I just don’t see AEW paying these guys big money, but using them sparingly as while they are doing great, they aren’t swimming in money like the WWE (and that’s not a shot). I am pretty sure we will see most of them every week.
That’s a good point but with Florida’s restrictions I don’t think international travel is that big of a deal or a hindrance.
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I mean he doesn’t need to be exclusive he can do AEW, and AAA, and NJPW. Now with COVID the later 2 seem more like something in the future than going to AEW where he can stay local.
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I seem to remember that last AEW PPV doing great numbers… but, yeah, small fan base or something…
(Admittedly, that “explosion” at the end might have cost a few repeat viewers, but would it be that high of a number?)
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This isn’t about them doing bad, this is about them growing. AEW is doing amazing, especially considering they are a first year company. Their PPV numbers have been good for them, but If you want to go there we should aknowledge that the last PPV did over promise and under delivered.
Now, that is a part of growing pains, every promotion in the history of boxing/wrestling/MMA have done this before, hell WWE still does it at times, but at the same time it’s ok to look at how to get better and how to grow your audience. Talking about growth is not marginalizing accomplishment. Sometimes fans get to fixated on either ripping AEW (we all know who) or blindly praising it.
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Unlike Sting and Matt Hardy, Christian is a good signing in my opinion. I wouldn’t say they jumped the shark with him, I’d say they finally brought in a legend they can actually use and have good angles and matches with. Big Show is mainly just there to be there and won’t really factor into much in ring so I’m not even including him as a wrestler.
AEW’s issue with big signings is that they’ve never really used any of them that well. They never get called out for it but they’re terrible at capitalising on wrestlers that come in with a lot of buzz.
I would say they are hit an miss. Obviously early signings like Mox and Jericho they have done quite well with. Brody was middling but ok. Miro not good, Hardy is what he is at this point. Sting was good at first but he is on too much. I think they do really well with their manager legends.
I was referring to signings after they already started their weekly show so I wouldn’t count Jericho and Moxley. It’s like they don’t know how to bring someone else into the mix when everything else is already moving. Brian Cage is another one. Brought him in, had him lose his first big match and now he’s just another guy. Eddie Kingston for the most part has been good (although the selling for the explosion hurt him a lot in my opinion) but he didn’t really have a lot of hype coming in and he’s a good example of building someone up rather than an example of capitalising on hype.
I think it is really hard for a new promotion to capitalize on hype unless they sign very few big signings. Unless you are going to bring in those guys and have them fight no bodies for a long time. So guys can lose and get built back up. I did have an issue when it seemed like they kept bringing in guys and ah involved them get title shots and lose right away (Cage, Archer, Brody.). At the same time it allowed them to draw out some title reigns for their top guys and keep those performers apart for a while. I mean if you look at Moxley who was there for him after he won the title if not for those newer guys? Rematches with Jericho? MJF way to early, Kenny way to early? I would rather have those guys lose then come in and win right away.
@Breng77 pretty much mentioned every point I was going to hit on, so I’m just going to repeat what he said.
I will just add this, I can’t help but reiterate that I dont have an issue with Christian in a bubble, and your points about him are valid, I just wouldn’t add him to a roster that already has all the guys I mentioned above.
Get that man in the G1.
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