if the aew game turns out to be a no mercy clone I'll absolutely buy it. day one. full price. delixe edition. dont care.

Khan pleaded LMFAO what a great promoter :rofl:

Where is that quote from? Seems a little “editorial”.

While not confirmed by AEW, Jeff Hardy announced in an interview that he will be All Elite as soon as his 90 day is up. So I guess about 3 weeks or so then?

You, like, close your eyes and make an educated guess as to what’s best. LOL This is a solid business plan from an EVP :rofl:

Also, for you XL https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/20...stling-future/

Cannot bring myself to care about the hardys ever again, I don't think. I'm just tired of them. Been tired of them for years now.

Matt Hardy deserves some credit for reinventing himself a few times throughout the years, but he straight up just lacks the talent to maintain any interest even if he does manage to come up with something good.

But Jeff is in the same discussion as RVD and Christian. Good wrestler that never really attempted to reinvent his character or in ring style and thus has been coasting on the same tired act for decades.

I wouldn't mind a short lived Broken Universe reboot in AEW, but I agree with you, if there just going to be The Hardy Boys, they both should have just stayed in WWE. Big Money Matt is a stupid gimmick that is all over the place, and adding Jeff Hardy to that, as either an ally of foe would be just as boring as it is now.

Their value in AEW is as Hardy Boyz classic. Jeff has value as a single, but I think that best fits WWE. There’s something about him flying solo at the top. We’ve seen Jeff Hardy in TNA and it doesn’t really pop.

I’d actually be somewhat potentially interested in Matt & Jeff vs. FTR. Or them against Christian Cage and someone. Maybe slap Daniels & Kazarian back together. Them against Private Party, Butcher & Blade, Jack Evans & Angelico, etc. are squash matches.

Apparently AEW has picked up their year extension option on Brian Cage. For some reason.

Just thought about Christian and how he was so horrible they even wrote him being on his own into one of his WWE entrance themes.




Christian, the real blue meanie.

Cheers.

Speculation that it’s a streaming deal. That would be a big let down. Great news for the company/wrestlers though.

Tony Khan is an evil man for holding Brian Cage hostage in catering.

Naw, that is only bad when Vince does it.

I kind of wondered if the Hardys might somehow grab the last spot in the Revolution title three way tag but looks like the timelines don't work both for Matts AHFO storyline and Jeffs non compete.

Brian cage in the Face of revolution ladder match would be sick... big meaty dude who can do crazy shit.

Cesaro to AEW please...

I’m mildly stunned Cage is being kept. Great look, great finisher, potentially good worker uf he cut most of the lucha shit out of his move set, but had ZERO charisma as a promo. He was also way better as a silent heel Taz just sent to kill people with. And his face turn wasn’t well received at all. Hopefully he goes back to being heel and is used as a heavy for somebody.

Could see him with MJF when they pull the trigger on Wardlow.

Yeah that could work. He certainly has value. I don’t think being a babyface is doing him any good though.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So <a href="https://twitter.com/DaxFTR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DaxFTR</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/CashWheelerFTR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CashWheelerFTR</a> planted that fan. To jump Bret Hart at the Hall Of Fame so they can rescue Bret. Just to create another reason. To crap all over HBK. And Triple H. Yep. Got it. <a href="https://twitter.com/Fightful?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fightful</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/dunkindonuts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dunkindonuts</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JDfromNY206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDfromNY206</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/StevieB0i?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StevieB0i</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DBSmithjr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DBSmithjr</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ShawnMichaels?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShawnMichaels</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/cokestudio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cokestudio</a></p>&mdash; Johnny Tutton (@JohnnyTutton2) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnnyTutton2/status/1496619155319050243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I'm posing a question to the fans of AEW and the critics alike. Can AEW be a success if they stay at 1 million on average? Perhaps the true average is a little lower but, I'm talking in the 800k-1.4 range that they usually get.

Bischoff recently said this on his podcast . . .

But it made me think. What is this all about? Who cares if WWE has twice the audience of AEW? If you could earn half the TV rights money that WWE does by being half as popular, you'd still be making enough on the tv rights to be a highly profitable company.

AEW get's around 45 million annually for Dynamite and that could have increased for Rampage and Battle of the Belts. If Turner Networks were willing to pay the 45 million annual after AEW's first few months, what logic is it to assume that they won't pay a considerable increase to maintain and probably even increase programing?

Really depends on how Bischoff or anyone else want to define success and what metrics they put to assess that.

I suspect Bischoff means making them a global brand with borderline mainstream appeal, maybe not WWE level but a level where people hear AEW and know what it is. In that case, yes, it would take a lot more to get there. They have their core audience that seems mostly loyal but yes, short of having a megastar or two they're not really ever going to ascend to the level of the public eye.

To me, if the company is continuing to make money and Turner are happy to keep paying them for programming, then that feels to me like a success. And as a fan, it's all I really care about. If the company does well enough to stay on TV, I'm thrilled.

