{"id":124316,"date":"2024-05-08T08:00:23","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T12:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=124316"},"modified":"2024-05-08T00:46:22","modified_gmt":"2024-05-08T04:46:22","slug":"aew-vince-mcmahon-and-giving-aew-fans-what-they-want","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/05\/08\/aew-vince-mcmahon-and-giving-aew-fans-what-they-want\/","title":{"rendered":"AEW, Vince McMahon and Giving AEW Fans What They Want"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this final of three articles, James unpacks how since\u00a0<\/span><\/em>Wrestlemania XL<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0changes in the relationship between\u00a0<\/span><\/em>WWE\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong>and its founder\u00a0<\/span><\/em>Vince McMahon<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0have impacted perceptions of the new era of wrestling. Since Vince put his remaining\u00a0<\/span><\/em>TKO Group Holdings<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0stocks up for sale, the company is almost disconnected professionally from the man who made WWE a global cultural brand. This has impacted\u00a0<\/span><\/em>AEW<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0and WWE both in terms of creative, business and its fanbases\u2019 perceptions.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

In the first article, James unpacked how\u00a0<\/span><\/em>The Paul Levesque Era\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong>tried to move on from McMahonism while retaining key elements of Vince\u2019s infrastructure (<\/span>here<\/span><\/a><\/em>). In\u00a0<\/span>the second, James discussed how WWE has fulfilled fans’ long-desired wishes<\/a>.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Who Misses Vince?\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

A meme with the sentiment that the folks who miss Vince most are AEW fans reveals a lot about the current wrestling culture war.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, the implied jealousy AEW fans must feel for WWE\u2019s business and creative success. Then there\u2019s the acknowledgement that most WWE fans now have moved on from Vince. Things are better. It was a lifetime ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

AEW was set up as an alternative. As a response to Vince McMahon\u2019s booking style, philosophy, and ethics. For some, by that logic, it might mean that the AEW is now surplus to requirements. <\/span><\/p>\n

The correlation between WWE\u2019s growth and AEW\u2019s drop in ratings, attendance and being \u201ccold\u201d and \u201cuncool\u201d (two things\u00a0<\/span>Dave Meltzer<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0recently stated) become proof of this narrative. Yet, it\u2019s oversimplifying a complex set of issues.<\/span><\/p>\n

This tribalistic mindset also highlights this idea\/fear that those other fans from the other company want our side to fail. Ironically is exactly what it seems some anti-AEW fans and pundits want to do: work the death of AEW into a shoot.<\/span><\/p>\n

These factors impact the way both fans and haters of AEW experience the current product. Some AEW fans feel they must defend the product to the hills. AEW is fine. It\u2019s not a meme reference. AEW\u2019s house is not on fire. However, parts are being renovated. With change comes issues for fan expectations and wish fulfilment.<\/span><\/p>\n

With Vince McMahon nearly gone from WWE and\u00a0<\/span>Triple H\u2019s<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0creative successes, the ability for\u00a0<\/span>Tony Khan<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0to use sports entertainment like Japanese promotions used Gaijin (foreign, American wrestlers) as a convenient heelish threat is diminished. Yet it\u2019s the re-opening of the\u00a0<\/span>CM Punk\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>wound, that depending on your perspective, could be a pivot to course correct or go over the edge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Response to Sports Entertainment\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

AEW has never pretended as a wrestling company to exist in its galaxy, or to hold the universe alone. AEW exists and acknowledges the entire wrestling ecosystem. Its promises, implicit and explicit, were to be different.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more than a decade, fans did not feel listened to. WWE seemed to be booked by and for an audience of one: Vince McMahon.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Vince McMahon reportedly once said on fan\u2019s displease: \u201cF*** them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The creative approach at times seemed designed to hurt those dedicated fans. This neglectful and at times outright antagonistic or spiteful approach led to some rebellion. \u201cOff-script\u201d chanting. Beachballs were thrown across the hard cam. Crowds were belittled by wrestlers and pundits online for trying to \u201cget themselves over\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

