4 Ways AEW's Television Deal could hurt WWE, and 4 Ways it could help them.
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.