On a recent edition of his “Hall of Fame” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T discussed Sting’s impact on AEW, his pairing with Darby Allin, and his retirement match at tonight’s AEW Revolution 2024 pay-per-view event.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On whether he’s surprised about Sting’s successful AEW run with Darby Allin: “Not at all. I mean, Steve’s humble dude, man. Sting’s a humble man. You’re not gonna find too many guys who have a lot of bad things to say about Sting. Humble as humble can be, and I’m sure he’s feeling a certain way about his last run, and to be honest I don’t think it could have been done without Darby. Darby, he literally was the guy that was going out there doing a lot of the work, but still represented Sting at the same time. Still putting Sting on a pedestal and looking at him like he’s the ultimate mentor. Like ‘Man, I couldn’t have found a better place to land in this business than to be Steve’s right hand man. I mean, come on. Can you imagine that as a young kid watching Sting do his thing. Next thing you know, you tag team with this guy… So I get that 100% Man. So big ups for Sting man, he’s getting ready to call it a day ride off into the sunset. And one thing about it, he did it his way. He did it on his own terms. He didn’t let anybody tell him he couldn’t do it, when so many people told him he couldn’t. So, big props. Just big props.”
On whether fans will play for AEW PPV events every other month at a $60 price point: “Man, it’s hard to say. Tt’s hard to say. The pack, and the blueprint and the package that WWE has, has proven to be very, very lucrative. It’s a success, going away from the PPVs and getting that $60 once a month or whatever, nine times a year. Even when WWE went to the Network and was charging what, $10 a month, which was a great deal. It still proves that this model now, as far as being under that Peacock brand and being able to sell it from that perspective, it’s a much more lucrative deal.
“But I do think for AEW, I think I think that’s the route they have to go right now. Because they don’t have the ability to be able to sell their product from that perspective. So they’re gonna have to do PPVs. And I think they can sell it.I don’t know what their buyrates have been, as far as you know, the PPV goes. But I would imagine, I could be wrong, but I would imagine that they haven’t been losing money on the pay-per-views.”
On whether AEW is profitable: “Zero profit. Just because it’s so many contracts, you know. Having to produce that show live. Man, that right there, that’s where a lot of the money goes out. The taped shows, you save so much more money on taping shows. But of course, they want to try to do it and they want to do it big. So they’re going this route. So, in the beginning, they are losing tons of money I would imagine. I’m not in there working with the books or anything like that, but I can imagine having a small company like Reality of Wrestling and how much money I lost over my first few years trying to start up a wrestling company. I lost — I spent millions, I really did. I spent millions and tried to create something.”
Sting’s Impact on AEW: A Successful Run with Darby Allin
In the world of professional wrestling, few names carry as much weight as Sting. With a career spanning several decades, Sting has become a legendary figure in the industry. After his time in WWE, many wondered what the future held for the iconic wrestler. That question was answered when Sting made his debut in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in 2020. Since then, he has made a significant impact on the promotion, particularly with his pairing with Darby Allin.
On a recent episode of his “Hall of Fame” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T discussed Sting’s successful run in AEW and his partnership with Darby Allin. Booker T expressed no surprise at Sting’s success, highlighting his humble nature and the respect he commands within the wrestling community. He also emphasized the importance of Darby Allin in Sting’s AEW journey, noting that Allin not only carried much of the in-ring workload but also portrayed Sting as the ultimate mentor.
For young wrestlers like Allin, teaming up with a legend like Sting is a dream come true. Booker T acknowledged this sentiment, stating that it must have been an incredible experience for Allin to work alongside someone he idolized as a child. The pairing of Sting and Allin has been a winning formula, with their contrasting styles and shared respect for each other creating compelling storylines and matches.
As Sting’s retirement match at AEW Revolution 2024 approaches, Booker T commended the wrestling icon for doing things his way. Despite facing skepticism from many who believed he couldn’t continue wrestling at a high level, Sting proved them wrong and remained true to himself. Booker T praised Sting’s ability to retire on his own terms and ride off into the sunset with his head held high.
The discussion then shifted to the business side of AEW and its pay-per-view (PPV) events. Booker T addressed the question of whether fans would be willing to pay $60 for AEW PPVs every other month. He compared AEW’s model to WWE’s, highlighting the success WWE has had with its network subscription service and the financial benefits it brings. However, Booker T acknowledged that AEW, as a smaller promotion, may not have the same ability to sell its product through a subscription service. Therefore, PPV events are currently the route AEW must take to generate revenue.
While Booker T admitted he didn’t have access to AEW’s financial records, he speculated that the promotion might not be profitable at this stage. He cited the high costs associated with producing live shows as a significant factor contributing to potential financial losses. However, he also drew from his own experience running a wrestling company, Reality of Wrestling, and acknowledged the challenges and expenses involved in starting and maintaining a small promotion.
In conclusion, Sting’s impact on AEW has been undeniable. His partnership with Darby Allin has brought excitement and credibility to the promotion. As Sting prepares for his retirement match at AEW Revolution 2024, fans can reflect on his successful run and appreciate his ability to defy expectations. While AEW may face financial challenges in its current model, the promotion continues to grow and establish itself as a viable alternative in the world of professional wrestling.