Say what you like about the Khans and the business empire that they have built, but they do not lack any ambition and are the furthest thing from work-shy. Indeed, at the last count, the All Elite Wrestling founders were also running the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and the Championship’s Fulham Football Club.
Interestingly, it is their latest investment and the company that they built from the ground up, AEW, that is financially outperforming all of the sports teams that they own. But for those across the pond and in southwest London, there are concerning links between the success of AEW and the decline in form of their beloved football team, which has led many to question whether Tony Khan has spread himself a bit thin.
After all, it was only a couple of months after the launch of the phenomenally successful AEW that Fulham was relegated from the Premier League in the spring of 2019.
“He hasn’t got a clue what he’s doing. Get him out!”
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) March 4, 2019
Should Fulham owner Shahid Khan really sack his own son? @Ianwright0 points the finger at vice chairman Tony Khan for the club’s failings in the transfer market this season.
?⚽: https://t.co/0kUniWPgQm pic.twitter.com/DMQ9omux62
That was the first real wobble in the relationship between Khan and the supporters. If you were to fast forward to 2021, relations haven’t improved that much after Fulham were once again relegated from the Premier League.
Granted, there was a promotion sandwiched in between those two relegations but the job of keeping Fulham in the world’s most prestigious soccer league looked beyond the Khan family. Although they may get another chance to keep Fulham in the Premier League, given that the club is at odds of 15/8 with Space Casino and sportsbook to get promoted back to the top-flight this season. There are genuine fears, however, that Tony Khan’s increasing involvement in the ongoing storyline of AEW will keep him from giving Fulham his undivided attention this season.
That’s probably not even up for debate when you consider how big the crest of the wave that AEW is now riding is and how integral the 38-year-old’s role in that is. So far, Khan has helped AEW do the impossible and beat WWE’s NXT show in the ratings war thanks to the jaw-dropping success of AEW Dynamite.
⚡COMING SOON⚡ #AEWRampage premieres Friday, August 13 on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/k3LOV9yTky
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) July 15, 2021
Realistically speaking, there is simply no way the Khans can take their foot off the gas with the WWE now that they are establishing their dominance in a field that few imagined was even remotely possible. Naturally, that won’t sit well with Fulham’s fans and it’s worth keeping in mind that the stakes are also incredibly high as far as soccer in England goes. For instance, should Fulham be able to get themselves back to the big time with a promotion this season, they will earn $235 million.
This won’t be lost on the Khans, but it will also require a huge amount of effort and attention to reap those rewards. Ultimately, a decision may have to be made sooner or later as far as the Khan’s involvement in Fulham Football Club goes given how much they stand to gain from throwing all of their energy into the juggernaut that is AEW. goldenslot