AEW Chief Brand Officer Brandi Rhodes impresses at NATPE with Tony Schiavone in Miami
You only get one chance to make a first impression, and AEW chief brand officer Brandi Rhodes made a very good one during her first ever keynote address to open the Brands x Content portion of NATPE (National Association of Television Programming Executives) on Jan. 22 at the Fontainebleau Hotel on Miami Beach.
In addition to Brandi Rhodes’ keynote at NATPE, she welcomed Tony Schiavone, widely considered to be one of the most important voices in professional wrestling, for a one-on-one Q&A session. Schiavone, who called the action for WCW on TBS, is currently a broadcaster for AEW Dynamite on TNT.
NATPE Miami was Jan. 21-23.
The three-day convention featured some of the top names in the television industry.
It marked the 10th anniversary of NATPE Miami.
About AEW
AEW is a groundbreaking new professional wrestling league that features a world-class roster of diverse male and female wrestlers, giving fans a new wrestling experience for the first time in 20 years.
Every Wednesday at 8 p.m. AEW Dynamite airs live on TNT from packed arenas in different host cities across the nation.
AEW Dynamite exploded onto the wrestling scene in October. It premiered on TNT as Wednesday’s No. 1 wrestling show and as the network’s biggest debut in five years. A hugely popular show, AEW has reached nearly 30 million people on TNT in its first two months.
Here is my video interview — after the keynote address — with Tony Schiavone. He discusses AEW, Jim Ross, Bash at the Beach attire, Miami, Jericho Cruise, Chris Jericho, new TNT deal, WCW, the Houston Astros, New England sports and more.
Just four months within its debut, AEW already inked a new, longer deal with TNT, including a second show TBA.
Brandi’s keynoter
Rhodes’ highly anticipated keynote — drawing a large crowd of TV executives nationally and internationally in various facets of the business — addressed this groundbreaking new wrestling league, its unparalleled diversity and inclusiveness, and how AEW, along with WarnerMedia, plans to compete and succeed in an industry that has been monopolized for decades.
FYI, Rhodes created the moniker All Elite Fleet, which is encouraging anyone and everyone to join The Fleet of AEW fans.
After Rhodes talked all things AEW, she introduced Schiavone for a sit-down interview.
About NATPE
NATPE, the one-stop shop for the global commerce of content, is slated to welcome attendees from every corner of the globe. As the ultimate resource for international content executives, the conference tracks include the Station Group Summit, Streaming Plus, Brands x Content, International Focus, Content Innovation and Unscripted. Additional programming and executive attendees will be announced in the coming weeks.
NATPE is the largest U.S-based global content association and professional membership organization dedicated to shaping the future of content through global marketplaces and conferences, screenings, awards, and networking events, including NATPE Miami Marketplace + Conference, L.A. Screenings Independents, NATPE Budapest International and NATPE STREAMING PLUS.
Representing every facet of the content business, NATPE, with a history of more than five decades, is committed to representing the needs of its evolving members and constituents across all platforms and to bringing them together to be the indispensable resource in the evolution of content as the conduit to connectivity, business insights and opportunity.
For NATPE, visit https://www.natpe.com/miami/registration/.
More about AEW
AEW, owned by the Khan family, is a new professional wrestling promotion headlined by members of The Elite (Cody and Brandi Rhodes, The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson), Kenny Omega and Hangman Page) and Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley.
For the first time in many years, AEW is offering an alternative to mainstream wrestling, with a growing roster of world-class male and female wrestlers who are poised to bring new spirit, freshness and energy to the industry.
AEW is broadcasting a two-hour weekly show -- AEW Dynamite -- on TNT on Wednesdays from 8-10 p.m.
Plans are for another show on TNT TBA.
For more info, check out @AEWrestling (Twitter), @AllEliteWrestling (Instagram), /AllEliteWrestling (FB), AllEliteWrestling (YouTube).
My Pro Wrestling Talk on the Web and Social Media
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/fighting/
Twitter: @jimmyv3
YouTube: jim varsallone (jimmyv3 channel)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProWrestlingSouthFlorida/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WWE-WrestleMania-28-Miami-241160769255279/
