Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2022 14:05:16 GMT -5
Seeing the official "Buddy Matthews is All Elite" announcement, coupled with the confirmation that Cesaro/Claudio is officially a free agent really has me thinking about this issue. Right now, AEW has a total of three hours of television per week and a roster that is getting larger and larger. In my opinion, AEW does most things right, but a common criticism the company draws is that new signings appear for only a week or two before being relegated to the relative obscurity of the YouTube shows, or that major new signings take all of the time away from the younger or less established guys who have been in AEW the entire time.
I think these are valid criticisms. Just as two examples, Tony Nese and Jay Lethal both debuted to a relatively good deal of fanfare, had a TNT Title match, and have scarcely been seen on TV since. In the latter category, Sonny Kiss is someone that I think most everyone sees a great deal of potential in, but he hasn't been on television in a year.
So, I think now is a good time to more formally have this conversation. AEW is in a great place, drawing excellent TV ratings for such a young company, putting on critically acclaimed events, and, if recent reports are to be believed, turning a profit. So how does AEW address its roster bloat? An extra hour of Rampage? A third television show (maybe in the 6:05 Saturday spot on TBS?) A "brand split"? AEW definitely doesn't seem to be going to route of allowing lesser utilized talents' contracts expire, as guys like Kazarian and Brian Cage have re-signed. But, that's an option too.
Just curious to hear peoples' thoughts. To me, the brand split is not the answer, but more television may not be either, because I think part of the appeal of AEW is that it's not quite as saturated and watered down as modern WWE is.
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Mecca
Wade Wilson
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Post by Mecca on Feb 25, 2022 14:08:34 GMT -5
Do some rolling schedules to give people days/months off here and there to try to keep people more fresh. Have shows like Dark have more meaning to them.
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Chiral
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Post by Chiral on Feb 25, 2022 14:14:07 GMT -5
I feel like maybe having more of the cycling of talent, giving groups an "off season" so to speak so there's always talent and big names on, but then when people are beat up or injured they can have all the time to recover they need could help with the ginormous roster. Maybe not making that more obvious and noticeable per se, but like how you see guys like Miro, Omega, even Christian who's managing right now, etc. getting time off in ring when they were big in ring fixtures in the year prior. Like give a quarter or third of a year to a certain set of characters, then see who's physically/mentally/story ready for the next set, who can carry over and what fresh faces can mix things up.
I personally would also like to see Dark just get like a men's title and a women's title, I think it'd be fun to give people there something to fight around there instead of the general focus on stat padding.
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Post by "Sweet & Sour" ImSoFudginGreat on Feb 25, 2022 14:17:09 GMT -5
I’d treat in between PPV’s as seasons. For example, at the moment, apart from the champions, you have The Elite, ReDRagon, Inner Circle, House of Black, Death Triangle, Thunder Rosa and others I’m forgetting as the main characters. Once Revolution is done, all of those should pretty much disappear from TV and wrestle on Dark and Elevation.
The Dynamite after the PPV should be all new people challenging the champions and having new feuds starting all over the card. That way, people won’t get stale, new people will have chances to shine, and new potential stars can be made.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2022 14:33:18 GMT -5
I really like these ideas. AEW draws its inspiration pretty strongly from New Japan as it is. That would create almost a de facto tour system. I just wonder if it would cause discontent with the fans to not have the guys like Danielson, Punk, Hangman, Moxley, etc... around for extended periods of time.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2022 14:38:07 GMT -5
Make Dark matter more. Have actual storylines that matter on it. Elevation can be the jobber show, you don't need two.
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Post by eJm on Feb 25, 2022 14:41:51 GMT -5
Make Dark matter more. Have actual storylines that matter on it. Elevation can be the jobber show, you don't need two. I mean, the issue isn’t that Dark hasn’t had storylines, it’s that they never promote that Dark has storylines. Especially when it’s used to promote future matches.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2022 14:45:40 GMT -5
Make Dark matter more. Have actual storylines that matter on it. Elevation can be the jobber show, you don't need two. I mean, the issue isn’t that Dark hasn’t had storylines, it’s that they never promote that Dark has storylines. Especially when it’s used to promote future matches. Yeah, I also think that begs the question of if Dark (or something in that vain) should become the fourth or fifth hour of television instead of remaining on YouTube if it's going to become more consequential.
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Post by Cyno on Feb 25, 2022 14:56:50 GMT -5
I like the idea of a rotating offseason to keep wrestlers fresh and rested up. I think the only thing about it is that you have to make sure it doesn't make championship changes too predictable about when they end, which is already an issue in the company.
I also like the idea of making Dark and Elevation more consequential and AEW could stand to promote the shows a bit better on their own TV. Having matches of consequence beyond the lower card on them could do a lot, too. Like, if Adam Cole or Jon Moxley work a match on either show, mix it up and have it be against someone besides Jobber McGee. Maybe even someone who could conceivably beat them.
I agree with everyone who thinks a hard brand split is a big mistake. Maybe a soft brand split where guys like Punk and Danielson are more likely to appear on Rampage than Dynamite or vice versa. But I really don't want to see Rampage and Dynamite World Championships or anything.
