{"id":125332,"date":"2024-07-02T09:00:24","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T13:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=125332"},"modified":"2024-07-01T02:45:06","modified_gmt":"2024-07-01T06:45:06","slug":"aews-future-who-aew-needs-to-compete-with-wwe-on-all-levels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/07\/02\/aews-future-who-aew-needs-to-compete-with-wwe-on-all-levels\/","title":{"rendered":"AEW\u2019s Future: Who AEW Needs to Compete with WWE on All Levels"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this series, James Staynings takes a deep dive into\u00a0<\/span><\/em>AEW<\/span><\/strong>\u2019s\u00a0short but impactful history, <\/span>its present, and its<\/span> future. In part 1, James discussed how AEW changed the wrestling industry (<\/span>here<\/span><\/a>).\u00a0In Part 2, James discussed how\u00a0AEW\u2019s\u00a0continued existence benefits wrestlers and fans <\/span>alike<\/span> (<\/span><\/em>here<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Part 3 has\u00a0<\/span>been divided<\/span>\u00a0into two articles. One discusses the differences between in-ring action and storytelling (<\/span><\/em>here<\/span><\/a>). The other excellent in-ring action <\/span>is compensating<\/span> for\u00a0<\/span>wider<\/span>\u00a0issues in AEW creative (<\/span><\/em>here<\/span><\/a>). In a bonus article, James dissected the negative PR AEW receives from critics and the\u00a0company\u2019s\u00a0response (<\/span><\/em>here<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

In this final part, James discusses AEW\u2019s\u00a0future.\u00a0<\/span>Including discussing\u00a0<\/span>the problems that AEW faces<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>questions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em>Tony Khan<\/span><\/strong> will have to address.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

More Than a Feeling<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

This year, AEW has outright told fans they are chasing \u201cThe Feeling\u201d. Khan wants to restore the emotional investment that many AEW fans, including lapsed fans, associate with the promotion\u2019s best work. \u201cThe Feeling\u201d goes beyond great wrestling.<\/span><\/p>\n

For me,<\/span> that feeling isn\u2019t just a sensation of spiritual nirvana that I described in <\/span>Part 3<\/span><\/a> of this series.<\/span> It\u2019s a buzz that generates mental stimulation during the space between AEW shows. The gears in your head turn <\/span>thinking<\/span> about what is next. It\u2019s about predicting, fantasy booking where the storyline goes next. Only to then tune in and experience joy because you got it right. Or surprise because they went in a direction you could not foresee. Then the process repeats itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was never Utopian. AEW has always made mistakes or missteps. Whether it was <\/span>The Pinnacle<\/span><\/strong> being the forerunner for <\/span>The Undisputed Kingdom<\/span><\/strong> or The <\/span>Cody-verse<\/span><\/strong>, there have been issues<\/span>. However<\/span>, the consistency of the rest made up for the flaws.<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout this year, it\u2019s felt like \u201cThe Feeling\u201d has been drip-fed back into the psyches of AEW fans again. However, not regularly enough. Not enough to dull the wider creative pains. It <\/span>came back<\/span> for a brief run under <\/span>Samoa Joe<\/span><\/strong> as AEW World Champion before it sustained an injury.<\/span><\/p>\n

After <\/span>Double or Nothing<\/span><\/em>, there has been some unpredictability about the company\u2019s direction. <\/span>It\u2019s not restored<\/span> yet. That will take months of consistency. <\/span>Short-term<\/span>, a restoration could impact fans, general perceptions and the drawing power of AEW. <\/span>Long-term,<\/span> if this is the only <\/span>plan<\/span> then<\/span> it neglects the company\u2019s other growing pains<\/span>.<\/span> Things<\/span> AEW must address if they seriously<\/span> want to compete with <\/span>WWE<\/span><\/strong> on their level.<\/span><\/p>\n

Side-Note- AEW\u2019s Death<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

After this series, I\u2019m going to (<\/span>Terry Funk<\/span><\/strong>) retire <\/span>discussion<\/span> of AEW\u2019s demise. Doomsday prophets, such as <\/span>Jim Cornette<\/span><\/strong>, who from day one preached AEW would fail, will only stop when time proves them wrong. For now, they will <\/span>just<\/span> move the end <\/span>day<\/span> to another convenient point in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n

