Highlights
- AEW ratings and attendance are plummeting while WWE is thriving. CM Punk drama and poor storylines have contributed to the decline.
- Despite struggles, AEW has new stars like Swerve Strickland and Mercedes Mone that offer hope for the company's recovery.
- The next few weeks are crucial for AEW. They must capitalize on the momentum to regain lost fans and fix their current issues to survive.
When AEW was formed in 2019 by Tony Khan and The Elite, it was to create an alternative for pro wrestling fans who were sick of the disappointments of WWE. AEW thrived for its first few years, but it has struggled in recent times. A few top stars have left, creative storylines are lacking, and WWE rebounded under Triple H's vision, leading to decreased ratings and attendance for AEW. However, there is still hope. New stars like Swerve Strickland are taking off, and with an influx of free agents, led by Mercedes Mone, the company has a chance at a second life. They can't waste this one, because if AEW doesn't fix their problems now, they may never recover.
Noteworthy Moments During AEW's History |
AEW Dynamite premiered on October 2, 2019 |
Cody Rhodes returned to WWE in 2022 |
CM Punk's stay in AEW was filled with drama |
Mercedes Mone, Will Ospreay, and Kazuchika Okada signed with AEW |
Sting's retirement at AEW Revolution received mainstream attention |
AEW Attendance And Ratings Have Decreased Significantly
AEW Isn't The Cool Wrestling Alternative That It Used To Be
- AEW ratings and attendance have declined while WWE has gone up
- Tony Khan has went off on WWE too much on social media
- The CM Punk drama and firing did a lot of damage to AEW
When AEW began, they sold out nearly every show and often got ratings with over a million viewers. Though wrestling took a hit during the pandemic era, the moment in 2021 when fans were allowed back in arenas again, AEW picked up where they left off. On top of that, they now had the long returning CM Punk on their side. Slowly, however, that upward trend began to go in the opposite direction. Many issues caused AEW's current downward trajectory, from the CM Punk drama and firing, Tony Khan's tweet tirades, the loss of stars like Cody Rhodes, and underwhelming storylines. On top of that, WWE has taken off with Vince McMahon out and Triple H taking over.
Ratings and attendance for WWE are way up, but are way down for AEW. Viewership for Dynamite now hovers around 800,000, while Rampage and Collision struggle to draw in half of that. Attendance is abysmal, with stadiums that hold 15,000 often only drawing around 3,000, leading to a show that is dark and quiet. The honeymoon for AEW is long over, and although things look bad, the company now has a glimmer of hope that it needs to pounce on right now.
AEW Rampage Has No Reason To Exist
AEW Rampage was established as AEW's second show but was overtaken by Collision. Now, is there any reason for it to keep going?AEW Has A Chance To Recover And Regain Lost Fans
New Stars Like Swerve Strickland And Mercedes Mone Offer Hope To AEW
- Mercedes Mone can single-handedly save the women's division
- Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada are two of the greatest wrestlers ever
- Sting's retirement match had a lot of wrestling fans paying attention to AEW
The problems with AEW are still there. The women's division, as usual, is booked poorly, and the best storyline it had going, the friendship between MJF and Adam Cole, went nowhere after Cole's Devil reveal. Injuries to both men brought it to a sudden end and MJF, the face of AEW, hasn't been seen in the company since December. Meanwhile, Jade Cargill, Brian Pillman Jr., and Andrade El Idolo have all left AEW for WWE, and AEW's big WWE get, Adam Copeland, doesn't feel like a megastar anymore.
That's a lot of negativity, but AEW could be on the brink of a moment. Swerve Strickland has rapidly become the new favorite of AEW fans. Putting the AEW World Championship on him soon needs to happen, as he has the abilities and the charisma to build a company around. AEW has also signed some big name free agents who can change everything. Mercedes Mone is a massive get that can save the women's division, Will Ospreay is perhaps the best wrestler in the world, and if the rumors to AEW are true, Kazuchika Okada is one of the best of all-time. Then there's the Sting equation. His career is over now, he can't help in the future, but he can show the way. His last match was booked perfectly, drawing 16,000 wild fans and widespread media attention (even WWE mentioned it). That shows that wrestling fans will still pay attention to AEW if they feel there's a reason to. AEW must capitalize on that.
AEW Revolution 2024: Every Match Ranked From Worst To Best
Revolution 2024 was one of the better AEW pay-per-views in quite some time, filled with great matches and memorable moments.Is It Too Late For AEW To Be As Big As They Once Were?
WWE Is Doing Huge Business That Isn't Going Away
You can argue that it's too late for AEW, especially with WWE doing its best business ever. AEW was created to be an alternative, one that's no longer needed by as many fans who have returned to WWE. If catching WWE is the goal, then no, AEW has no chance. Hopefully, Tony Khan learns to stop mentioning them in his tweets and in storylines. Focusing on his own company is imperative. There are signs that he sees that. Storylines, while not all successful, have been better, along with giving casual viewers background information into international wrestlers they're not familiar with. The wrestling matches themselves remain the best in the world, something that WWE hasn't taken away from them.
The next few weeks are everything for AEW. Thanks to Sting's retirement, more eyes are on them. More fans will be paying attention again when Mercedes Mone debuts in Boston. If Tony Khan can stay focused, pushing Swerve Strickland to the moon and building better stories, AEW can recover. If they don't take advantage of the moment, the decline will only get worse, to a place there is no coming back from.