These voices disappeared before the ascension of Triple H. Some, like\u00a0<\/span>Whatculture\u2019s Michael Sidgwick<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0have argued that the reason these fans disappeared from WWE, before the resignation of Vince, may have been for one reason. They had somewhere else to go.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Listening Company\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Part of AEW\u2019s USP (unique selling point) was a product that differed from WWE in a sports-orientated presentation. The implication was also that fans would be listened to. Wish fulfilment would be taken on board. <\/span><\/p>\n

Wins and losses would matter. Long-term and consistent storytelling. The latter has become a part of Triple H\u2019s WWE booking. Yet whereas Triple H\u2019s booking has often been more simplistic, AEW\u2019s at times has been more complicated, mechanical, or too implicit.<\/span><\/p>\n

The narrative that AEW doesn\u2019t tell stories is as accurate as saying WWE doesn\u2019t do subtlety. It can, but at times other beats or elements either get missed or<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>overlooked or what could be said quietly is spoken loudly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dave Meltzer<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0is often wrongly characterised as being a wrestling \u201cgood taste\u201d gatekeeper. Also, a staunch AEW supporter. Perhaps the current discord linked to the five-star system implies\u00a0<\/span>favoritism<\/span>? Yet this view obscures Meltzer\u2019s open criticism of the \u201ccold\u201d AEW product.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you watch AEW, they do that much for almost every match and more for a ton. AEW does so many stories at once you can’t remember them which is the issue, not that they don’t do stories.\u201d\u00a0 Dave Meltzer,\u00a0<\/span>X<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

AEW has and will never be utopian for fans or wrestlers. It never was designed and will never suit every wrestling fan. And that\u2019s okay. Utopia itself means \u201cno place\u201d. It\u2019s an idealised place that only exists in the mind. Yet promises were made.<\/span><\/p>\n

Early in AEW\u2019s history, there were plenty of hiccups. Factions like\u00a0<\/span>The Nightmare Collective<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>The Dark Order<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0with their creepers were either disbanded or reinvented. Kinks were addressed.\u00a0<\/span>Tony Khan<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0seemed to listen to his audience. This helped build trust for fans who previously had been belittled as \u201cmarks\u201d for wanting more.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sports Entertainment Villains<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

AEW in its booking borrows from various traditions and styles. AEW is often compared (unfavourably) to\u00a0<\/span>WCW<\/span><\/strong>. Although Khan\u2019s booking is more parts\u00a0<\/span>ECW<\/span><\/strong>. It\u2019s eclectic. AEW is a buffet offering lots of everything. That has included \u201csports entertainment\u201d. Yet because of changes within WWE and the perimeters of AEW\u2019s promise and style of wrestling, its effectiveness has varied.<\/span><\/p>\n

AEW\u2019s first world champion,\u00a0<\/span>Chris Jericho<\/span><\/strong>, based the core aspect of Le Champion on his name value and star power gained in WWE. It made Jericho easier to hate, while also putting the most recognizable man as the face of the company. Narratively, it made\u00a0<\/span>Jon Moxley\u2019s<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>win more impactful as a representative of the alternative<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Repetition with\u00a0<\/span>The Jericho Appreciation Society\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>as a \u201csports entertainment\u201d parody quickly became dated when Vince left creative. Also, the group\u2019s feud with their antithesis faction,\u00a0<\/span>The Blackpool Combat Club<\/span><\/strong>, went long. A growing sense of disconnect becoming apparent. Particularly as the logic of the AEW storyteller the promotion promised faltered.<\/span><\/p>\n

The JAS constantly interfered in matches with the babyfaces at times not smart enough to counter this. Also, sports entertainers were involved in many violent matches, conflicting with their group\u2019s philosophical identity. Some, like\u00a0<\/span>Barbwire Everywhere<\/span><\/strong>, fell flat. The strongest long-term element involving\u00a0<\/span>Daniel Garcia\u2019s<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0dilemma of being a sports entertainer or pro wrestler had no satisfying payoff.<\/span><\/p>\n

As for\u00a0<\/span>MJF<\/span><\/strong>, circumstances changed his world championship run from \u201cReign of Terror\u201d to over-the-top babyface. In hindsight, Friedman\u00a0<\/span>deserves credit for having to do a 180-degree character turn<\/span><\/a>\u00a0so successfully. <\/span><\/p>\n

