Chris Jericho Discusses AEW's Shows Without Fans amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Chris Jericho says putting on a wrestling show without fans is "strange" but credits AEW's creativity for Dynamite thriving despite the pandemic. 

"We're providing entertainment throughout this lockdown, and it's different because we're in the middle of an empty arena," Jericho said Tuesday on the Rich Eisen Show. "It's very strange because much like a standup comedian or a rock-and-roll show, if you don't have a crowd that's responding to what you do, it's very, very strange.

"... If you're treating it more like a Hollywood stunt fight, like a Hollywood brawl that you'd see in a movie, it's much more entertaining than if you're treating it just as a wrestling match because there's nobody there. And we can see there's nobody there, so why bother pretending?"

Jericho added it helps that AEW is able to put members of its staff around the ring to add some level of ambiance and reaction for the show. The company typically puts wrestlers and other staff members ringside, with Jericho noting that the 30 or so spectators are more than he wrestled in front of at the beginning of his career. 

Jericho himself has been pulling double duty on most weeks, sitting in on commentary while also competing in the ring. He's also helped produce the "Bubbly Bunch" skit series that has aired to praise.

AEW has not missed a week of programming despite the pandemic, filming several episodes in advance in March before returning to Daily's Place in Jacksonville, Florida last week. The May 6 episode was AEW's first live event in more than a month.