The reality is <\/span>this year<\/span> they<\/span> will get their big TV deal either with <\/span>Time Warner Discovery<\/span><\/strong> or elsewhere.<\/span> Folks who believe the company wants AEW gone selectively miss how many overruns <\/span>Dynamite<\/span><\/em> has had in recent months. TV ratings are another complex discussion that skews the reality of AEW\u2019s success\/failure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond the domestic, AEW will likely expand its international TV rights also. WWE\u2019s move to <\/span>Netflix <\/span><\/strong>benefits rather than hinders AEW. For example, there was chatter about WWE leaving <\/span>The Score<\/span><\/strong> in Canada. <\/span>This<\/span> could open new possibilities for AEW in <\/span>Canada<\/span> where <\/span>Rampage<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>Collision<\/span><\/em> are only currently via streaming.<\/span><\/p>\n

The final nail in AEW is the “like <\/span>WCW”<\/span><\/strong> narrative (which I\u2019ve discussed the financial aspects <\/span>of elsewhere<\/span><\/a>), this idea by the end of year five AEW should be profitable or it should go bust ignores not just wrestling history. WCW took six years to break even. It also ignores <\/span>real<\/span> shoot business reality.<\/span><\/p>\n

WWE\u2019s new home took six years to become profitable. <\/span>Amazon<\/span><\/strong> took nine years. <\/span>Uber, AirBnB<\/span><\/strong> or<\/span> social media companies <\/span>Reddit <\/span><\/strong>or <\/span>Pinterest <\/span><\/strong>still exist and are running at a loss. Inevitably, presenting such evidence will mean the goalposts again get moved. Prophets don\u2019t like being wrong and can never be wrong despite evidence to the contrary.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, if <\/span>like<\/span> WWE or even TNA Wrestling, AEW weathers these storms, that conversation will (ironically) die.<\/span><\/p>\n

Build The Backstage Team<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

AEW cannot grow just focused on providing the best wrestling. It\u2019s their USP, but <\/span>a USP must be sold<\/span> to the public. Given the amount of misinformation related to AEW, the company needs to invest in other departments beyond the creative and in-ring aspects where it is <\/span>strongest<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

AEW needs to build its <\/span>wider<\/span> company infrastructure.<\/span><\/p>\n

It cannot be understated that WWE\u2019s recent success is not just down to <\/span>creative<\/span>. It\u2019s because the right people are in the <\/span>right<\/span> positions behind the scenes. \u201c<\/span>The Paul Levesque Era<\/span><\/a>\u201d<\/span><\/strong> is built on the shoulders of media-orientated <\/span>giants,<\/span> Nick Khan<\/span><\/strong> and <\/span>Chris Legentil. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

L<\/span><\/strong>ike WWE, Tony Khan\u2019s company is not and cannot remain either a passion project or a mom-and-pop shop. Not if AEW wants to truly rival WWE and further its success. Khan has in the past and still currently receives criticism comparing him to<\/span> Vince McMahon. <\/span><\/strong>Primarily because <\/span>like<\/span> Vince, Khan takes overarching responsibilities for creative and management backstage. Unlike Vince, Khan has roles beyond AEW and <\/span>ROH <\/span><\/strong>with<\/span> The Jacksonville Jaguars<\/span><\/strong> and<\/span> Fulham FC. <\/span><\/strong>It\u2019s too many fur hats to wear for one man at a time.<\/span><\/p>\n

For AEW to take itself to the next level, the company doesn\u2019t need a new top wrestling headliner who can elevate the promotion. Many fans and pundits would argue those potential stars are already there.<\/span> MJF <\/span><\/strong>or <\/span>Will Ospreay <\/span><\/strong>are two such potential headliners. <\/span>What AEW needs is<\/span> to build the machinery to package and present their wrestlers and the company <\/span>itself<\/span> as stars.<\/span><\/p>\n

To compete with WWE, AEW needs a backstage <\/span>organisation<\/span> whose power, efficiency and connections can match WWE\u2019s. To grow, Tony Khan <\/span>needs to<\/span> recruit, hire and build a team to do what one man alone cannot.<\/span><\/p>\n

PR General- Marketing War <\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

The evidence that AEW is \u201cunder attack\u201d is obvious. Ignoring it might be the best short-term option. Acknowledging it, as I discussed in <\/span>my article <\/span>on the topic<\/span><\/a>, has only <\/span>legitimized<\/span> some claims and given others the impression they\u2019ve drawn blood. That\u2019s only going to attract more sharks.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, like in Western politics, ignoring it isn\u2019t <\/span>going to change the tactics <\/span>being used<\/span> by the opposition<\/span>.<\/span> The anti-AEW cottage industry or WWE\u2019s PR department purposefully will act to keep their competition clipped. Multiple reports of how WWE has paid for fast ratings to leak to the press to imply AEW is performing worse than it is just one tactic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Being constantly under fire and discredited by segments of the media and by the savvy tactics of your competitor, mud can and is still sticking because of repetition and persistence. It doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s true or a lie. If it\u2019s said enough, it becomes fact.<\/span><\/p>\n

