Eric Bischoff Comments On Ric Flair's Impact on AEW

During recent episode of Strictly Business, Eric Bischoff weighed in on Ric Flair’s transition to AEW, which also came with his energy drink sponsorship deal.

On Flair's signing with AEW: Bischoff expressed his happiness for Flair's move, stating, “You know, I’m happy for Ric. Professional wrestling is Ric Flair’s life. Ric Flair left Richard Fliehr behind a long time ago." He also mentioned the benefits the Woooo! Energy drink might reap from this partnership and drew parallels with the Hulk Hogan energy drink that had previously made its way to Walmart stores.

On similarities with Randy Savage’s WCW deal: Addressing the rumors around Flair's contract, Bischoff noted, "Well, obviously, if what Sean [Ross Sapp] reported is true — and I believe it probably is, or Sean wouldn’t have reported it." He revealed that the Slim Jim sponsorship fully covered Randy Savage's salary for several years, making it a financially sound deal for WCW.

Insights on how such sponsorships work: Bischoff detailed Randy Savage's Slim Jim deal, explaining, “$750,000 from Slim Jim and $750,000 for Randy, and WCW got Randy Savage essentially with no impact at all on our budget." He highlighted the extensive in-program exposure for Slim Jim as a success factor of the partnership.

Flair's potential contributions to AEW: Bischoff speculates that Flair might take on a managerial role, lending his vast experience to younger talents. He commented, “I really can’t see Ric doing much in the ring other than maybe a run-in or a, you know, involvement, but not necessarily matches." He also pondered on Flair's possible backstage roles and how his extensive wrestling knowledge could benefit AEW's storytelling.

⚡ Ric Flair Talks About Potentially Stepping Into the AEW Ring Again

While the wrestling world is buzzing about Ric Flair's recent signing with AEW, the legend himself shed some light on his future plans. In a [...]

— Ben Jordan Kerin Nov 03, 2023 02:17PM