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Post by Georgina's Fancy Water on Feb 25, 2022 14:57:21 GMT -5
Squid Game
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Mecca
Wade Wilson
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Post by Mecca on Feb 25, 2022 15:08:16 GMT -5
I like the idea of a rotating offseason to keep wrestlers fresh and rested up. I think the only thing about it is that you have to make sure it doesn't make championship changes too predictable about when they end, which is already an issue in the company. I also like the idea of making Dark and Elevation more consequential and AEW could stand to promote the shows a bit better on their own TV. Having matches of consequence beyond the lower card on them could do a lot, too. Like, if Adam Cole or Jon Moxley work a match on either show, mix it up and have it be against someone besides Jobber McGee. Maybe even someone who could conceivably beat them. I agree with everyone who thinks a hard brand split is a big mistake. Maybe a soft brand split where guys like Punk and Danielson are more likely to appear on Rampage than Dynamite or vice versa. But I really don't want to see Rampage and Dynamite World Championships or anything. You could obviously extend that stuff if someone is a champion, that's a different circumstance.
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chazraps
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Post by chazraps on Feb 25, 2022 15:10:28 GMT -5
AEW's roster is a good size. You don't get sick of anybody on the television shows, rematches are rare and nothing feels stagnant.
I really don't think roster bloat is an issue. I think we're all just so conditioned to WWE's roster presentation on TV over the last two decades that we subconsciously believe their approach is the only possible way.
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Mecca
Wade Wilson
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Post by Mecca on Feb 25, 2022 15:14:11 GMT -5
AEW's roster is a good size. You don't get sick of anybody on the television shows, rematches are rare and nothing feels stagnant. I really don't think roster bloat is an issue. I think we're all just so conditioned to WWE's roster presentation on TV over the last two decades that we subconsciously believe their approach is the only possible way. That's part of it too, the hey we didn't see so and so for a few weeks or hey Miro has been gone for awhile, its nice when dudes are hurt they don't have to work.
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Post by Can you afford to pay me, Gah on Feb 25, 2022 15:26:12 GMT -5
AEW's roster is a good size. You don't get sick of anybody on the television shows, rematches are rare and nothing feels stagnant. I really don't think roster bloat is an issue. I think we're all just so conditioned to WWE's roster presentation on TV over the last two decades that we subconsciously believe their approach is the only possible way. That's part of it too, the hey we didn't see so and so for a few weeks or hey Miro has been gone for awhile, its nice when dudes are hurt they don't have to work. Its a double edge sword though. There are a lot of talent who don't get used like at all. Example Brian Cage. The thing is, when you want to build a star or debut someone new and have that debut mean something, you have to feature him or her in some way. The rotation is fine but they getting to the point they the forget talent and the whole hype is gone. Keith Lee amazing debut and all we gotten since was a short backstage segment with Starks. Thats not a very good way to capitialize his debut. Look at Jay White not even mentioned this week. Again mega star from Japan who just debuted. Jay Lethal I get had some issues with his passed but again. Barely seen on TV. Yes I agree with making Dark shows mean something. Than just talent collecting w's. They don't need the so called tryout matches anymore. They have enough talent. I get they can let some of the OB low guys go. Like marko Stunt, Joey Janela, and ext. They don't need them now. But they need to cut it at some point and focus more on how to build who we got and keep rating up without using a debut/big announcement or special to pop ratings. They should focus on maintaining that Million+ weekly. To do they you need you big stars on the show in some way.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2022 15:28:22 GMT -5
I think they do a solid enough job with the men. I can't think of any dudes that I think really need to be featured more.
The women's booking perpetually leaves much to be desired. On Dynamite, anyway.
Assuming there will be a decent amount of contracts left to expire in the next year or two/WWE won't *always* be cutting top shelf talent (or..?) as well.
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asuka007
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Post by asuka007 on Feb 25, 2022 15:40:24 GMT -5
The Women’s Booking needs work in general. I’m not sure that I want more big name women brought in until the booking improves.
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Post by Fade is a CodyCryBaby on Feb 25, 2022 15:41:38 GMT -5
Me just waiting for the serious brand split suggestions
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2022 15:53:28 GMT -5
AEW's roster is a good size. You don't get sick of anybody on the television shows, rematches are rare and nothing feels stagnant. I really don't think roster bloat is an issue. I think we're all just so conditioned to WWE's roster presentation on TV over the last two decades that we subconsciously believe their approach is the only possible way. That's part of it too, the hey we didn't see so and so for a few weeks or hey Miro has been gone for awhile, its nice when dudes are hurt they don't have to work. Miro is a good example of why I think there is a bit of bloat. He is unquestionably a "top star" of the company and he hasn't been seen in months. Now, it's awesome that he was able to take the time that he needed to heal nagging injuries, but the reports that are coming out now are that he's "waiting on creative." I do think that's a bit of an issue. His old buddy Kip Sabian seems to be in a similar boat right now. So does Darius Martin (which is unfortunate because I think his brother may be the best-pushed young wrestler other than MJF in all of AEW).
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clifford
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Post by clifford on Feb 25, 2022 15:56:15 GMT -5
Cut down on the enhancement talent for Dark/Elevation.
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The Ichi
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Post by The Ichi on Feb 25, 2022 16:11:25 GMT -5
I dunno, I've never felt like someone's been forgotten about, and when I think "where's x?" they tend to show up the following week.
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