AEW Advised to Cut Back on Roster Signings and Spend More on Ads

AEW might be raking in a lot of money from their massive $555 million deal with Warner Bros. Discovery—but according to Eric Bischoff, AEW has to stop spending money on talent signings and instead start purchasing ads instead.

On the latest episode of 83 Weeks, Bischoff didn’t hold back. Bischoff said the smartest play for AEW right now is to lock down their long-term value—not with flashy free agents, but with serious ad money. And he thinks Tony Khan is looking in the wrong place since the signings aren’t making Khan any money.

“Hiring new people? F*** for. It’s just paperwork. They’re not making you any money. So why do it?”

According to Bischoff, what AEW needs is a dedicated sales and marketing team that knows how to close real deals—not just ride wrestling hype. He said if AEW can bring in new sponsors not already working with the network, that would be a game-changer both financially and perception-wise.

“If they bring in a new sponsor… they’re going to make money off it. And it gives the perception to other ad buyers that this is the right place to be.”

But Bischoff also admitted the challenge: selling to ad buyers isn’t a job for wrestling superfans—it takes legit business knowledge to get work done.

“You’ve got to be more than an internet wrestling fan to be able to go out and sell to people who buy professionally. You really have to know your business at a level beyond just being a fan of it.”

Bischoff argued that finding new advertisers gives AEW the power to shape their own future, instead of relying solely on network decisions, saying, “That would be a way you could control your own destiny.”

With AEW pulling in over $3.6 million per week from its current deal—and Warner Bros. Discovery holding an option to extend into 2028—the company’s in a solid spot. But if Bischoff is right, the next big step isn’t about adding another wrestler to the roster; it’s clearly about building a team that can sell the show like professionals.

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