While speaking at the Starrcast event in Chicago ahead of the 2023 AEW All Out PPV, company attorney Christopher Peck was asked if there were any ideas for AEW programming that had to be shot down.
Peck’s response was as follows:
“Truly, one of my favorite stories that I tell other lawyers. I got a call, I can’t remember who, it was a panicked call. It was maybe ten minutes before showtime. I wasn’t in the building and they were panicking. The question was, ‘can we bring a hatchet to the ring?’ I said, ‘A hatchet? What are we doing with a hatchet?’ They explained the stunt and I was like, ‘No, we can’t bring a hatchet to the ring,’”
Peck did not say who was bringing a hatchet to the ring or how it would be used.
Peck also spoke about the company’s music licensing:
“The one that I was most proud of that we got cleared was the Rolling Stones song. That was one where the firm came back to me and said, ‘Tell Tony we’re not getting this, it’s not happening.’ ‘No, we’re gonna go for it.’ This is a firm that works with the NFL and other organizations. ‘Listen, it’s been 30 years I’ve been doing this, we’re not getting it.’ We went through the process and the approval came through. I’ve never seen Tony so happy. His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Final Countdown was another one. That was one we went back and forth and were working with the rights holders. When that came through, just as a wrestling fan, that was a cool moment. We go down swinging. I always tell guys, ‘we might not get it.’ An example for this past week, I flew in on Friday (before AEW All In) and got a request at five eastern for a song for Sunday. That’s not going to happen, it’s two days from now.”
(h/t to Jeremy Lambert for the transcription)
