AEW President and CEO Tony Khan appeared on the Battleground podcast to address questions about creative authority within his organization, specifically highlighting who ultimately makes decisions. Speaking candidly about the structure, Khan elaborated on his role in shaping storylines and overseeing ideas, emphasizing Tony Khan creative control AEW as a fundamental element of the company’s creative strategy.
Tony Khan Explains His Approach to Collaboration
During the conversation, Tony Khan was asked whether any performers or talent within All Elite Wrestling have creative control over their storylines or characters. He made it clear that although collaboration is encouraged, ultimate authority rests with him:
“There’s no creative control. Only I have it. No wrestler has that. And there’s a lot of freedom to work with the staff and the coaches and the wrestlers together and come up with ideas. I am one of the most collaborative people on the planet. And 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. So we do great things. I love working with partners all over the world, media partners. In wrestling, I think we are really collaborative and when AEW’s at its best. That’s what it is, s the wrestlers coming in with ideas, I come in with ideas, we work together and uh that’s what I love.”
– Tony Khan, AEW President and CEO
Khan highlighted his belief in fostering a welcoming environment for suggestions and creativity. He cited collaboration with staff, coaches, wrestlers, and media partners as a hallmark of how AEW operates when performing at its best.
Managing Proposals from AEW Talent
Addressing the specific issue of handling creative pitches from the roster, Khan detailed his process for evaluating proposed ideas. He acknowledged the diversity of ideas within the roster and the importance of choosing what fits the broader show:
“A lot of times there’s ideas that are fantastic, and I say, ‘That’s a great idea.’ There’s other times where maybe it isn’t necessarily going to work. And there may be something to it, but the timing or the scheduling or something about it doesn’t work. A lot of times the wrestlers come up with great ideas. But I have to choose what we what we do and don’t do. And within the constraints of doing two-hour TV shows, there’s only so many things you can do. So I think we’ve been really great about pacing the TV shows and putting on great TV shows every Wednesday on TBS and every Saturday on TNT, and now with everything being on HBO Max. And I really love trying to find things, trying to find ways to work with and collaborate with the wrestlers and the staff and the great people in AEW. And I also come up with a lot of ideas myself and trying to find a way to take my own ideas and the ideas of other people and make it all work.”
– Tony Khan, AEW President and CEO
Khan noted that while many wrestlers bring creative and innovative concepts to the table, the realities of airtime and show structure limit how many can be implemented. He expressed pride in his team’s work on weekly broadcasts on TBS and TNT, as well as collaborations now expanding with content on HBO Max.
Looking Ahead for AEW’s Creative Direction
Tony Khan’s remarks underscored his firm hold on AEW’s creative direction, while also recognizing the collaborative efforts between himself and his team, which includes talent, coaches, and media partners. As AEW continues to grow its platform and media reach, his approach to decision-making remains centered on blending a range of ideas within the structure of his vision. Khan’s clarifications aim to affirm AEW’s commitment to creativity within boundaries, setting clear expectations for both wrestlers and fans about who guides the evolution of the company’s narratives and televised events.
