During a recent edition of his “What Happened When” podcast, Tony Schiavone discussed AEW hosting ROH Final Battle 2024, Collision, and Dynamite at the Hammerstein Ballroom.
Schiavone also declared that he won’t be traveling to Japan for NJPW x AEW Wrestle Dynasty 2025 next month.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On AEW holding shows at the Hammerstein Ballroom: “I didn’t know what to expect, because I had never been there before. But of course, I knew about wrestling events being there, and of course ECW being there. And I thought we had a great crowd. I thought we had a crowd that was responsive to everything that we did. And regardless of what I had heard about, ‘Well, it’s a very small venue, and there’s not many rooms to be able to gather in, and not many locker room spaces,’ it worked. It worked for all of us on many, many levels.
“And I was able to take Lois with me, and she went over to New Jersey and hung with the grandkids over there during the entire time. So it was a great weekend for us to be there, and I would hope that it’s something that we can do. And you know, that’s such a legendary ballroom for more than just wrestling. And it was the first time I’d ever been in the Manhattan Center and there, and of course on the 34th. And it was a wonderful experience for us, and I thought we gave them some very good matches. And so, a long answer to what you’re asking? Yes, I think it’s something that we can do every year, and I hope we can.”
On Jeff Jarrett’s importance to AEW: “How lucky are we in AEW to have Jeff Jarrett with us? For many reasons, not only because of a great performer and a great promo — old school promo, I might add, knowing how to do it. But because he knows so much about the business, he’s done so many things. We’re just very, very fortunate to have Jeff Jarrett with us.”
On his status for Wrestle Dynasty 2025: “Of course, we’re sending some people to Japan. I’m not going to go there, I’m not going to Japan. Although I wouldn’t mind because I went to Japan back in 1991 for the big show in the [Tokyo] Dome, and that was a great trip. I had a great time in Japan when I went there, I loved it. It’s not my decision. I’m either booked, or I’m not, and I’m not booked to go there. It’s a little bit easier for AEW to afford a ticket for me to Dayton, Ohio, than it is to going to Tokyo, Japan. It’s a little bit different on the money scale.”
