would it be a stretch to say despite AEW’s “huge” acquisitions, their momentum is waning??

[Larry]

Or was my expectations too high?


It genuinely seems they hit peak interest directly after Punks debut and people only stuck around briefly.

it went from “next week is gonna be a blood bath” predictions to… crickets


It’s starting to become pretty evident that pro wrestling no longer has singular “draws” and people watch based on brand alone. The days a guy shows up and bumps a rating more than a couple thousand is over.

 

[NoMorePie]

I keep saying that wrestling ain't cool anymore but I'm always considered a shill when I say it because some of yall think I'm defending wwe

 

[Reality Check]

Think it's a stretch to say that right now. They're at capacity for shows they're currently running and even outdrawing Monday Night Raw in the same arena.

 

[TOAD99]

Nah, most people figured ratings would peak and then settle around their norm

as long as I’m enjoying what’s on tv, I don’t really care about ratings

crowds are hot, good matches, solid storylines

I will say punk has been underwhelming so far

 

[Larry]

Think it's a stretch to say that right now. They're at capacity for shows they're currently running and even outdrawing Monday Night Raw in the same arena.

Don’t get me wrong, AEW is still doing just fine. They are in no way struggling. They’re up from last year, and they’ve already beat expectations from year one to now…


But I feel momentum has definitely stalled from the big CM Punk debut. Anyone who says otherwise is lying to themselves. That game changing talk is pretty much dead. Game still the same

 

[Dog Based Gremlin]

I really think this Punk weekly promo shyt is getting redundant

We needed Dan Lambert insulting Punk and Daniel Bryan calling them frauds and fake MMA wannabees with their kickpads and leg kicks over the years. Lambert says his boys will enter his world and dominate.

All the back and forth should've built up to well hyped up tag match with...

CM Punk/Bryan Danielson vs Ethan Page/Scorpio Sky

at the next ppv

It should feel like this if done right...

 

[Hey_zeus]

Indy booking will do that. These shows are booked like one offs. The only story they got that matters is Hangmayne and that isn't even that good. It's just the obviously right thing to do. Evey week the show feels like a indy flyer with a match list. No consequences or progression in much that happens. Why should people come back next week? To hear Punk talk about nothing and a greatmatch? Not the casuals.

 

[Beautiful Bobby Eatin]

I was at the Arthur Ashe show. Aint shyt waning.

 

[MenacingMonk]

I'm more invested in AEW than I have been over the last 2 years. It's the only big fed I check for weekly.

I don't understand some of these fans nowadays. What do you want? Omega/DB feud is still going. Punk's giving rub to fresh talent. There's interesting things going on in the midcard scene. There's enough to keep fans engaged.

They're putting asses in seats, selling merch, and have a consistently solid product. I would think all the YEARS of a stagnant E would finally take its course and keep your expectations low. Some of y'all just want more and more and for it to happen immediately.

 

[StatUS]

The only way you can tell if AEW is making gains is if the competition has changed what they were doing. I would say WWE is a little more focused since AEW ramped up a bit.

I don’t know what TSC expectations are but competition is all that matters. You all are too focused on ratings and not on AEWs ability to draw arenas at the same level as WWE right now. If that sustains we’re looking at a good future for the business in general.

I was at Arthur Ashe and the Smackdown show in Bmore. shyts hitting different in AEW as far as support. Yall need to get out to these shows and see it at the ground level.

 

[SpacelySprockets]

I dont think that theyre going downwards but I dont see them getting much bigger than they already are. They not going to be getting 1.3's every week and will average at 1.1 unless they ended up getting Roman/Brock/Sasha/Becky... and there's nothing wrong with that.

The problem is people have to set realistic expectations and not act like they’re on the brink of taking the top spot in popularity from WWE. They’re in a great position regardless as a true alternative for fans and wrestlers alike, I consider them a major league, there hasn't been a non-WWE company this big since WCW, but wrestling as a whole is not popular enough for them to spearhead some momentum shift of millions of fans migrating from one company for another.

 

[Brad Piff]

I’ma keep it real.. interest in AEW is at an all time high.. FROM THE MARKS!

Any interest from potential new viewers that they gained from the DB & Punk debuts is long gone and that’s just facts.

And if we keeping it a buck, the finger can be directly pointed at Punk.

 

[TheGreatShowtime]

I don't give a shyt about TV ratings. AEW is putting together great matches with a quality product right now, and I'm thoroughly entertained by it.

 

[MenacingMonk]

They’ve literally gained 400-500k new viewers over the span of a year, and they reached over a mil in viewership BEFORE the big acquisitions, yet momentum is going down.

This is something the rating retards fail to acknowledge.

 

[Larry]

Any interest from potential new viewers that they gained from the DB & Punk debuts is long gone and that’s just facts.

Yeah, this is how I feel. I don’t know how anyone can deny it at this point…


You guys can say “what do you expect” with these Rome wasn’t built in a day type analogies, but the narrative was that these acquisitions were GAME CHANGING. Every wrestling outline pushed that line of thought..


But what game changed? If the lakers make a “game changing” acquisition, the expectation is a championship, not a tiny leap in competitiveness and some jersey sells.


At some point ya’ll gonna have to call it what it is.