Eric Bischoff Speculates On Why AEW Hasn’t Announced January Show Venues

Tickets sales for AEW have been an increasing problem for the company in 2024. For most of the year, “AEW Dynamite” has struggled to average more than 4,000 tickets distributed per show, while “AEW Collision” has been suffering significantly in the final quarter of the year, only selling around 2,000 tickets each show. Both of AEW’s flagship programs have decreased by 1,000 in tickets sold compared to this time last year, and according to WWE Hall Of Famer Eric Bischoff, the company could make a major change come 2025. 

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Speaking on his podcast “83 Weeks,” Bischoff predicted that AEW will revert back to hosting shows in smaller venues. He also suggested that Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida, could become the weekly norm for the company again. 

“For January and February at this point, it’d suggest to me that they’ve already made the decision. Probably going to be back at Daily’s Place or something like it. They can’t keep going to big arenas, they’re going to these 10,000-seat arenas, 15,000-seat arenas, whatever they are, 8,000-seat arenas, and they’re blocking them off because they can only put about 2500 people at a live professional wrestling show live on TBS which is kind of it’s different. I get it, I’ve been there, it’s painful but you can’t keep booking big buildings when you can’t put anybody in them.” 

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Bischoff continued to explain how revenue and fiscal performance throughout the year isn’t an issue for AEW President Tony Khan. That said, he believes the quality of his weekly shows has become an increasing problem, stating that they lack energy and fan interest, and that nothing — and no one — is bringing interest to the product.

Eric Bischoff didn’t only criticize AEW’s current ticket sales. The WWE Hall of Famer also attacked Tony Khan’s creative decisions, the fanbase he caters to, and the former WWE talent who decided to join AEW, such as TBS Champion Mercedes Mone, whom he believes has been underwhelming since her arrival. 

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“Until Tony gets tired of blowing money or until TBS goes, you know this is just not working for us, there’s a better opportunity somewhere else. Tony’s gonna keep doing what he’s doing because he’s just entertaining himself and his group of little IWC fans that help him run his company … Every big talent they brought in from WWE s**t the bed, Mercedes Mone, five million dollars, she’s got her own writer, making seven figures… She gets to AEW, they give her the keys to the car, and she drove it right over a cliff.”

Ahead of the 2024 United States presidential election, Khan announced a discount for the remainder of AEW’s shows this year, revealing that fans who use the promo code “VOTE” would get a 40% discount on all events until the end of December. This list also includes their upcoming pay-per-view shows, as both Full Gear and World’s End will transpire in the final quarter of the year. 

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If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “83 Weeks” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.