Nice arena.
https://www.bartonmalow.com/wp-conte...3-1248x704.jpg

The issue is that it comes down to what the networks ultimately want. Dave even alluded to it — WWE are going to be able to negotiate with WarnerMedia in the future. If TBS, TNT or HBO Max want wrestling programming, why not just go to the kings? Why settle for a product that is capped? Why even break open the bank to pay them more in a few years? You can see more advertising with The Big Bang Theory.

People make fun of NXT, but given it’s a PG show and doesn’t split the ad revenue with USA, it probably makes NBC Universal more money than AEW does WarnerMedia. The goal for these networks is to make money.

AEW does not have the leverage fans pretend it does. And there is no guarantee that an executive doesn’t have the idea to chance TBS’s imaging again in a couple of years and wants the show where a bunch of white 40 yr old men are saying “shit” over and over again off the network.

Does any of this matter to fans? I think the perception of a wrestling company affects how fans engage with it. Look at TNA over the years. It still stays in business. It’s still on TV. But the shenanigans and the knock-backs have definitely hurt it. AEW’s status as #2 becoming more and more trivial over the years is going to dampen excitement, slow ticket sales, affect who they can and cannot sign, and ultimately nullify the product.

And if you wanted AEW to make wrestling better? Unless you are a fan specifically of their antics, then you’re in tough fucking luck. They swung and they missed are no threat to WWE. So we’re not in a post-Vince world yet. AEW has made it possible for WWE to be even more like WWE, pay talent what they want, fire who they want, etc.

If WWE suddenly becomes good, because they feel the need to create stars, bring back Stone Cold Steve Austin, etc. — it’s because there are stadiums they need to fill and more TV/streaming deals for them to sign. Absolutely none of that pressure comes from AEW producing an obnoxious product that doesn’t even do the things it claims to do.

This paradigm sucks. It is a very dark timeline to be a wrestling fan. Specifically to what Bischoff has said: I see AEW fans brag about growth for the product and compare it to SmackDown. Their one metric for this is the YoY for their ratings. They are completely ignoring the fact that NXT used to be on the same night. The final week-to-week for Dynamite and NXT had 1.46 million people watching wrestling on Wednesday. Somehow I doubt AEW is doing that anytime soon.

So Bischoff is right. The people who say that this product is growing just because a large handicap has been taken off it are either ignorant or actively lying to you. Networks MIGHT decide they are happy with what wrestling is now, as far as cheap original programming for assholes goes. But it’s not invaluable nor is it catching fire. We’re getting colder every year.

AEW making it's West Coast debut


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">AEW's Dynamite show on 6/1 is officially from the <br>Forum in Inglewood,CA.</p>&mdash; Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) <a href="https://twitter.com/davemeltzerWON/status/1498375900399693826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Damn. I was just walking distance from The Forum. Would have definitely considered going.

Uh oh…Chavo’s gonna get it.

Rumored to be something w HBOMax

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tonight’s announcement will be delivered by Tony Khan himself and not the commentary team like they usually do.<br><br>-Tony Khan on Busted Open Radio <a href="https://t.co/BiPaQug9Fw">pic.twitter.com/BiPaQug9Fw</a></p>&mdash; ������������ (@WrestlingCovers) <a href="https://twitter.com/WrestlingCovers/status/1499065713625120770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Imagine if Vince came out on Raw to announce a new streaming deal for Raw replays when the Hulu deal ends. :lol:

We’ve been conditioned to expect these announcements to be big deal signings of talent. I can see the AEW faithful reacting to it but it’s not the kind of thing you announce on TV surely?

I'd bet an HBO Max deal includes indy and international promotions too, effectively turning it into a non-WWE version of wrestling Netflix.

Like maybe ROH's reboot show in April airs on it, etc

Speaking of HBO Max the government approved the Discovery/WarnerMedia merger. That is quite the collection of entities.


https://i.postimg.cc/Bbv2pHyr/Screen...1-09-34-PM.png

Haha, they don’t have someone better to announce whatever this let-down is than Tony Khan?

People seem to think it is HBO Max. Why couldn’t this just be a standard announcement. It’s good for AEW’s bottom-line, but it doesn’t mean shit beyond that.

It’s like Vince doing an on-air victory lap over the Saudi deal.

Truthfully, yes because AEW's metric for success is can they appear successful. As long as Shad keeps funding the costs, they can keep the appearance up that they are a major company. The actual books do not need to be in the black, they just have to keep up the perception that they are killing it.

What they shouldnt do is be so smug about everything, because they know they aren't actually making a boatload of money. That is exactly what Bischoff said, overhype, overpromise, underdeliver, it will bite them in the ass.

As for the mythical giant new TV deal, they are projecting that as a foregone conclusion based on their demos today. In 2 years time a portion of that demo will have aged out of that demo, so they may not be able to command the rights fees they are banking on.

It's good for the bottom line AND to pop a rating for this week. Why else would they wait to announce it on air. It has no purpose in terms of the actual wrestling show.

It is all about appearances and false metrics.

THIS IS GONNA CHANGE THE WRESTLING WORLD GUYS JUST WATCH!

Zack Synder's All Elite Wrestling coming soon to HBO Max!!

HBO/HBOMax have 47 million subscribers
Peacock has 16 million subscribers