Paid Members IANdrewDiceClay Posted April 11, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 11, 2019 (edited) Its funny how everything that was rumoured and then denied by their stooges was actually true. Tony Khan, JR, Jericho, TNT etc. I'm chuffed its on Turner if I'm honest. Wrestling was meant to be on that network. I hope it does well obviously. Everyone should hope it does well. But the jury is out in terms of creating an audience. Having a semi-popular youtube show, which has falling past its peak, is different from getting people to watch your show every week on Network TV. Edited April 11, 2019 by IANdrewDiceClay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB6937 Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 Yeah I'm not getting excited until I see the product. I remember being excited about ECW returning and, as much as I loved the Zombie, I'm not getting ahead of myself this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members ColinBollocks Posted April 11, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 11, 2019 I'd be amazed if they don't make a lot of mistakes early doors. A lot of talent there but weekly telly when you haven't produced it for years and years, like WWE, will be difficult to get right. All about learning from their balls up, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Carbomb Posted April 11, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 11, 2019 (edited) 17 minutes ago, ColinBollocks said: I'd be amazed if they don't make a lot of mistakes early doors. A lot of talent there but weekly telly when you haven't produced it for years and years, like WWE, will be difficult to get right. All about learning from their balls up, though. That's sort of why one of the few things I personally wouldn't criticise AEW for is getting in a load of ex-WWE non-wrestling talent. It's all very well saying "well, they're not being different like they said they would", but when you know that the only people experienced in producing a top-level wrestling programme got that experience working for WWE, it's a no-brainer. The only other people they could hire would be Japanese or Mexican; the former are prevented by linguistic and cultural barriers, and the latter would be by a physical one if the Racist Orange Liar (Non-Hogan Edition) got his way. Edited April 11, 2019 by Carbomb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TildeGuy~! Posted April 12, 2019 Share Posted April 12, 2019 Darby Allin is their latest signing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Hannibal Scorch Posted April 12, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 12, 2019 2 hours ago, TildeGuy~! said: Darby Allin is their latest signing. Signed, I assume, because of the last name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshC Posted April 12, 2019 Share Posted April 12, 2019 And so they can run Pride Park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrodyGraham Posted April 12, 2019 Share Posted April 12, 2019 They teased this at C2E2. A lot of people really like Darby but he's one of those guys who always feels like he's one match away from braining himself. Wonder if they get his Mrs in as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Sir Colin from Cardiff Posted April 13, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 13, 2019 Signing to TNT and the use of HBO for PPV, if true which is looking likely, actually shocked me. It is an stunning piece of business that given the access the US market have to that station. I would never have thought they would get such a Network as Warner from the off. Even when the Khan participation guarantees high production values, marketing, being highly competitive in the free agent market and so on. Everything that TNA could never do. Those three thing will be the difference from the off than when TNA went for it. They can go for the best young talent in the World and likely offer them a decent roster standing over NXT development. Talent will also have more freedom over what they say and do on screen which will allow be a pulling factor. I know this could be a false dawn, but if this is like the modern day Jim Crocket / NWA the could be a lot to get excited about. It may take a few years but a least they show should have a high class look from the off whilst they develop their own stars and wait for certain names to become free agents. A few questions though for those more in the know about US Networks than myself. Wasn't the AOL-Time Warner merger what Bischoff blames for one of the major contributors to the downfall of WCW? With the whole sanitation stories in 1998 forcing changes that made them unable to  compete with a more cutting edge WWF such as blood, language, vocabulary becoming over PC (saying foreign object being banned) etc. Had there been any notable changes since. Will the demise of AOL's help? I ask as AEW don't want to become handcuffed from the off if the want to become an alternative. NXT is the shinning example of how to produce a show in the PG WWE era, but even using that as a model I would guess the will want some flexibility to use if and when is necessary. The roster is still a bit hit and miss. But this doesn't concern me as long as it's view as a long term project. They could be a very successful second Promotion to WWE in five years time, which is long enough to allow marketing and creative develop what they have now and to compete over those with contracts ending in WWE. If they use the Manchester City model in a Wrestling context they could be very successful. As in sign you you can when you can but in the first few years try to create a team that competitive whilst your addressing all the other issues. Get onto your marketing straight away to help create marketable names across your brand in order to sell the product into completely new markets. Make sure the top end office officials can negotiate to gain those TV contracts, advertisement space being filled, having negotiation of the signing of talent nailed, have high end production values and look like the number one even when your not, create the best training and development facilities (putting your kids in a 5* housing complex whilst living helps), sign