In a recent episode of his podcast “Hall of Fame”, wrestling icon and WWE Hall of Famer, Booker T, had an array of interesting observations to share about the current scenario of AEW, from the stagnation of its progression, inadequacies in creative structure, and more.
Here are some key excerpts from his podcast:
Booker T offered his perspective on AEW’s apparent stagnation: “What do you think is going on with AEW? It seems like they have hit a plateau. It appears to me that their current numbers are unlikely to increase and are more likely to decrease. I’m unsure about AEW’s stance on their audience size. I’m trying to understand the ultimate intentions of this company.”
He alluded to AEW having reached its pinnacle in terms of ratings: “It has been five years. You would think a company would be heavily focused on their numbers – like their merchandise sales, television contracts, etc. But with a consistent viewership of around 700 thousand for Dynamite, sometimes slightly above 700K, hitting 800K seems to be a rare occurrence now. Though they are doing significant things, it feels like they are throwing everything against the wall.”
His viewpoints about the lack of creative structure within AEW were also revealed: “When you lack a writing team and have to come up with all the ideas, things can be challenging. Despite having the financial backing of Tony Khan, I am not sure if AEW’s approach of changing the perception of wrestling is working. Even with star prospects like Takeshita, and Will Ospreay, instead of building them up with a hype, they seem to be thrown directly in the ring. It feels, to me, counterproductive in terms of planning the show. It appears like AEW is prioritizing wrestling over its presentation. Although it’s a wrestling company, I believe the audience is attracted to the entire spectacle, not just the wrestling.”
Also included in the podcast was a preview of an upcoming major WWE event, announcements about big returns, and discussions about prospective new talent. [embedded content]