AEW cannot just rely on a feeling. <\/span>It\u2019s got<\/span> to go to war using different tactics and without Tony Khan leading the attack. Bluntly, Khan has become a divisive figure. <\/span>Confirmation bias, <\/span>the same as<\/span> with <\/span><\/a>The Young Bucks<\/span><\/a><\/strong> and the release of the <\/span>All In<\/span> <\/em>footage, will <\/span>just<\/span> entrench wrestling fans deeper into their preconceived beliefs. AEW needs a PR and marketing general to lead this war.<\/span><\/p>\n

They need an expert who can take over Khan\u2019s challenger brand playbook. Add their plays and ideas to proceedings. Fight back with dirty tactics. While it\u2019s important that AEW as a product remains and is an alternative to WWE, the reality is if in PR AEW plays by the rules it’s to their detriment. In business, being nice won\u2019t stop your competition (as they are) from<\/span> trying to hamstring you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Merchandising Overhaul<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

To penetrate the zeitgeist in the way WWE has, AEW needs to up its merchandise game. <\/span>This<\/span> starts with t-shirts and other wrestling merchandise but needs <\/span>to <\/span>quickly<\/span> escalate further to further crossover branding opportunities<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

At present, AEW rightly gets criticism for its merchandise. Compare the design of <\/span>Jacob Fatu\u2019s<\/span><\/strong> wolf shirt to <\/span>MJF\u2019s <\/span><\/strong>first Wolf of Wrestling t-shirt. One looks rushed to the print shop, more bare bones and wrestling-orientated. <\/span>The other <\/span>one<\/span> has <\/span>a cool<\/span> artistic design that I would wear <\/span>on<\/span> any day of the week.<\/span> It also shows rather than tells non-WWE fans <\/span>a lot<\/span> about Fatu\u2019s character.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond <\/span>The Acclaimed\u2019s<\/span><\/strong> \u201cScissor Me Daddy\u201d merchandise, a<\/span> few examples of AEW merch have seized <\/span>popular<\/span> attention. Few seem destined to be iconic. Part of the issue is design. The other part, is<\/span> promotion, marketing and improving sales efficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n

An issue discussed online by some attendees of AEW shows is the limitations and inefficiency of AEW merchandise stands. <\/span>Long lines and limited choices.<\/span> Compared to WWE merchandise stands that are numerous, efficient and have range, it\u2019s a <\/span>wide<\/span> chasm. It\u2019s likely costing AEW money from directing selling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cutting AEW slack, the company is only five and built on <\/span>The Elite\u2019s<\/span><\/strong> DIY mentality. Also, WWE\u2019s cultural legacy, its current hotness, and more importantly its executive\u2019s connections to other industries are leading to a lot of cross-promotional merchandising.<\/span><\/p>\n

NFL-themed<\/span><\/strong> championships and now they are working with <\/span>Premier League Football<\/span><\/strong> side <\/span>Manchester City<\/span><\/strong> on exclusive merchandise. It generates more money and brand recognition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now,<\/span> AEW has begun this <\/span>themselves<\/span> with <\/span>Reebok <\/span><\/strong>and their<\/span> Young Buck <\/span><\/strong>and<\/span> Brodie Lee-inspired<\/span><\/strong> sneakers.<\/span> Over time, AEW should look to do more of this because there is the potential that WWE <\/span>monopolises<\/span> these avenues.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recruit Beyond Wrestling<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Khan should look for other departments to hire beyond just the <\/span>small<\/span> circle of wrestling-orientated production and backstage staff<\/span>. Particularly<\/span> those who have worked for WWE in the past. <\/span>Fresh ideas and innovation can be found<\/span> elsewhere.<\/span><\/p>\n

The X Factor for AEW\u2019s business model would be to secure their version of Jolly St Nick Khan. It’s undeniable Khan has been a game-changer in terms of WWE\u2019s approach to business. <\/span>It did not happen overnight that <\/span>cities, both internationally and domestically,<\/span> decided that paying WWE to come to them would benefit their economies.<\/span> Someone had to have this idea, package it and sell it to them.<\/span><\/p>\n

