Eric Bischoff On Why He Dislikes Overproduced Wrestling Shows

WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff weighed in on the state of professional wrestling production, arguing that both AEW and WWE suffered from over-polished presentations in 2019 and 2020.

In an interview with Fightful, Bischoff explained that while high production values can enhance a show, they can also strip away the raw, unpredictable energy that fans enjoy.

“The spontaneity comes from the creative side of things and planning. The production values and the sense of things being overproduced, that’s more of a technical approach to the product.”

Bischoff has long been an advocate for making wrestling feel like a legitimate live sporting event rather than a tightly scripted spectacle. He pointed to AEW’s early years and WWE’s 2020 programming as examples where excessive polish diminished the authenticity of the product.

“Early on in early AEW in 2019, 2020 or 2020 WWE, I felt like the WWE product was too polished. It was too well-produced. I felt like I was watching Disney on Ice.”

According to Bischoff, wrestling works best when it feels immersive, allowing the audience to experience the emotion and unpredictability of a live event. Overproduction, he argues, can make the product seem artificial and take away the excitement that makes professional wrestling unique.

“I think wrestling is better suited for feeling like you’re in the arena.”

Why Did Eric Bischoff Have To Let Triple H Leave WCW?

Eric Bischoff spoke about why he had to let Triple H leave WCW in 1995 and said that due to budget limitations within WCW at the time he simply couldn’t afford to pay Triple H more money and WWE could afford to pay him so he had to let him go to the competition.

H/t to Fightful.com