WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has a message for the wrestling industry: AEW deserves the same mainstream media spotlight that WWE is enjoying with its latest radio push.
JR didn’t criticize WWE’s expansion into audio. He criticized the industry for continuing to leave AEW out of those same conversations.
Ross made clear he has no issue with wrestling growing into new media formats. His frustration is that the promotion he works for keeps getting overlooked when those opportunities come around.
Speaking on Grilling JR, Ross said he hasn’t sampled enough of the WWE Radio product to offer a full verdict, but the concept is one he has believed in for years.
We’ll see how it works out. I’m curious to see how that’s going to progress. I haven’t experienced it or sampled it enough to give you an honest opinion, but I’ve heard little snippets and it’s an interesting process, to say the least.
Ross added that pairing wrestling with radio is not a new idea to him at all, pointing back to his own broadcasting history.
You know, I came up with the idea to do a WWE radio show back in the day. Monsoon and I were the hosts and all that good stuff. So my point is, I believe pro wrestling and radio are very compatible. If you know what you’re doing, you can make the broadcast very intriguing and very interesting.
Ross Turns The Focus To AEW
When Conrad Thompson asked whether WWE’s audio expansion was a negative for wrestling fans, Ross said that wasn’t his concern at all. Instead, he steered the conversation toward the company he works for.
I think it’s par for the course, Conrad, to be honest with you,” Ross said. “I’m anxious to see how it evolves, how it develops. Like I said, I’m a big proponent of the concept of pro wrestling and radio.
Ross then said he wishes AEW received the same recognition across mainstream platforms, arguing the roster and in-ring product warrant far more attention than they get.
I wish my AEW would get a little love out of that whole… those topics and those outlets. It seems like sometimes, as I said before, they’re overlooked. There’s too much talent at AEW. They’re doing too many good things in the ring to not be acknowledged. That’s my take on that deal.
The comments echo a theme Ross has hit before, including his criticism of wrestling media for functioning as a WWE infomercial at the expense of the rest of the industry.
