Tony Khan on How AEW Isn’t Trying to Please Everyone, Bringing in Multiple Demographics

– Speaking with Wade Keller for his Pro Wrestling Podcast, Tony Khan weighed in on how AEW is handling trying to bring in different demographics. Khan noted that he’s not trying to please everyone and that the goal is just to put on a great show, which will bring in more people through word of mouth.

Highlights from the discussion, and the full podcast, are below:

On how to appeal to multiple demographics: “These are things I’ve had to look at recently, and it is a bit of a Rubik’s Cube to be honest. In terms of ‘How do you please everyone,’ and I don’t intend to try and please everyone in a pandering way. I think the best way to impress everyone is just to do a great show. And word of mouth will get around quick, and hopefully the audience will grow from what I expect will be a good initial audience. And I think people expected we were going to have trouble getting word of mouth out about Double or Nothing, because really word of mouth and social media were the biggest things we had going for us promoting Double or Nothing. Because we didn’t have this TV platform that we’re getting.”

On if they program specific stars for specific demographics: “Yeah, I see your point. I definitely think that you’re onto something, that there are different acts in our portfolio that play to different demographics. But it’s not like I’m trying to do one of those things were it’s like 10 guys playing poker and you get to look at one guy and it’s just a token appearance for everybody. I’m not going to try and please everyone, because I think when you try and please everyone, you please nobody sometimes.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.