Here are some notes from today’s Double or Nothing Media Call with Tony Khan:
• Khan says AEW grew its audience in Q1, and things are trending well in Q2. He says the mindset is back like it was in 2020 when they were in Daily’s Place every week. He compares AEW’s quality of product to be similar.
• Khan says there are now less voices involved in the AEW production department and he’s really tightened the ship up. TK feels the product is now like peak pandemic AEW, with a tight group of individuals who are really excited to be there.
Khan feels the product is now like peak pandemic AEW, with a tight group of individuals who are really excited to be there.
• Khan says he’s very proud of Darby Allin climbing Mount Everest, him becoming the first ever pro wrestler to achieve that feat, and hopes he makes it back down safely. Khan reiterates that since Darby left, AEW has been under a dark cloud, named the DeathRiders.
• Khan says HBO Max is still building its pay-per-view platform tech that AEW shows will be distributed on eventually. He stressed there’s not necessarily a delay because there was no direct timetable given.
• Khan says AEW Women’s Tag Team Championships are something he would like to do in the future. Mentions there are good teams in the division now and rivalries that would lend themselves to it.
• Khan said that Sabu fascinated him. It was one of the first times he ever spoke to anyone on the internet was when he was 12, Cactus Jack vs. Sabu faced off and people gave play-by-play in a chat room of the match for those who couldn’t watch.
• Khan puts over the partnership AEW has built with CMLL. Calls it the “premier wrestling organization” out of Mexico and the world. He’s excited for the upcoming Mexico show.
• Khan says he believes Ospreay and Hangman have been knocking it out of the park in 2025. Believes they will do a great job there. Notes first Anarchy match was not the main event, and doesn’t think it has to go at the end of the PPV.
• Khan says AEW actively exploring some international media rights deals.
(Source: Double or Nothing Media Call w/ Jon Alba)