Tony Khan Shuts Down Creative Control Myths, Explains How AEW Really Works Behind the Scenes

Tony Khan is once again setting the record straight about one of the most talked‑about topics surrounding All Elite Wrestling — who actually controls the creative direction of the company.

While appearing on iHeartRadio’s Battleground Podcast, the AEW President was asked directly about the long-running online debate over “creative freedom” versus “creative control,” and whether wrestlers in AEW truly have the power some fans believe they do. Khan didn’t dance around the issue and instead addressed it head-on.

In the middle of a discussion about collaboration, ideas, and how AEW structures its creative process, Tony Khan made it clear where the final authority actually sits.

“There’s no creative control. Only I have it.”

Khan didn’t stop there, immediately explaining that while wrestlers don’t have unilateral control over their characters or storylines, AEW’s system is built around collaboration rather than dictatorship. According to Khan, the misconception comes from confusing final decision-making with creative input.

“And uh there’s a lot of freedom to work with the staff and the coaches and the wrestlers together and come up with ideas. And I am one of the most collaborative people on the planet.”

To back up his philosophy, Khan pointed to his background outside of wrestling, where collaboration has already paid dividends. He referenced his work in professional sports analytics as proof that shared ideas and teamwork can coexist with centralized leadership.

“That’s how I’ve been able to succeed in multiple sports and build the greatest sports analytics engineering firm in the world, True Media, where we service 29 out of the 30 Major League Baseball teams. And the one team we don’t have, their pitchers buy it out of their own pocket.”

Khan even joked about that unnamed outlier, adding some levity before circling back to wrestling. He stressed that AEW thrives when wrestlers feel comfortable pitching ideas, even if not every concept ultimately makes it to television.

“When AEW’s at its best, that’s what it is — it’s the wrestlers coming in with ideas, I come in with ideas, we work together, and that’s what I love.”

The takeaway is clear: while AEW talent doesn’t have creative control in the literal sense, the company’s environment encourages constant communication and collaboration, with Khan overseeing the final product. It’s a model that he believes has helped All Elite Wrestling rack up critical acclaim and year-end awards while maintaining a unified vision on television.

With debates over creative influence unlikely to disappear anytime soon, Khan’s comments offer one of the clearest explanations yet of how AEW balances structure with flexibility behind the curtain.

What do you think — does AEW’s approach to creative freedom strike the right balance, or should wrestlers have more direct control over their characters and stories? Let us know what you think and drop your thoughts in the comments.

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