WWE's newly-launched ID progam to have huge implications for AEW - Reports
WWE recently launched its new development program called ID. This new program could reportedly affect AEW.
World Wrestling Entertainment has invested a lot of time and money into developing younger wrestlers to become future stars in the company. The primary purpose of the Performance Center and NXT was to give young athletes a place to hone their craft and become massive stars in the future.
NXT has been a massive success and has produced stars like Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn to name a few. However, the Stamford-based promotion has taken it a step further and recently announced the WWE ID program to aid independent wrestling schools and wrestlers. Several wrestlers have already been ID'd by the company.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, if any wrestler ID'd by the company gets offered a contract by AEW, NJPW, TNA, or any other promotion, the Stamford-based promotion will get first right of refusal. This means that the company will have the first choice to either drop the wrestler or sign them to a contract. This could have major implications for other promotions like AEW as the Stamford-based promotion could basically call dibs on any independent wrestler in this new program.
"The idea with WWE ID program is that if any wrestler under these deals gets offered a contract by AEW, New Japan, TNA or somebody else, WWE would have a right of first refusal. At that point, WWE can either drop them or sign them to a contract and bring them to Orlando."
Booker T gives honest thoughts on ROW being part of the WWE ID Program
Apart from NXT, World Wrestling Entertainment also launched an NIL program to provide college level athletes an easier path to the company. This shows the promotion's dedication to building future stars.
When the company announced the ID program, it also announced the first set of wrestling schools to get the ID designation. Among those schools were Booker T's Reality of Wrestling, Cody Rhodes' Nightmare Factory, Seth Rollins' Black and Brave Academy, Elite Pro Wrestling Training Center, and KnokX Pro Academy.
Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T highlighted the effort that went into becoming a developmental program for World Wrestling Entertainment. He mentioned how surreal it was to be in a position to help the next generation of stars who are trying to get into the wrestling business.
"Many, many years we've been working on becoming a developmental program for WWE and never knew if it was ever gonna happen or not but we just kept grinding, man. We just kept working, no matter what, day in and day out, we came in with that vision that perhaps, you know, and if not, we just going to keep trying to create the best we possibly can create and now 20 years, man, 20 years. That's why for me it's real. It's surreal as it possibly can be. I'm serious now in a position where we can really really help the next generation of young guys trying to get into this business as well as create a monster, man, and that is Reality of Wrestling." [6:02 - 7:06]
It will be interesting to how much this new WWE ID program affects AEW in the future.