Eric Bischoff Blasts AEW’s Creative Direction, Calls Strategy “Neurodivergent Booking” – Eric Bischoff did not hold back when discussing All Elite Wrestling’s recent creative decisions and declining television viewership during a recent episode of 83 Weeks. The WWE Hall of Famer took direct aim at AEW’s business strategy, criticizing the addition of yet another championship title and questioning the company’s long-term sustainability.

Bischoff began by reacting to AEW’s introduction of the new National Championship, labeling the decision as “neurodivergent booking.”

“It’s called neurodivergent booking or creative. That’s exactly what. It’s all over the map, and nothing means anything if there’s no value, if there’s no perceived value, if there’s no stakes; it’s just garnish on a plate,” Bischoff said. “By throwing more garnish on the same plate and expecting people to feel differently about it, whatever, it’s not really very creative. It’s actually worse than not very creative. It actually hurts, because it further dilutes the value, or the perceived value, of any other title and the story that goes with it.”

When asked about AEW’s overall trajectory and its upcoming television rights negotiations, Bischoff’s assessment turned even more severe.

“I would be working so desperately hard on a plan B right now, it would make people around me crazy,” he said. “This is unsustainable, and I’m not saying that because I’m negative or anti-AEW. These numbers, and I’ve been saying it for years now—if you don’t focus on story, if you don’t focus on character… I have been individually predicting what is going to happen along the way if he fails to do it. And he said every benchmark I’ve laid out—now they’re at the point where, not only do you have renegotiation staring you down, you’ve got a possible acquisition of your network, and you’ve got to have a plan B.”

Bischoff described AEW’s current viewership figures as “ridiculously low” and “pathetically low,” taking issue with how fans and executives spin the numbers.

“Dynamite prime time—you’re looking at 400, 500,000 viewers, and I don’t care if it’s number seven on the network; it doesn’t f**king matter. That’s a participation trophy,” Bischoff said. “You’re either driving revenue or you’re not, and this company is not driving revenue. I don’t care what anybody says. It’s not possible for them to drive enough revenue to be a return on investment for Turner Broadcasting. Not enough people watch that show. That’s it. I hope they have a plan B, I really do.”

He wrapped up by addressing what he sees as the grim reality if AEW loses its television partner.

“If this deal goes away, I don’t know where they go. Where are you going to go on cable television when you’ve got the track record?” Bischoff said. “Here’s what they’ve accomplished: over the last five years, they’ve lost an average of 20 percent or more of their audience year over year. Who wants to buy that? And if you do, you’re buying it for nickels and dimes, not dollars, because that’s all it’s worth… There’s no big broadcast rights deal at the end of this rainbow, because they have spent five years proving that they’re screwing themselves into the dirt. They’re really good at it. They’ve been doing it 20% year over year over year.”

Bischoff’s comments continue his pattern of outspoken criticism toward AEW’s booking philosophy and overall brand management, underscoring his belief that the promotion’s lack of cohesive storytelling is at the core of its ongoing struggles.

Eric Bischoff Blasts AEW’s Creative Direction, Calls Strategy “Neurodivergent Booking”

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