"50+ means you're losing your audience" - Cody Rhodes on the importance of the 18-49 Demo for AEW

Since AEW Dynamite debuted on TNT in October of 2019, a lot has been made about the coveted 18-49 demo, which the company has excelled in on Wednesday nights over the last year-plus.

AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes feels that the younger demo is essential for the company's future.

Rhodes was the latest guest on AEW wrestler Chris Jericho's podcast, Talk is Jericho. The two talked about a variety of topics. When Jericho brought up the youth movement of AEW and how seriously the company takes the 18-49 demo, Rhodes had this to say.

"The youth that is on the roster and the youth that is in the creative. The direction of the show with Tony in that lead spot. The direction of the show. The artistic vision of the show. The talent on the show. We joke about the demo, but it's really not a joke. There's a potential that if you, and this is for any show, if you don't look at that, you're going to age out. One of the reasons I've turned my act around into a bit of a squeaky clean act is because it's really not an act anymore. I want to engage a young fan base.

"And not just the young and affluent and cool, I want to engage kids because the show has a lot of grittiness, a lot of violence, a lot of adult content, and I want to make sure they know there's guys doing right and there's guys doing wrong, that's here too. Just like all great wrestling shows, when they've been great. The youth we have and the demos are really not a joke at all. Anyone who's not scared, and I'm not talking about our competitor, I'm talking about any show, if you're not in the youth, in terms of if they're not watching your show you should absolutely be terrified. 50+ means you're losing your audience. Again, this is about TV in general, not about WWE and not about AEW."

Been a long time coming...Talking #GoBigShow & @AEW with @IAmJericho Click here: https://t.co/qAFXeQdjnp @GoBigShowTBS pic.twitter.com/CsXG9a8t7S

— Cody (@CodyRhodes) January 8, 2021

Cody Rhodes speaks about "The Committee" within AEW

Many fans and critics have said a lot about active AEW talents like Rhodes and Kenny Omega being EVPs within the company. But it's a responsibility that The American Nightmare takes very seriously, as he explains to Jericho.

"I told Tony, do not give me this job unless you really want me to do the job. To really embrace it. Which would probably include pissing you off from time to time, which he's never been pissed at me. At least in his version, maybe he has. But that's been the most exciting thing, the brain-trust here amongst the talent, the EVP's, the management. The committee that exists that we don't talk about.

"The committee of thought, which is the Bucks, and Kenny, you [Jericho], and Tony more than ever has in his mind how he wants the show to be as he is booking it and laying it out. I love it. I know that sounds like a tumultuous thing, all those names on paper and all those people. Arn is out there with me by the ring pretty much doing jack shit, except holding his play card up. What Arn does back here, my gosh, I literally want to look at him [in awe and say] "where have you been?"

NOW on @TalkIsJericho, @CodyRhodes returns to talk judging the @GoBigShowTBS w @SnoopDogg, having @ThisBrodieLee’s last match and the story behind the best collar match ever, his thoughts on the first year of #AEWDynamite, his goals as an @aew exec & more! @WestwoodOne

— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) January 8, 2021

How do you think Rhodes has down as an EVP for AEW? Let us know by sounding off in the comments section below.