In a recent interview, Chris Jericho praised the ratings-drawing power of AEW wrestler Swerve Strickland.
During an appearance on WTF with Marc Maron, Jericho stated that the numbers for the show go up whenever Strickland is on. He also revealed that AEW owner Tony Khan pays close attention to the minute-by-minute ratings and makes decisions on who to push based on those numbers.
“TV ratings are so important,” Jericho said. “I read the minute-by-minute TV ratings every week to see, how did I do? How did this guy do? Who is drawing every week? You can kind of see this pattern of whenever he’s on, the ratings go up. Swerve Strickland is one of those guys. He’s not a ratings bonanza, but whenever he’s on, the ratings go up.”
Chris Jericho Also Reserves Praise For Jade Cargill
When asked about what draws audiences to Strickland, Jericho credited the wrestler’s ability to connect with audiences. “Connection. They [Swerve & Jade] are stars and I want to see what this person is doing. That matters.”
However, Jericho also acknowledged that not all wrestlers are able to connect with audiences and draw in viewers. He noted that those who don’t draw in viewers may see a change in their position within the company.
“If you don’t draw…my boss, Tony Khan is a numbers fanatic. If you are put in that position and the ratings go down, you won’t be put in that position anymore. That’s part of it. You have to connect and people have to watch you on screen. If not, you won’t be on screen in that position, or maybe you won’t be on the main show, you’ll be on the next show. There are levels to that too.”
Swerve Strickland joined AEW in 2022 and found success as an AEW Tag Team Champion with Keith Lee in Swerve In Our Glory. Since losing the titles and splitting with Lee, Swerve has formed a new faction, Mogul Affiliates, with Parker Boudreaux, Granden Goetzman, and rapper Rick Ross.
H/t to Fightful