AEW is not in a place where it can, like WWE, ask for money for towns to come to shows. <\/span>What they could use is<\/span> someone with innovative ideas on how to grow the business, <\/span>maximize<\/span> their value and sell this to gain <\/span>them<\/span> maximum profit.<\/span> Whether in rights fees, TV deals securing buildings or merchandising.<\/span><\/p>\n

With someone who has connections across media platforms, journalism, celebrity culture, sports and various other crossover areas, it could give AEW access and insight to opportunities that otherwise would be off-limits.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet why stop at one person? If AEW could recruit their team. Or find such folks in global locations? Build AEW\u2019s international reach. For example, the UK as a market is becoming <\/span>more and more<\/span> important<\/span> to both AEW and WWE. There is a <\/span>Battle for Britain<\/span><\/a> taking place. <\/span>Having an international expert may again help with international rights deals<\/span>, as well as taking<\/span> steps to tours of Europe and other continents.<\/span><\/p>\n

Conclusion: It\u2019s Never Been About One Man\/Star <\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

History and culture are obsessed with monomythical figures<\/span>. Singular<\/span> men and women who changed the world. Reality couldn\u2019t be further from this fiction. Behind great individuals are teams and support networks that bring them to prominence.<\/span><\/p>\n

WWE <\/span>was not built<\/span> by Vince McMahon alone. Many individuals, wrestlers, backstage personalities, financial backers, etc., brought change. <\/span>Wrestlemania <\/span><\/strong>in<\/span> concept<\/span> might have been Vince\u2019s, but its inspiration and even its name came from other sources. Its success was helped by MTV promotion and celebrity involvement, from <\/span>Mr T to Cyndi Lauper. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Even in the aftermath, Hulk Hogan\u2019s<\/span><\/strong> star power was not enough to keep Hulkamania running wild for so long. Besides a <\/span>cast of<\/span> credible supporting cast of villains and allies from <\/span>Roddy Piper<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>Paul Orndorff<\/span><\/strong> or <\/span>Randy Savage<\/span><\/strong>, backstage agents, marketing, and<\/span> publicity stoked the fire. It was more than the team of Hulk and Vince.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gilded ages, from the <\/span>Attitude Era<\/span><\/strong> or<\/span> the present <\/span>Paul Levesque Era<\/span><\/strong>, have never <\/span>been dependent<\/span> on just singular men.<\/span> Every star\/figurehead is standing on the shoulders of giants. Many of whom remain faceless backstage characters.<\/span><\/p>\n

As discussed, <\/span>analysing<\/span> the new era of WWE,<\/span><\/a> Triple H<\/span><\/strong> hasn\u2019t rebuilt the house of WWE, but instead, his success is built on Vince and the team Vince put into place. Tony <\/span>Khan<\/span> likewise<\/span> isn\u2019t a monolith. Khan cannot do everything himself. AEW is not a <\/span>one-man<\/span> operation. <\/span>The Elite<\/span><\/strong> as<\/span> EVPs<\/span> pioneered the independent mindset of DIY. AEW is five and is too big to continue with this mentality.<\/span><\/p>\n

To compete with WWE, AEW needs to go corporate. Not just in parody throughout storylines (as I discussed<\/span> here<\/span><\/a>). They need to <\/span>beyond<\/span> wrestling. Like WWE, they need the individuals and machinery to promote their myth. Then <\/span>turn<\/span> myth into more money as WWE has.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Header photo \u2013\u00a0AEW\u00a0\u2013 Stay tun<\/em>ed to the\u00a0Last 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.\u00a0 You can catch AEW Dynamite on Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS. AEW Rampage airs on TNT at 10 PM EST every Friday night. AEW Collision airs Saturday at 8pm Eastern on TNT. More AEW content available on their\u00a0YouTube<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this series, James Staynings takes a deep dive into\u00a0AEW\u2019s\u00a0short but impactful history, its present, and its future. In part 1, James discussed how AEW changed the wrestling industry (here).\u00a0In Part 2, James discussed how\u00a0AEW\u2019s\u00a0continued existence benefits wrestlers and fans alike (here). Part 3 has\u00a0been divided\u00a0into two articles. One discusses the differences between in-ring action […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4960,"featured_media":125375,"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":[4677,2192],"tags":[7845,4132,75],"class_list":["post-125332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aew","category-wrestling","tag-nick-khan","tag-tony-khan","tag-triple-h"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125332","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=125332"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125332\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}