Tony Khan Reveals Madison Square Garden Initially Rejected AEW Dynamite Debut
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Tony Khan, President of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), recently addressed a crowd and hinted at future pay-per-view events in New York City. During the appearance, Khan revealed that Madison Square Garden (MSG) previously blocked AEW from holding its inaugural dynamite episode at the iconic venue in October 2019.
Initial Rejection and the Reason Behind It
Responding too chants of “MSG” from the audience, Khan explained that MSG initially offered AEW the date for the first Dynamite broadcast over six years ago. However, the offer was rescinded due to concerns from an unnamed individual.
You know, for a long time, I’ll be honest. They didn’t wont me there, you know that? As the first episode of Dynamite was originally going to be there,” Khan claimed. “And they called me and offered me the date. They said, ‘Would you like to do the first episode of Dynamite here?’ The people who called me don’t work there anymore; it was over six years ago.
I said, ‘Yeah, I really would. It would be great.’ And they called me a couple of months later, and they said, ‘We don’t want you anymore. We don’t want you to do the first Dynamite here.’ Because it would really upset somebody.
Khan did not disclose the identity of the person who objected to AEW’s presence at MSG. Ultimately, the first episode of Dynamite was held at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. on October 2, 2019.https://www.wwe.com/news/aew-dynamite-debut-results-oct-2-2019
AEW and Madison Square Garden: A History
While the initial plans fell through, AEW has as held events at Madison Square Garden. Most notably, AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door took place at MSG on June 25, 2023.https://www.aewrestling.com/news/aew-x-njpw-forbidden-door-results-june-25-2023 This event demonstrated AEW’s growing prominence in the professional wrestling landscape and its ability to draw meaningful crowds to the historic venue.
Looking Ahead
khan’s recent comments and teasing of future events suggest a continued desire to establish a strong presence for AEW in New York City and at Madison Square Garden. The initial rejection appears to be water under the bridge, and the relationship between AEW and MSG has demonstrably improved. Fans will be watching to see if AEW announces another major event at the Garden in the near future.
Key Takeaways:
* Madison Square Garden initially rejected AEW’s request to host the debut episode of Dynamite in 2019.
* The rejection stemmed from concerns about upsetting an unnamed individual.
* AEW has since successfully held events at MSG, including AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door in 2023.
* Tony Khan has indicated a desire to bring more AEW events to New york City.