AEW and WWE shows are likely to be significantly affected due to a major sports league later this year
AEW and WWE might just be in for a difficult October, as the still niche sport of wrestling could possibly see a considerable amount of their viewership jump over to another popular sport.
While wrestling is a globally watched sport, it's not nearly on the level of soccer or rugby, which draws in substantial amounts of viewers across the globe. Wrestling largely remains an American past-time, and as such when other major sports associations have their seasons, wrestling viewership takes a notable knock.
On Monday, Major League Baseball (MLB) announced that it's American League Championship Series will kick off on October 19th. Due to scheduling conflicts, both AEW and WWE will be affected by the MLB,
Tonight’s #AEWDynamite is starting on @tntdrama at 8/7c and will be simulcast on @TruTV ... In the event of a baseball preemption #AEWDynamite will continue in full on Tru TV!
To find TruTV in your area visit this link - protect-us.mimecast.com/s/lm2CCjRkAyiy… https://t.co/3psJSmi4yW
AEW will notably be affected first, as at least one week of Dynamite will likely have to either move to another channel or adjust its airing date/time. WWE SmackDown will only be affected on October 28th, as Game 1 of the MLB 2022 World Series will take place.
The American League Champion Series is a decade-old baseball series that many USA-based fans will be more than familiar with. However, global AEW fans won't need to fret as the final game will take place on Sunday, October 16th.
Missed the latest AEW Dynamite? Catch up on the show results via this link.
The 2022 NBA Playoffs nearly interrupted AEW Double or Nothing's Main Event
All Elite Wrestling also notably suffered some major interruptions during this year's NBA Playoffs. Rampage ended up being rescheduled, disrupting many fan schedules, especially outside of the USA. The promotion also saw some significant drops in viewership due to this.
During an interview on CBS Sports’ The D.A.Show, Tony Khan detailed how he considered rescheduling this year's Double or Nothing Main Event because of the NBA Playoffs.
“If there is a Game 7 on Sunday, I’m gonna make sure that the main event and a lot of the great action doesn’t hit the ring until after the game is over. So I promise, if you are a fan of the Celtics or the Heat, if they are still playing in a series on Sunday, you’re gonna be able to watch it all,” Khan said. (H/T: CageSideSeats)
CM Punk vs Hangman Page is the first-ever AEW World Championship match to main event a Double or Nothing. https://t.co/sUz3PN4AHw
Luckily, the playoffs didn't end up interrupting Double or Nothing, which ended with CM Punk Triumphantly defeating Hangman Page. While there aren't any PPV's scheduled during the upcoming MLB Champion Series, could the event derail some massive upcoming Dynamite or Rampage Main Events?