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AEW Declines to Air Rougeau Family Tribute Video Over Rights and AI Concerns

The decision highlights AEW's enforcement of clearance rules and a strict ban on AI content for live broadcasts.

Overview

  • AEW reviewed a tribute package supplied by Jacques Rougeau on the day of Redemption and found it unusable because it exceeded the program's runtime, included footage and music the company lacked rights to, and contained AI-produced elements.
  • The video could not be cleared or replaced in time for the live show, leaving the Rougeau family segment without the planned package.
  • Reports sourced to the Wrestling Observer said Jacques reacted angrily backstage and was threatened with ejection, but people close to the Rougeaus have disputed the tantrum and eviction-warning claims while acknowledging his disappointment.
  • Jacques later posted the tribute video to his Facebook page after the event, and the televised pre-show drew boos for Jacques in Montreal that he answered with a curt on-air remark.
  • The incident underscores routine rights and production limits for wrestling broadcasts, shows how AEW's no-AI stance can affect talent-supplied materials, and may prompt clearer pre-show clearance checks to avoid similar last-minute problems.