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WWE President Nick Khan appeared on Colin Cowherd's podcast this week, obviously timed for Wrestlemania 37. Before we dive in, it should be noted that Khan used to serve as Cowherd's agent, so they obviously have a good relationship. The discussion provided a lot of insight into Khan's vision and work prior to and with WWE. Onto the recap!
Cowherd talked about how when he wanted a bigger presence as an agent. He met with Nick Khan and said Nick has a presence about him and he gets things done. He said he would fit in like someone in The Soprano. He doesn't whack people but he'd fit in. A few months ago, Khan decided to leave the agent game and was hired to run WWE by Vince McMahon. He said that was a big deal and with Wrestlemania this week, he thought it was a good time to bring him on. He said Khan is one of the most tied-in guys in the entertainment industry. If you ask someone about their industry, they have to have a well thought out answer to anything. If they don't, you don't have a smart, progressive, well advised person on your side. If someone tells you they've "never thought of that" get out of that office and don't pay them a penny.
Cowherd said when he first met Khan, they met at the St. Regis Hotel in NYC. Cowherd's wife told him he needed to get an agent with a bigger presence, someone who's in a room when he's not. He learned Khan's story about breaking in working in as a busboy. He said Khan and his wife were both from the culinary industry and he knew because they are both well aware of the temperate in a room.
Cowherd asked Khan about how working as a waiter where there are always last minute emergencies and plates crashing and angry customers helped serve him as both a former agent and now as WWE President. Khan said that he thought it was interesting that was brought up because he's always felt it was a training job for being an agent. You had to deliver the goods while smiling for the customer. If you have a great meal, you are happy to pay the bill. He wanted his clients to be happy so they would want to pay the percentage of the agency. It was in many ways the same job, because you are servicing the clients.
Khan was asked why he decided to leave law. He said that his parents, as immigrants, told him that if he wanted to be waited on instead of waiting on others, get a law degree. He said it was a great profession and that it put him in rooms he wouldn't have been in otherwise but after 6-7 years of working in that field in the early 2000s, the money wasn't what he wanted. He was making $125,000 at 25 but a few years later, it was down to $108,000. You had to put in a lot of work but it didn't really give you a great return unless you were working in certain areas of law.
Cowherd noted that as an agent, if you are negotiating, you are usually dealing with an attorney. He asked Khan if he'd rather deal with the heads of studio or the attorney. He said that the attorneys are going to give advice, but when he would be in discussions with FOX for Cowherd's contract, for example, and was told that "legal doesn't like this", he would respond asking if they were going to sue Cowherd in federal court if they felt there was some sort of breach and if you're not, let's not worry about it - make sure the money right, the terms are right and the role is right. He's never seen anyone actually sued over some of these clauses so he wonders why the lawyers spend days and days on them.
Cowherd brought up the recent WWE negotiations with Peacock. He said the typical negotiations between agents and a studio head are believed to be contentious. He asked Khan what his experiences were. Khan said at the end of the day, they are all talking about the same thing. FOX wants Cowherd, but the argument is how much money they are going to pay. It's about getting the two sides to agree on the marketplace value. He's never been in a negotiation where he was so angry over something that it bothered him personally. There was never any contentiousness from his side, but perhaps from them to him but that happens.
They discussed boxing. Cowherd brought up his relationship with Freddy Roach, a famed boxing trainer and former professional boxer. He tells the story of a Roach laying out a bully who physically went after him a store. He helped Roach in the case and Roach introduced him to many of the boxers he was dealing with including Manny Pacquiao. He ended up representing a number of different boxers. He learned that there is no "can't" after Manny signed with two different promoters - he learned rules and laws are two different things.
Khan said school is a rule based experience. The entire life you are taught you have to follow the rules to succeed, but in business, you learn there are no rules. It's about learning what your tolerance is.
More on Page 2!
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