It seems like the concept of ratings and viewership in professional wrestling is a new topic to WWE Hall of Famer Booker T, but he still says AEW should be about it instead of talking about it.
On a recent episode of Booker T’s Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T discussed the idea that AEW owner Tony Khan shouldn’t be out there throwing digs at WWE. He also went as far as to say that no one in the wrestling industry cared about ratings until All Elite Wrestling came along:
“So I’m not saying no one company shouldn’t throw digs or anything like that, but I’m just talking about the boss,” Booker T began. “The boss normally lets all of the soldiers — I mean, let’s just say for the commander in chief…he ain’t gonna be on the battlefield doing the work. He’s gonna be in the War Room, strategizing with all the generals, and then you got everybody else out there in the war zone work. Calling out WWE on a regular basis, talking about WWE on a regular basis. Me personally don’t think it does a whole lot for AEW. Now, what I think does AEW a hell of a service, doing shows like they did it at [Arthur] Ashe Stadium. Okay, they got Target Center coming up. Go out there and produce! And I think you ain’t got to talk about it.
“There’s a saying, man, you could talk about it, or you could be about it. Which one do you want to be? You go out and produce you ain’t got to say nothing; it’s right here. Until AEW came along, we really didn’t hear about the ratings. No one really cared about what WWE rating was until AEW came around. And the thing is, I get it, it’s us against them, you know what I mean? There’s two different guys fighting for the same thing, which is the people, that number. I get it, and that right there is news for a lot of these outlets to put out there, just to give you, the viewer, the listener something to bite on. Oh, and I get it; I totally understand, man. But as far as I’m concerned, if everybody did their job, if everybody did what they were supposed to do. They shouldn’t have to worry about fans watching the product.”
READ MORE: Booker T Wasn’t Upset About Being Drafted To SmackDown Over RAW: It Gave Me A Chance To ‘Be At Ease’
What do you make of Booker T’s comments? Do you think the subject of ratings is new when it comes to pro wrestling? Or has Booker T not been paying attention? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit Booker T’s Hall of Fame podcast with a link back to this article for the transcription.
