Jim Ross Reveals When His WWE Contract Expires, Says AEW Will Not Have A Problem Securing TV Deal
On a recently 'escaped' episode of The Jim Ross Report, WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross weighed in on All Elite Wrestling's founding performers continuing to invade independent professional wrestling shows and AEW's prospects for securing a TV deal. Also, Ross shared some information on when his current WWE contract expires.
On the subject of members of The Elite invading Bar Wrestling's Bar Wrestling 28: The Best City I've Ever Been To event and The Young Bucks crashing DEFY Wrestling's DEFY Never Dies event, Ross likened the appearances to old school marketing.
"I saw The Elite catching two independent wrestling shows last week. I thought that was pretty cool. Bar Wrestling in [Los Angeles, California]. and then I think The Young Bucks were in Seattle [Washington]. It's called grassroots marketing. It's called staying connected to your target demographic. It is marketing done the old fashioned way with shoe leather and effort. Ross added, "so bravo, gents."
Just as WOW's David McLane explained to Ross on the podcast that co-owner Jeanie Buss would have no problem securing a TV deal for WOW given her financial wherewithal and business connections, Ross stated AEW will be able to similarly write its own destiny when it comes to broadcast television.
"They're not going to have a problem getting a TV deal done," Ross professed. "It's not the insurmountable task that many purport it to be. It's expensive to do all the due diligence, get everything done, and put all your pieces in place. But it's certainly not impossible. So I think there's good news for all those cases. I want AEW to do well like I want every pro wrestling promotion to do well. Why wouldn't I? I've devoted the largest part of my life to pro wrestling. Why would I not want to see it continue to grow and those that are in it to have the same opportunities and the same experiences in a positive way that I have? It's a good way to live your life in my view, so a lot of interesting business stuff going on and we'll definitely keep our eye on that."
Additionally, Ross mentioned that his current WWE contract expires at the end of March 2019.
"There [are] a lot of big things on the horizon. I'll leave you with that. There [are] so many rumors out there, 'this is going to happen,' 'that is going to happen.' All I can tell you is this: I'm not keeping any secret. My contract with WWE is up at the end of March. What happens after that is not up to me entirely. It takes two to tango on any front you go to. So, all I know is I'm not worried about any of it. I'm not worried about how to get my groceries in 2019. All is good. Life is good." Ross added, "it's going to be an amazing year. Huge things on the horizon. I've got a feeling. I really believe that for all of us, and no better time in our lifetime to be a wrestling fan."
Check out the show here or listen to it in the audio player embedded below. If you use any of the quotations that appear in this article, please credit The Jim Ross Report with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Source: The Jim Ross Report