Eric Bischoff Discusses His Dissatisfaction With AEW’s Commentary and What They Could Do Better With Presentation
On the most recent edition of Strictly Business, Eric Bischoff discussed the presentation of AEW programs, adjustments he would make, and what he dislikes about AEW’s commentary. Here are some highlights:
On what he would change about AEW’s presentation, he says, “I think it has to be — in terms of presentation, there’s not much you can do that’s different than, but there’s a lot that I think AEW can do production-wise that could be better than they’re currently doing.” Don’t get me wrong, the shows can look fantastic at times. I know Mike Mansur and what he’s capable of, and occasionally the shows look really darn fantastic. But there have been moments, even lately, when I’ve dropped in.Over the last month or so, I’ve been thinking, ‘Ugh, it’s sorta kinda ugly in a sense.’ It really doesn’t have that – it’s simply not bright. It lacks that pop and does not feel like a huge event.
“Now, part of it may be due to the fact that certain venues are better at lighting and sound than others. When you don’t have a large enough crowd, you have to turn down the house lights. I was looking at it the other day, and it appears that many of AEW’s Dynamite concerts are structured for five, six, or 7,000-seat venues, with some exceptions. That is significant. That’s a fantastic audience, and you can make it seem fantastic. But it’s not like shooting 15,000 people and getting enormous, sweeping, wide images. Put a wide angle, or a portion of a wide angle, lens on it. Make it appear as if you’re in the Super Bowl.There are several options available to you. When you have a lot of people in scale, it looks so much nicer. And, you know, some of these places are smaller in size. You don’t have that option. I don’t believe that production needs to be significantly upgraded. A little bit, because, as I’ve said from the start, one of the things I admire about an AEW production is how gritty it seems. I can practically smell the old beer or last week’s popcorn under my seat. It’s still somewhere in the storage room. That appeals to me. I like how it has a rough vibe to it. I wouldn’t tamper with it too much, butLook at the skill, there is such a similarity in the presentation of the characters as well as the characters themselves. That, and the exceptions, make it a bit more interesting. It’s a little dull.”
On thoughts he would put into action: “The adult theme.” What I saw while watching AEW is something they could expand on. Not by going even further and pushing the limitations, but by utilizing the flexibility, creative freedom, and more paints on the palette that your competition cannot [to] enrich your storyline in some way. I believe that performing things outside of the ring, particularly storytelling outside of the ring, is crucial. The narrative. Here’s an idea: having play-by-play and color announcers who are also storytellers who help to weave a cohesive tale that’s consistent with the broader arc of an angle or series would be a throwback.A plot involving two or more wrestlers would greatly improve that presentation. And neither AEW nor WWE are doing so.
“I don’t like WWE’s color play-by-play. I never have — well, I did while Ross was there, but I don’t like it anymore. I believe they are now leaving a lot on the table. AEW is as well. Tony Schavione is a dear buddy of mine. I like him and adore him. He has a lot of talent. Far better announcer than I ever was, but I’m not hearing the Tony Schavione I know we can hear. In the ring, there’s really no tremendous narrative going on. I know the match’s backstory, but that’s not a story arc. That’s one thing I believe they could do differently, improve on, and be distinct from WWE in the process.”
