4 Reasons why AEW stockpiling talent may be an issue in the future
AEW has done a great job of adding huge stars to their roster. Over the last few months alone, CM Punk, Adam Cole, and Bryan Danielson have all joined AEW. Cole and Danielson were both active wrestlers and top stars in WWE. Cole was arguably the biggest star in the history of NXT.
As for Punk, he returned to the wrestling ring after a seven-year hiatus. He had joined FOX for WWE Backstage, but his partnership ended when the show ended. Also joining AEW in 2021 were Ruby Soho, Christian Cage, Bobby Fish, Malakai Black, and Andrade El Idolo.
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Since AEW is a desirable destination for pro wrestlers, it's not a surprise when a huge name joins the company. With roster cuts in WWE and surprise releases like Braun Strowman, the young promotion can get even bigger and better.
Contracts expire seemingly every month. Since it's the final quarter of 2021, there will only be more names available in the new year. While it hasn't proven to be a problem just yet, so many additions to the roster could be a problem for AEW in the future. Here are four reasons why.
#4. Some AEW Stars might not get any TV time.
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-@PaulWight v @holy2cow/@realcolekarter/@carliebravo
-@LegitLeyla/@mizunami0324 v @DiamanteLAX/#XTinaKay
-@LionHeartUce/@upgrademikereed v #FTR (@CashWheelerFTR/@DaxFTR)
-@EmiSakura_gtmv v @Reka_Tehaka https://t.co/oolAo9IPhr
This is a problem that every promotion faces and AEW is no different. Before 2021, AEW still had a pretty stacked roster of past, current, and future wrestling stars. What started as a roster of around 40 stars has grown into one featuring over 100 professional wrestlers.
As the promotion grew, shows like Dark and Dark: Elevation were introduced. Because there is so much talent, AEW has performers wrestling on Dark and Dark: Elevation every week.
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The difference between wrestling on those shows instead of on Rampage or Dynamite is TV exposure. To watch Dark and Dark Elevation, fans must go to AEW's YouTube page. Those shows often have 10+ matches per episode. Many are squash matches to pad records.
That's fine if people are used to streaming, but most eyes fall on the television shows of WWE, IMPACT, and AEW. Big angles typically take place more on television shows than on streaming shows. For AEW, those streaming shows are primarily to let the wrestlers get ring time.
For that reason, AEW keeps its performers busy. But when was the last time that someone like Joey Janela, Big Swole, or Abadon was on TV weekly? Adding so many big names to the roster will push others down the card. Those that were struggling to get on TV will find it only harder to do so.