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AEW Executive Gives Insight Into Negotiating With Wrestlers

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An AEW Executive has spoken about what it’s like in her role negotiating deals with wrestlers and how it compares to other professional athletes.

When Tony Khan announced the launch of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in January 2019 he did so in Jacksonville where he and his father own the NFL’s Jaguars. Megha Parekh is the Senior VP and Chief Legal Officer of both AEW and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In her role as an executive for AEW and the Jaguars, it’s her job to work with some really rich football players along with pro wrestlers, who tend to have their own unique personalities as well.

Since Megha doesn’t do a lot of interviews about the AEW business, it’s interesting to hear her talk about what things are like that. She opened up to the AtotheKWrestling show recently to share how she deals with people in wrestling along with others.

“I always try to meet people where they are. The same is true on the football side where we have so many different types of staff that people may not realize. I try my best to, if I’m talking to a coach, my goal is not to necessarily communicate that is most natural and easy for me, but to try to get them to understand something or explain something or agree with my perspective or position.”

“No matter who I’m talking to, I don’t always try to do it in a way where I think is most comfortable for them, as opposed to what is most comfortable for me. That is something that took me years to learn. When I don’t persuade somebody of something, I don’t necessarily think, ‘Oh, they’re not listening,’ I think, ‘How can I say this differently to try to get them to be bought in or explain it in a way.’ I look back, and I can’t control how they process things, but I can control how I deliver the message.”

As she continued, it’s clear that AEW’s top lawyer Megha puts a lot of thought into her job and that includes how she presents herself in different situations.

“There are a handful of excellent books about negotiations that help. Every conversation, if you think about it as a negotiation, not in a negative way, but what is the purpose? It’s probably to try to get someone to agree with a particular perspective I have on a situation and if that’s the case, what is the best way for me to communicate to them so that it’s most comfortable to them?”

“I go through all kinds of gymnastics, whether I’m talking to coaches or city council, I’ll change how I dress, I’ll change how I present myself, and it’s really a matter of trying to make it so they feel comfortable. “

“With the talent, for instance, I don’t think that if I presented myself as a traditional uptight lawyer, I don’t think they would…so much of my job is people having trust in me. I need to be somebody that is not necessarily someone that seems so much different from them because then they will be distrustful. I’d rather present in a way that makes them comfortable, based on who it is that I’m talking to.”

H/T Fightful