Jim Ross spoke about the possibility of a TV deal for All Elite Wrestling on the latest edition of his podcast. Below are the highlights courtesy of WrestlingInc.Â
âI donât think you go on and do a big presentation like those folks, the Khans, AEW, did on Tuesday if youâre not pretty damn set on your television outlet. So I think the television outlet is more set than people probably know and maybe theyâre not ready to know or need to know right now. Maybe thereâs an I not dotted, or T crossed or whatever, but getting on a basic cable channel to me is imperative.â
âThe issue is television is king. Thatâs your heartbeat. Thatâs your heartbeat and Iâm of the belief, maybe Iâm wrong, that a television deal is, I guess the politically correct term is âimminentâ. I think a TV deal is basically done. Why would you do all of this celebration and this thing on Tuesday and all that without having more? Youâve got your [ducks in a row]. Youâre showing us that you have your ducks in order or getting there on talent. And so Iâm believing theyâre not going in half-cocked here. Why would you have this major announcement, this huge event, or huge company, all thatâs going to happen, if you didnât have TV pretty much locked up? So Iâm sure the paperwork, the inkâs not dry, and all those good things. Could be possibilities or theyâre still negotiating some finer points, whatever, but I believe, come this Fall, that AEW is going to have a very prominent television partner thatâs going to give this team the opportunity to be successful. I do think that the TVâs more in place than they are ready to announce right now and I understand that too.â
âNew Japan does a real nice job of having a small roster in number that remains special. They do a real nice job of keeping their guys separate, keeping some exclusivity to the rivalries. That is [an] athletically oriented presentation. If there is anything I would suggest and I donât know because I have not discussed it with anybody. Probably New Japan is going to be the closest analogy to what I perceive AEW might be, and I stress âmight beâ because I donât know. You can do more things, develop more talent, and do it in a reality based manner that people donât roll their eyes every 30 seconds because theyâre watching that damn wrasslinâ again. Thereâs credibility to it and at least the presentation bell-to-bell is going to feel like youâre watching kind of a perverse legitimate sporting event.â
âAlex [Marvez] and I have been friends for years, since the WCW days. And he introduced me to Tony and we had a [pro] wrestling fan chat and had a few drinks. But I said, âif somebody was ever going to do a pro wrestling company, the foundation is not a mystery. Itâs all about television and talent.â Ross explained, âyou canât have one without the other.â
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