In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, FTW Champion Chris Jericho addressed the ongoing negotiations for AEW’s upcoming broadcast TV rights deal.
Jericho also delved into the origins of “The Learning Tree” concept and emphasized that his commitment to AEW is not merely for the sake of it. The veteran wrestler highlighted that were it not for AEW, he might have retired by now.
You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On slowing down: “Haters would say that, which is where the Learning Tree gimmick came from. Just lean into it. I know, I can feel it. I know what I’m capable of. The last thing I would do is just be here for the sake of being here. That’s not my vibe. I love working for AEW. It’s probably my most favorite time I’ve had in the business. We’re growing together. I consider AEW my company. I was here since day one. We just had our five-year anniversary. There is so much going on this year with the television deal and the biggest wrestling show all time last summer at Wembley. There are so many cool milestones, and I feel like this is my band. I helped start this band, and I’m super proud of everything we’ve done as a result of it.”
On the talks for AEW’s next broadcast rights deal: “What I’d like to see, and we’re getting down to the wire, is to get the deal that I know we’ve earned with the demos that we have. Being number one on cable or number one behind NBA and NHL which is on all of cable, and to secure the deal that I think we have earned, and then to really see where we can take it.”
On needing to block out the detractors: “It just goes to show like if you want to do something, don’t listen to critics, just go do it…That’s the only goal and lesson that I would ever try and tell anybody is if you want to do something, go do it.”