From the \u201cBidding War of 2024\u201d to company defender, the change was already taking place before Punk\u2019s exit. Then with Punk gone, the need for MJF to be the company face was a necessity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Creative Patterns\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

2023 was a turbulent year from a creative, ethical, and business standpoint. Fan\u2019s trust was tested in part due to how AEW neglected or moved away at times from its implicit and explicit promises.<\/span><\/p>\n

The rankings disappeared. Repetitive patterns of booking occurred. The return of\u00a0<\/span>The Elite<\/span><\/strong>, AEW\u2019s main characters, led to great matches, but lacklustre feuds with folks who weren\u2019t CM Punk. In discussing The Elite\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0\u201cputrid\u201d year<\/span><\/a>, I pointed out that the issue was a lack of character direction and storyline development, that has since been addressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not all of this can be attributed to the fallout with CM Punk. Some repetitive booking techniques, from<\/span>\u00a0tournaments<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to open challenges put more emphasis on the in-ring wrestling over storylines. This is an issue that some critics say persists into AEW now. <\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, this ignores the storylines and character development that drove the\u00a0<\/span>Continental Classic<\/span><\/strong>, The Elite,\u00a0<\/span>Sting\u2019s last match<\/span><\/a><\/strong>, changes in the women\u2019s division, the introduction of\u00a0<\/span>Will Ospreay<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Okada<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0as characters as well as excellent wrestlers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since then, AEW has addressed these issues. The rankings have returned and play more of a feature in storylines. Yet, some creative issues still cause frustration.\u00a0<\/span>Ring of Honour\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>championships are defended on AEW shows. <\/span><\/p>\n

Or ROH champions like\u00a0<\/span>Kyle Fletcher<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0take the loss to top AEW wrestlers. Some wrestlers, like\u00a0<\/span>Penta el Zero Meiro,<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0may go 9 months without a win on\u00a0<\/span>Dynamite<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0and still get title shots after a win or two on\u00a0<\/span>Rampage<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/span>Collision\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>to pad stats.<\/span><\/p>\n

Questions of Ethics<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Tony Khan had publicly promised to try and promote a healthier approach to wrestling. There have been many successes. Whether it\u2019s in the varied, modernised portrayal of\u00a0<\/span>masculinity<\/span><\/a>, the support of wrestlers\u2019 mental health and\u00a0<\/span>other opportunities and freedoms<\/span><\/a>\u00a0WWE would not give all its wrestling, AEW has done a lot to make the wrestling industry a more supportive environment.<\/span><\/p>\n

And yet, there have been points where some decisions have felt similar to those that might have been made by WWE and Vince.\u00a0<\/span>Chris Jericho<\/span><\/strong>\u2019s continual presence and persistence have felt Vince-like in the refusal to give the man of a thousand nicknames a rest. <\/span><\/p>\n

Although allegations against him were vague and never substantiated, the use of tactics to disguise negative fan reactions frustrated some. Yet, Jericho might be beginning to find a way to subvert expectations. Reinvent and\u00a0<\/span>re-GOAT himself<\/span><\/a>\u00a0again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last year, the hiring of\u00a0<\/span>Ric Flair<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0drew criticism. Although reports suggest the money from Flair\u2019s energy drinks company covered the costs of hiring him, the idea that business trumps the moral issue around accusations made against Flair on an episode of\u00a0<\/span>Dark Side of the Ring<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0again, felt like a WWE move.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recently, the mass release of talent, including an injured\u00a0<\/span>Anthony Henry<\/span><\/strong>, again invoked criticism and comparisons. This change of policy, from allowing contracts to expire, replicates a WWE practice AEW had avoided. Information about some of the releases has since become public. Khan has said Henry will have a job on his return from injury. However, this decision feels contradictory to AEW\u2019s original ethos.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fan Fulfilment Opposed to WWE<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

