Opinion: Why wrestling fans are excited about AEW right now
Imagine you're Jerry Seinfeld and you're probably saying on stage, what's deal with AEW? And the answer would be that there are a lot of things going for it. Of course, there are those in the wrestling community who believe that this upstart promotion will fail.
You will hear several people say things like, 'All Out is a horrible name', 'AEW is only good at dissing WWE' and 'AEW can't play with the Big Boys.' But maybe, they're missing the bigger point. I'm not here to discuss WWE. There are several articles discussing the difference between the two companies. Let's get to the main question.
Why are wrestling fans excited about All Elite Wrestling?
All Elite Wrestling is fresh and exciting. You're not sure what to expect. Take the most recent Pay-per-view, AEW Fyter Fest. There was something in it for everyone. There was a good mixture of comedy, drama, highly intense matches, nerdy gaming influences and a hardcore match that was a blast from the past.
Sure, the excitement and freshness could wear out over time, much like other promotions before it. TNA/Impact Wrestling was thought to be the best #2 promotion out there alongside NJPW. But they haven't cracked that glass ceiling to be considered a legitimate promotion. AEW has something unique and that is the coolness factor.
There was an old boring joke that AEW was just a T-shirt company. While that was not true, that is actually a testament to their influence amongst fans. The T-shirts were selling like hotcakes and with the aid of social media, it was actually creating a following amongst the fans.
The owner and booking team (Cody, The Young Bucks, and Kenny Omega) are in their 30s and actually have a good understanding of popular culture and integrating them with pro wrestling elements. But it is more than that, isn't it? Look beneath the surface and you may find a more appropriate answer.
The fans see a wrestling promotion that is for them. It was the same thing that kept ECW alive for many years before they were brought out by WWE. It was a 'Us vs Them' mentality and the idea of a revolution. People, in general, yearn for something to follow and they may have found it in AEW. That's the feeling I get.
AEW is for the voice of the voiceless. AEW is for those who were told you can't do it. AEW is for those who felt that they don't belong anywhere. AEW is for everyone. Well, at least, that's the way they have marketed themselves.
Maybe, it's all garbage and there's no truth to what I've just written. Maybe, you already made up your mind before you even started reading this. But maybe, just maybe, you believe that this company can give you the one thing you wanted for a very long time and that is a choice!
How does AEW progress? How will wrestling fans take to it in the years to come? Only time will tell!