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Is competition always a bad thing? Here are four ways that All Elite Wrestling's new deal with TNT network could hurt the WWE, and four ways it could help.
"I'll take that bet, Dave."
It all started with a tweet. Respected longtime wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer was asked by a fan on Twitter if he thought that Ring of Honor or another independent promotion would be able to sell out a ten thousand seat arena. Dave's response? "Not anytime soon."
But one man was paying close attention to the discussion, the son of the legendary American Dream himself, Cody Rhodes. His acceptance of the bet led to the creation of All In, the largest and most successful independent wrestling show of the modern era.
All In was such an unmitigated success, that the Elite grew bolder. Rumours began to circulate that Cody and the Young Bucks were in discussion with Tony Khan to create a brand new wrestling promotion.
But rumours are just that, and while fans were excited by the prospect, they were cautious in their optimism. Then, on a cold January morning, the Elite gathered in the dark, chilly air of Tokyo to announce that All Elite Wrestling was now going to happen.
AEW needed a television or distribution deal, however, or other wise as some fans pointed out they were just a t shirt company. But now AEW does have a deal, with WCW's old network home TNT, and the game, as they say, is now on.
But is AEW really going to hinder WWE's ability to profit...or will the two organizations actually help each other succeed? Here are four ways AEW's television deal could hurt the WWE, and four ways it might end up helping.
Could hurt the WWE #1: There hasn't been a major alternative to WWE in years.
For almost twenty years, WWE has enjoyed a virtual monopoly on the North American wrestling market.
That's because in 2001, WWE's biggest rival shuttered its doors for good. Vince McMahon purchased the WCW promotion, along with archives of footage from Jim Crockett Productions dating back to the 1970s. Not only had WWE eliminated their rival, they had also acquired nearly all of the rights to the NWA's glory days as well.
Since then, there haven't been any serious contenders to the WWE's throne. TNA/Impact is still struggling to 'break out' almost twenty years after its inception. Ring of Honor has tasted more success in recent years, but they cater to a niche market and have never intended to challenge WWE's supremacy.
Does WWE still know how to compete with a fierce rival? If they don't, the new AEW TNT deal could hurt them.
Could help the WWE #1: Competition drives businesses to be their best.
Simply put, the WWE have been the only major sports entertainment promotion for so many years that they may have grown complacent.
The WWE grew from a regional territory to a massive entertainment juggernaut which is viewed on every continent on Earth save Antarctica. Along the way, they have gotten really, really good at what they do. The promotional video packages highlighting wrestler feuds, for example, rival big budget Hollywood productions based on their slick presentation and great editing.
However, video packages don't make up a wrestling show, and the WWE has been relying on the same tried and true formula for decades. Pick a wrestler (John Cena or Roman Reigns for example) and push them through the roof, no matter what public reaction is to them.
But with competition, the WWE may have to experiment with new techniques to get the attention of wrestling fans. This will lead to WWE being a stronger promotion overall, which is the intended effect of competition in a capitalist system.
Could Hurt the WWE #2: Wrestling talent now has an alternative job space.
WWE has been able to gain the services of major league pro wrestling talent for almost two decades, by and large because they were the only real way a sports entertainment professional could make a decent living without farming themselves out to myriad independent organizations.
This is also why WWE has been able to retain so much talent over the years, as well. But with the All Elite Wrestling promotion flinging huge sums of money about to acquire big name talent, like Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, the WWE is in a tight spot.
Now they will have to work a little harder to acquire big name independent talent (like Matt Riddle and WALTER) and get them under a WWE contract.
Could Help the WWE #2: AEW is putting more positive attention on pro wrestling than there has been since the end of the Monday Night War.
Back during the Monday Night War, pro wrestling was finally breaking into the mainstream. Major and minor celebrities of the late 1990s all lined up to be a part of both the WWE and WCW's shows.
On WWE you had A list actors like Ben Stiller mixing it up with Jeff Jarrett, and Mike Tyson acting as special referee at Wrestlemania. Meanwhile, over on WCW, fans saw celebrities like Dennis Rodman, Jay Leno, and Karl Malone lace up a pair of boots and get in the ring and wrestle.
They could also, unfortunately, see David Arquette as world champion but the less said about that the better.
The point is, with so much attention on AEW and how WWE will respond to them, wrestling is back in the discussion of mainstream media. That hasn't happened except for negative reasons, such as wrestler deaths or crimes, since the Monday Night Wars, and it's good for the industry as a whole.
Could Hurt the WWE #3: There could be an exodus of talent.
Ever since the fall of WCW, the WWE has been able to retain a lot of talent just based on the fact that there were no other major promotions to sign with.
Yes, men like Kurt Angle and Christian made the jump to TNA/Impact, but their contracts were a fraction of what they had been paid in WWE. In order to make a decent living, and ply their trade on a massive stage with plenty of eyes on them, the WWE superstars had to remain with the company.
But now that AEW is providing an alternative, those same superstars might decide to jump ship. Already, Sasha Banks, Luke Harper, and the Revival have asked for their release from the company. WWE could lose valuable talent due to the AEW TV deal.
Could Help the WWE #3: They can do some 'spring cleaning' on their roster and not worry about condemning their talent to unemployment.
Many fans have noted that the WWE tends to keep wrestlers on the payroll who are well past the prime of their careers, such as Kane.
Kane has been a major star in WWE in the past, but he hasn't sold out an arena or increased PPV buyrates since the end of the Attitude Era. However, the company felt that his loyalty should be rewarded, so he was kept on the roster and even featured on television for many years after his in ring career had become an afterthought.
With AEW on board, though, the WWE could 'spring clean' their roster of wrestlers who no longer greatly contribute to the programming, or who just don't seem to fit in like Lio Rush, and not worry that those same released wrestlers won't be able to find work.
AEW can be a safe landing space for released wrestlers, allowing WWE to assuage their conscience when it comes time to wish someone 'nothing but the best in their future endeavours.'
Could Hurt the WWE #4: The Cleaner could be the next Hulk Hogan.
If you ask ten different wrestling fans who the best wrestler in the world is today, you might get ten different answers. But if you asked a thousand, the overwhelming consensus would be that one man is the best in the world: the Cleaner Kenny Omega.
After Omega announced he would be leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling earlier this year, a massive bidding war broke out between the WWE and AEW for his services. Omega was allegedly flown to WWE headquarters for negotiations not once, but twice.
In the end, the Best Bout Machine signed with AEW. Before the upstart promotion had a television deal, this was already potentially devastating news for WWE. But now, it means even more.
Kenny Omega might be the next Hulk Hogan or Ric Flair, and he works for WWE's competition. This could make things tough for WWE in the coming years.
Could help the WWE #4: It's a chance for WWE to show what their brand stands for.
While man fans rub their hands together in glee as they foretell the doom of WWE, the fact remains that the world's largest sports entertainment promotion can leverage their competition into better public perception of themselves.
WWE has been doing the pro wrestling dance for a very long time. They are the promotion that has literally been the one many fans have grown up watching, and for a long time they have effectively had a monopoly on the North American pro wrestling market, and a huge chunk of most other markets with the exception of Japan.
The WWE can use the competition with AEW to showcase just what their promotion stands for. WWE isn't just about entertainment. It's about making people respect pro wrestling, and honouring the legacy of those who have come before. This is why so many WWE Hall of Fame members never drew a paycheque from Vince McMahon. WWE can use this opportunity to prove that they are the legacy promotion and still carry the standard for sports entertainment.
There you have it; Four ways the new AEW Television deal could hurt the WWE, and four ways it could help them. Questions or comments? Please leave them after the article, and as always thanks for reading!
