Eric Bischoff Says AEW Should "Stop Doing The Things WWE Is Doing" To Grow
Ex-WCW chief Eric Bischoff suggests AEW's use of Shaquille O'Neal and Snoop Dogg is too WWE-like.
Eric Bischoff was recently interviewed by Riju Dasgupta of Sportskeeda, with the topic of conversation turning to All Elite Wrestling - and specifically the promotion's use of celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Shaquille O'Neal as part of storylines.
Discussing the matter, the former WCW chief suggested that trying to compete with WWE by using WWE-like tactics may not be the best move for a promotion still establishing its identity in the marketplace:-
"The more they try to compete with WWE and doing some of the same things that WWE is doing, for example, Shaquille O’Neal. I used Shaquille O’Neal for the very first time in wrestling in 1994. You know, Snoop Dogg has been around for a long time, and he has done a lot of things in WWE. He’s in the WWE Hall of Fame. So, that’s nothing new. I would look for; I would advise AEW to find new ways and different ways that haven’t been done before to establish themselves."
Shaq was name-dropped on this week's second New Year's Smash special, as his AEW representative, Jade Cargill, confronted Cody Rhodes in Britt Baker's Waiting Room. The NBA legend had previously had a glass of water thrown over him by Brandi Rhodes, having conducted a sitdown interview with her and Tony Schiavone, though Brandi is currently absent from television following her pregnancy announcement.
Snoop, meanwhile, appeared on New Year's Smash's first chapter last week, splashing Serpentico after "coaching" Rhodes to a win over Matt Sydal.
On AEW's continued use of celebrities, Bischoff said the following:-
"And if they are going to use celebrities, that’s great. I’m a big believer in using celebrities but using Mike Tyson, who was, you know, in WWE back in 1997, or whatever it was, 1998, and then using Shaquille O’Neal, who I used in 1994. Using Snoop Dogg, who has already been exposed quite a bit on WWE. Those aren’t new ideas. So, I would advise them to manage their own expectations, develop their own identity, and to look for a new way of presenting the product. Look for a new way to grow the audience as opposed to trying to replicate formulas that worked in the past."
Bischoff last appeared for AEW on the 28 October 2020 episode of Dynamite, questioning Chris Jericho and MJF during their town hall meeting segment.