[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I wouldn't worry about that as a fan. Just enjoy the bits of TV that are good.

Can't say NXT was mind blowing TV in comparison either.

It's not a giant worry right now, but if attendance, buy-rates, and ratings continue to decline, then the long-term future of the company becomes less viable.

I thought this was a pretty good summation of where AEW is right now. The only part I really disagree with is the writer's belief that NXT has much more potential. Tuesday was definitely NXT's ceiling, and they had to pull out all the stops to reach it.

https://www.cagesideseats.com/2023/1...ht-war-edition

A long time ago, then-WWE executive Stephanie McMahon likened WWE to Marvel in terms of their aspirations. I laughed. I still find it funny. I won't say that they have got to that point, but WWE has done a very good job since her husband Paul "Triple H" Levesque took over as showrunner in presenting a cohesive and coherent fictional universe.

AEW, on the other hand, has not. Since AEW's original story arc ended—Hangman Adam Page's journey to the top of AEW—the company has not been able to present a stable, consistent narrative. Stories stop and start randomly; plans change abruptly. Sometimes it's the result of bad luck; other times it is a casualty of Khan not understanding the difference between booking a wrestling show and writing weekly scripted television. There is a difference. WWE had the same problem—until they fixed it under Triple H.

You could say that AEW being creamed was the result of NXT having to load up its card with talent and because of Dynamite's pre-emption. Both of those things are true. However, WWE asked its viewers to tune into one more night of television than they would normally have done; AEW asked its viewers to tune in 24 hours earlier. Different scenarios are not apt for a fair comparison, and Nielsen's ratings are not a true random sample. NXT's engagement on social media was stronger throughout the night. In any event, WWE has a deeper viewership base to pull from. It was never a case of whether or not NXT would draw more viewers; it would be a matter of how much. And it turned out to be 34% more total viewers and 17% more in the demo.

Once again, I give AEW credit—they put on a show that was on brand for them, and it was a pretty good show. But Tuesday night demonstrated the clear ceiling of AEW's formula while NXT's broadcast showed how much potential it really has.