Wrestlers battle during a tag team battle royal during AEW Dynamite at Footprint Center. Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Eric Bischoff goes on worst AEW tangent yet

By Adam Taylor | Last updated Feb 10, 2025 6:41 PM ET

Former WCW senior vice president and WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff is the most outspoken critic of AEW. He has consistently shared his negative viewpoint of the company, rarely holding back. Bischoff's primary issues with Tony Khan's brand are that he believes there's a lack of storytelling and that AEW has failed to turn its wrestlers into genuine stars.

In a recent appearance on "SHAK Wrestling," Bischoff took his criticism to new heights, claiming that AEW is where wrestling careers go to die.

"That promotion is circling the toilet bowl," Bischoff said. "And it’s because of the creative. It’s because of the lack of leadership. It’s because of the lack of structure, creative structure, and the lack of vision that ... It’s the place where your career goes to die. There’s no exceptions to the rule ... The supposed best in the world, Will Ospreay, is a bust. He doesn’t draw money ... Look what’s happened to MJF, for crying out loud. That was almost too hard to screw up, flat as can be."

Bischoff's comments are personal opinions. AEW is not a publicly traded company, so its finances are not open to the public. Therefore, Bischoff cannot know how much money Ospreay draws.

Furthermore, it's important to note that AEW has made strides in its creative approach. More stories are being told, and the product seems to be moving in the right direction.

Still, Bischoff is fair to criticize AEW's inability to build stars. Tony Khan must overhaul the marketing department, especially in terms of social media. WWE has already laid out the game plan for approaching social marketing; Khan just needs to follow the same blueprint.

AEW is still a young company. It's supposed to be working through teething issues. Expecting it to be a well-oiled machine this early in its existence is unfair. It's also harsh to consistently criticize something to a sizable audience. It's death by a thousand paper cuts.

Bischoff isn't going to stop his war of words against AEW. Unfortunately, this is part and parcel of trying to compete with a well-established juggernaut. As such, Khan must continue to improve the offering and win the long game by proving the company is sustainable beyond its current TV deal.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

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