An offensive social media post was not the only reason why The Briscoes were not allowed on AEW TV.
Jay and Mark Briscoe were banned from appearing on either the TBS or TNT networks, which broadcast AEW Dynamite and AEW Rampage respectively. The block was put in place by Warner Brothers Discovery, who own the networks.
Why The Briscoes Were Not Allowed On AEW
As reported by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the homophobic social media posts by Jay Briscoe from nearly 10 years ago were not the only reason why the ROH Tag Team Champions could not appear on Dynamite or Rampage.
The newsletter states that there was a second issue, which was the choice of attire by The Briscoes. In the past, Mark and Jay Briscoe have worn Confederate Flag ring jackets at events, with the choice of controversial attire causing the initial decision of the ban to remain after Jay’s tragic passing.
The Confederate Flag has become an offensive symbol in recent years due to its association with far-right groups and white supremacy.
The use of the flag was also the reason why TBS or TNT would not allow a full tribute show to take place for Jay Briscoe. Instead, Mark Briscoe competed for the first time ever on AEW programming on the January 25th edition of Dynamite. Briscoe would defeat Jay Lethal in an emotional main event, with the locker room coming out to the entrance ramp after the bell to pay their respects.
The ban was lifted thanks to the involvement of All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan. In an interview shortly after the match was announced, Khan described how he was able to make the match happen on Warner Brothers Television.
The tribute on the January 25th edition of Dynamite was recognised throughout the wrestling world, with many members of the WWE roster taking to social media to acknowledge the touching segment.
A full tribute show can be found on Ring of Honor’s YouTube page by clicking here.