"It would benefit them a lot more" - WWE legend Booker T points out where AEW is majorly missing out
AEW often comes under scrutiny from both fans and wrestling veterans alike. WWE legend Booker T recently pointed out where the promotion is sorely lacking, adding to the laundry list of issues Tony Khan has to face.
While Booker T isn't as harsh as most critics of AEW, the WWE Hall of Famer often gets a lot of pushback when he shares his takes on the promotion. The legend also often advocates for some stars to return to WWE, but has overall been very supportive of AEW's place in the industry.
While speaking on the recent Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T defended AEW DARK's reputation for having squash matches, noting that they are important:
"I don’t watch it, but I like squash matches. My thing is, I don’t even care if the whole show is squash matches, but guys that are up-and-comers, they’re just warming up the crowd," Booker said. (1:25:23 onward)
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However, the legend noted that squash matches shouldn't be on DARK, but rather feature more on their main show, Dynamite:
"I did not care who Jake the Snake wrestled, I just wanted to see that damn DDT! That’s it," he added. "I did not care who he was wrestling, it gave me a chance to gravitate to Jake, so when he finally wrestled somebody? Oh, I miss that! If AEW did a lot more of that on their regular show, it would benefit them a lot more than on a show that nobody’s watching." (01:25:52 onward).
Fans have often criticized the promotion for its overreliance on fans watching the DARK shows. The promotion's ranking system is also affected by the YouTube shows, often resulting in fans being confused when wrestlers with only 2 television matches have 8 match win streaks.
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Booker T believes that AEW needs to begin prioritizing stories, as they've failed to turn their wrestlers into major stars
WWE has been subject to major criticism over the past few years. However, the promotion has historically been able to create massive stars that are recognized outside of wrestling. Notably, both The Rock and John Cena used this fame to transition into successful Hollywood careers.
During the same podcast, Booker T questioned the promotion's ability to create stars that are recognized outside of the promotion:
"They’re gonna have to figure out how to keep these guys relevant, how to make these guys [into] bigger stars. Not just wrestlers," Booker said. "(...) Where are the angles? Where are the storylines? Where are the meat and potatoes of trying to get me to tune in on a weekly basis?" (01:13:00 onward)
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The promotion is often praised for its match quality, as many hardcore wrestling fans have permanently become fans. Despite this, Tony Khan has still not managed to find a sweet spot in his booking. Many believe that WWE making changes to their programming that could motivate Khan to make changes of his own.