything else that I’m involved with, opportunities are a gift. They’re very, very, very hard to come by. And to see an opportunity like I experienced in TNA and now watching kind of write its story over the last two years are very frustrating to me. So this is not ‘I told you.’ This is just my best reaction to the questions you’re going to ask me.”

On not celebrating AEW’s decline: “I want to make it clear that nobody’s dancing on anybody’s grave. We’re not even pronouncing the patient in critical condition yet. We’re just looking at the dots and starting to create a picture.”

On whether CM Punk is responsible for the WWE and WBD talks heating up: “That’s complicated. And by the way, I’m going to go on record right now in saying that CM Punk and the acquisition of CM Punk by WWE might be one of the most financially successful acquisitions in the history of professional wrestling. Whoa, did I just say that? [laughs] And I’ll tell you honestly. The difference, and the answer to that question lies in the CM Punk that I saw when he first showed up in AEW, and the CM Punk I saw when he showed up in WWE. Two different people, two different shows, two different businesses. Two different approaches to the product. One would not draw a dime or increase television revenues — which was true. It was absolutely true and accurate. And one, as of right now, two different situations completely. And now the other one is perhaps, to answer your question, partially — fortuitously — in terms of the timing.

“Going back to the point that I made earlier, in all seriousness. WBD expressed a strong interest in WWE and its programming, going all the way back to the announcement early this year that WWE was up for sale whenever that was. My opinion — let me clarify. My strong opinion is that WBD was actively engaged in an attempt to acquire WWE, along with Endeavor and others. Formally in the process. So that was the first dot. That’s a big dot. Where WWE is at in negotiations, I think the timing of it all, I think this conversation would have happened anyway. I think the fact that CM Punk — well, it’s not even an opinion. The fact that WWE turned around on a dime, brought him in, and now we’re seeing the heightened level of ‘S**t going on,’ chatter if you will, observation. I don’t know. I think it’s fortuitous again to just use that word because it’s just, I love it when it rolls off my tongue like that. I think it’s a big benefit, but I don’t think it was instrumental. I think it’s a bonus. I think it may accelerate, it may ensure a deal where one perhaps may have been tentative.”

On Punk’s Raw promo about being home: “Here’s another reason why. And this isn’t something I saw, this is something that was pointed out to me that just rang a bell, right? CM Punk just didn’t show up. If you go back and look at some of his promos, and I did after this, the individual kind of smarted me up. Punk’s promos were almost weird in WWE. Uncharacteristic. ‘I’m home.’ I mean, there was a lot of effort made on that particular night to send a message to the world that CM Punk was home. That’s another — when I heard that. And kind of the tone and nature of some of his promos. I think it’s a big benefit, but I don’t think it was the impetus. I don’t think it was a catalyst. I think it’s a benefit.”

On whether WWE and AEW can co-exist if WWE Raw airs on a WBD network: “Oh well, theoretically, sure. Theoretically, but just kind of take a mental snapshot of that scenario, if you will. And okay, where would AEW go? So Raw’s on TBS or TNT, whatever it’s going to be. TBS, I guess, whatever. A Turner platform, cable. Where does AEW go? In that Turner environment, where they would be subjugated to?… Well, let’s back up a little bit. Do I see wrestling on both TBS and TNT? I don’t see that, from just — why are we even having this conversation? I’ll come out and say, I think at the core it’s Turner ad sales’ inability to sell AEW in an ad sales environment because of the nature of the content and the lack of all the things that I’ve been talking about for two years. Like story, real story, not wrestling angle, living in your basement story. I’m talking about a really compelling story that attracts and grows an audience. Because I think I’ve also said on this show many, many, many, many, many, many times. In the television industry, you’re either growing or dying, okay? It is what it is. So if Turner can’t sell it, which is why they’re having a conversation because they own a piece of AEW if I’m correct, and I believe I am. If they can’t sell it and they’re not making any money, and they looked at the books and went, ‘Ugh!’ Why the f**k would they give it beachfront property in a prime time slot? It wouldn’t. I don’t see that scenario. I think if any executive makes a decision like we think is being analyzed right now? It’s like, ‘No, we tried it. We’re looking at it. We see the numbers, we see the growth or lack thereof. We will see what our ad sales team is able to do with it. We can’t afford this property.’ Afford meaning, keep investing in it because you’re not getting a return on it, whereas there is a return on investment strategy, perhaps with Monday Night Raw or whatever, WWE Raw.”

On AEW potentially going to a different network: “So I don’t see the scenario where AEW exits on one night on TBS and you know, TNT has Raw. Maybe it could happen. I mean, I don’t know, but I can’t — I have a hard time swallowing that one. I can’t see a scenario where perhaps, especially for the rest of the terms of the agreement depending on what the agreement looks like with Turner and AEW. Where AEW could be relegated to a different platform.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Strictly Business with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.