In breaking down WWE\u2019s fandom, I discussed how fans did not necessarily want much regarding change. With AEW, the stereotype online is that because of our focus on wrestling, makes us inherently snobbish, condescending, and ignorant of AEW\u2019s current position. No group of fans are homogeneous. To declare WWE fans are all the same would be considered ludicrous also.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet differently, AEW fans generally have a higher set of expectations of the product because we were told to have high expectations. Unlike WWE, AEW has the disadvantage not only of time but also in promising things WWE has not had to promise. <\/span><\/p>\n

Over time, things have changed, and trust has for some been dented or lost. Yet some AEW fans are fine and happy with the product. Some will argue it\u2019s the best it\u2019s been.<\/span><\/p>\n

Honestly, I think with time it could be. Creatively, things are stabilising and getting better. Yet, pointing out the flaws of something subjective with fair criticism, logic, and a desire to be constructive, rather than dismissive, should be encouraged. For all of wrestling.<\/span><\/p>\n

The nostalgia fans have for WWE and AEW is different. Nostalgia in many ways is helping WWE right now to be appealing again. It\u2019s an old sports car with a new lick of paint. <\/span><\/p>\n

Yet it\u2019s a classic car. AEW has some nostalgia. With some wanting the promotion to be like they were from 2019-2021. That\u2019s not going to happen because nostalgia, like utopia, is an idealised state of mind. But some elements are and may come back strong.<\/span><\/p>\n

Right now, some want AEW to focus on their own house. To do their own thing away from WWE. Move on from CM Punk like WWE has moved on from Vince. Move on from the WWE competition. And yet\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

The Elite\u2019s Corporate WWE Parody \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Elsewhere, I have analysed The Elite going corporate (<\/span>here<\/span><\/a>). The most significant points that bear repeating is that this parody of WWE\u2019s use of authority figures is designed to do two things.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, address criticism from Punk and others of not putting long-term storytelling and character work ahead of just good wrestling while holding up a middle finger at them. <\/span><\/p>\n

Second, to return to the past way of doing things. The Elite\u2019s style of layered storytelling that over the years showed the progression of\u00a0<\/span>Kenny Omega<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>The Young Buck\u2019s<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0to being world champions and\u00a0<\/span>\u201cHangman\u201d Pages<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0prove them wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n

From a business standpoint, I discussed in that analysis some of the positive shoots of growth from the manure heaved on the promotion for showing the\u00a0<\/span>All In<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0footage. Many AEW detractors are never going to change their minds. However, there is a risk this trying to elevate a WWE-centric concept will alienate some AEW fans.<\/span><\/p>\n

Authority figures and power struggles have created logical narrative gaps in WWE. WWE fans have been more forgiving of these lapses in detail. There are also issues of kayfabe not matching the reality of what we have fans know that will impact their ability to invest. <\/span><\/p>\n

With some fans\u2019 trust already dented, it will make it harder for them to engage with this storyline or attempt the head cannon or thought process to join the implied dots in Elite storytelling.<\/span><\/p>\n

In short, the fact that AEW is playing with such a WWE trope is a dangerous line. It\u2019s a tightrope The Elite have walked before while performing superkicks and selling the\u00a0<\/span>offense<\/span>\u00a0of children and blow-up dolls. It didn\u2019t stop them from making names for themselves. Or building AEW, despite the hellish heat all around them.<\/span><\/p>\n

More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/h3>\n

Header photo \u2013 AEW \u2013 Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/a>\u00a0for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this final of three articles, James unpacks how since\u00a0Wrestlemania XL\u00a0changes in the relationship between\u00a0WWE\u00a0and its founder\u00a0Vince McMahon\u00a0have impacted perceptions of the new era of wrestling. Since Vince put his remaining\u00a0TKO Group Holdings\u00a0stocks up for sale, the company is almost disconnected professionally from the man who made WWE a global cultural brand. This has impacted\u00a0AEW\u00a0and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4960,"featured_media":124342,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4677],"tags":[140,386,423,176,4132,75,241],"class_list":["post-124316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aew","tag-cm-punk","tag-kenny-omega","tag-the-elite","tag-the-young-bucks","tag-tony-khan","tag-triple-h","tag-vince-mcmahon"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4960"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124316"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124316\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/124342"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}