For probably the most part, the deal with AEW in 2026 has been on their onscreen product. But that modified briefly in February, when anti-ICE chants sprouted up during matches involving AEW star and anti-ICE activist Brody King, resulting in some mainstream attention towards the promotion. Even a month later, the chants have continued sporadically on AEW shows, while higher ups throughout the company have remained silent on the matter overall.
That modified during the post-Revolution media scrum, when AEW owner Tony Khan was asked about wrestlers expressing their political opinions and whether he feared that might alienate fans of AEW. Khan didn’t seem frightened about it in any respect, and though he made clear that AEW itself was an apolitical entity, he had no issue together with his wrestlers expressing themselves politically in any way they saw fit.
“I even have said that the wrestlers, once they come out and express their opinions and their personal viewpoints, that is the wrestlers,” Khan said. “That is who they’re, and AEW has those who express their authentic selves, and that is what’s great concerning the wrestling show. These are real people. And when you could have ‘Hangman’ Page or Brody King expressing their views, that is their individual views. The wrestling company is a sport. I haven’t any views apart from the game itself.
“In order that’s where it’s great for the wrestlers to give you the chance to precise their very own individual viewpoints, after which the league just puts out the most effective wrestlers, puts out the most effective wrestling product. And a wrestling organization will not be a political league. So I do think that it has been awesome to give you the chance to see what number of fans have gotten behind AEW and all of the momentum we’ve as a wrestling league, but additionally, the person wrestlers have their very own individual fans. And I believe it’s considered one of the really great things about AEW is the wrestlers have the flexibility to precise themselves.”