Tony Khan Reveals AEW Turned Down Idea For ThunderDome-Type Video Wall

In a recent interview with UPI.com, AEW Chairman Tony Khan revealed that the company resisted an internal push for a ThunderDome-type video wall on AEW programming.

At the start of the pandemic last year, Khan installed talents at ringside as a de facto crowd, a few months before WWE introduced virtual fans via the ThunderDome.

Khan noted that the idea of utilizing a video wall was pitched internally but he was strongly opposed to it.

"I didn't want to have a video wall, and I pushed back when I got pushed to do a video wall," Khan revealed. "It was a fine idea and WWE did it, but it wasn't what I wanted to do. I respect it, it's good and it's economical, but I wanted to continue to find a way to do the shows for the fans every week. And the fans at Daily's Place supported us. We built like a wrestling territory having a weekly audience. I'm really proud of that."

Khan also reiterated his belief that having a live audience enhances the AEW product.

"Early in the pandemic, I was like 'let's create the experience of a drive-in movie,'" Khan said. "The fans make for a better product. We're finally selling ringside seats again, and we'll be doing that every week going forward."

Over the past month or so, AEW has gradually increased fan capacity at their home venue of Daily's Place in Jacksonville, FL. The company will resume touring on July 7, starting with an episode of AEW Dynamite at James L. Knight Center in Miami.