the best coach and trainers (in AEW terms nail creative and agents). The above takes time but is plausible if they want to be competitive. It takes time which is why I don't think judging AEW for 3-4 years is probably the way to go. They already have a good sense of merchandise and how to use YouTube and Twitter. The use of those two outlets in between shows could produce a different feel and help with continuity. This is only my hope and we've all been stung many times in the past, as have talent. All you need to do is look at TNA and how they would sign any WWE reject or name, even when their face didn't fit and then elevate them above their own creations. Only Joe and AJ were ever shown to be top level and for Joe that was for from 2005-2008, after that they destroyed him. WWE revamped him and now he sits at the upper mid card. But I doubt many casual fans knew who he was which is what AEW must avoid. They have no history or legacy and need to begin creating their own. This involves creating their own stars and allowing them to maintain the top level positions. WWE cleaned up WCW's mess (and now to a degree TNA's) with developing Jericho, Benoit, Eddie, Foley, Austin, Calloway, Ray etc from the midcard to the main event. TNA when it was going head to head was so stacked with it's own talent but went back to stars past their prime and a ridiculous ECW invasion after WWE canned off their version of one. Probably only Angle and Bully Ray should have been there. They should have used the named tallent to elevate their own and so create something that looks like an alternative instead of one of those All Star shows that tours arenas and ends up on 2 for 1 tickets as no one wants to go. I know that has been discussed time and again but that is what AEW needs to avoid doing. Which is why I just hope they don't go for every WWE release they can. At the moment there's a reason why WWE will allow someone to leave which certainly isn't the one you want when signing somebody. Namely they lack such drawing power they don't care if they leave. Most don't even own their WWE names so people won't know them and if they did wouldn't care. Sasha would be a great signing but theirs no way WWE would allow her to leave. If she does they will just do a Neville with her. It will take time to bring in the right disenchanted WWE stars, which is why I wouldn't judge for 3-4 years. Ambrose would be a start though. Possibly Goldberg if used right just for his initial drawing power. Keep Conrad Thompson away from this though. He has such an inflated sense of worth. He is the dictionary definition of money mark. Allow him to arrange his conventions and maybe use him in some form of sales role. Just keep him off TV and away from the booking. He's done well off paying old wrestlers to watch videos with him and then lucking our with a broke Ric Flair using him actually becoming his in. Cornette and Schiavone would be useful additions if used correctly backstage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB6937 Posted April 13, 2019 Share Posted April 13, 2019 AEW appear to have everything they need to be successful. And I do wish them every success as an individual wrestling company. But they will never be a threat to WWE. No one ever will. They ARE wrestling to too many people. Realistically I just want AEW to do better than TNA have done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted April 13, 2019 Share Posted April 13, 2019 (edited) Bischoff blames the merger for any shit decision he ever made. Edited April 13, 2019 by Max Power Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Hannibal Scorch Posted April 13, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 13, 2019 (edited) You have to remember at the time of the muffler there were a couple of factors. firstly WCW profits were down and suddenly they were flushing money down the toilet. Their ratings were also dropping which made it all look worse. secondly the people now at the top didn’t care about Wrestling and just saw a financial black hole. Finally the merger meant there was no clear focus on anything as it takes a long time after to work out how all these different sectors are going to work under one conglomerate. The AOL/Time Warner merger was not a great business idea. And they had to save money. The writing was on the wall from the get go that if you’re not helping this company make money you’ll be shut down. Which is what happened with WCW timeline here https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/15/business/dealbook/aol-time-warner.html Edited April 13, 2019 by Hannibal Scorch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members garynysmon Posted April 13, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 13, 2019 2 hours ago, maddog said: They have no history or legacy and need to begin creating their own. This involves creating their own stars and allowing them to maintain the top level positions. WWE cleaned up WCW's mess (and now to a degree TNA's) with developing Jericho, Benoit, Eddie, Foley, Austin, Calloway, Ray etc from the midcard to the main event.  I know that not everyone will agree, but I'd see how amenable Billy Corgan would be to selling the NWA trademarks tbh. That promotion is never going to get off the ground, so with the right hype I think they could get away with using that as their main title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members tiger_rick Posted April 13, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 13, 2019 8 hours ago, garynysmon said: Â I know that not everyone will agree, but I'd see how amenable Billy Corgan would be to selling the NWA trademarks tbh. That promotion is never going to get off the ground, so with the right hype I think they could get away with using that as their main title. Nah, they need to do absolutely fuck all that TNA ever did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Sir Colin from Cardiff Posted April 13, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted April 13, 2019 17 minutes ago, tiger_rick said: Nah, they need to do absolutely fuck all that TNA ever did. This Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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