WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast
Wrestling Roundtable Discussion: Are the Monday Night Wars Coming Back?
Release Date: January 14, 2019. (22:16)
Recap by: Samantha L. Sayre
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The Return of Monday Night Wars?
-Could be a stretch since AEW has trademarked Tuesday Night Dynamite. Principle remains the same. Rumor is they have secured a major TV deal. It won’t be a head to head night, but more with putting on a two-hour major TV show.
-Could be the closest to Monday Night Wars because they will take over Tuesday left behind by Smackdown. People may not bother with a Friday night show if AEW Tuesday is really good.
-Vince shutting out fans for wearing AEW merchandise on Tuesday may have done more for AEW than the rally did.
-This feels different than just another American company with a TV deal going against WWE. Michael H. says the creative people aren’t complete idiots at AEW like they are at Impact wrestling. TNA roster of 2010 on name value alone was impressive, but creative used them crazily. Minds of AEW are deeply, deeply intelligent that know how to get their wrestlers over and make audiences make connections with. Hot Topic deal was proof of this.
-They have to have a major network behind them. Not just using YouTube to create if they want to play with WWE. AEW has to present a different face and different contracts to wrestlers and fans. It has to be different, so it isn’t considered an inferior WWE company. Big network will give bigger audience to these changes.
Booking?
-WWE says they aren’t bothered, but on the AEW launch does WWE try to counterbook AEW? Michael H. says they try to compete, but WWE can’t with AEW creativity. WWE can talent wise though. WWE doesn’t have any more rabbits in their hat because they have been using them for Saudi Arabia like Undertaker. Regular wrestlers won’t do. They need big names.
-AEW are genuinely an alternative to WWE if your contract is running out in the next year. They aren’t picking up scraps from WWE like TNA tried to do. It is a feasible alternative.
-Locked in contracts are different than the handshakes of the ’90s. Neville changed things by WWE refusing to release him. He was a big deal when his contract finally ran out and he could wrestle again. AEW can use that WWE is keeping audience’s favorites off TV and after contract time runs out then WE are giving them back.
Talent
-Wrestlers like Sasha and Bayley could go to AEW. It wouldn’t have impact like Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, but would look bad because they came through Performance Center and NXT system.
-WWE is incapable of telling stories. When Daniel Bryan was finally medically released, WWE had a ready made and audience wanted story of Miz vs. Daniel Bryan. WWE botched it by booking him with what Dave Meltzer says is “promotional malpractice.” Reddit users can book better. Michael doesn’t believe WWE does it on purpose. They just can’t creatively.
-We won’t know if AEW worked for five years, but if they aren’t around in five years then no one can go against WWE. The Elite created a YouTube presence that by Khan backing is a powerful enterprise.
How to be Competitive Quickly?
-AEW has to look good and look major league. They need lights and pyro. To look small time is to be small time. Michael S. was unimpressed with AEW rally. He is invested in AEW product, but was disappointed. Where was the billionaire’s money? It wasn’t overdone. Looked small. They have to spend money.
End of Vince McMahon?
-If AEW is successful then does Vince step aside and allow Triple H to try. Micheal H. says yes and if AEW becomes competition by establishing themselves then board of directors makes him. Michael S. says XFL pulls Vince away. It could be the perfect storm for Triple H…AEW competing and XFL.
Rating: 8.5/10
Great topics with great discussion. Will give you new topics to think about in a concise manner.
About Samantha:
Samantha is a long time wrestling fan from WV. She quit watching during college and the first part of her career, but now is back full force. One of her goals is to be a host on one of PW Torch’s WWE or All Elite Wrestling post-show podcasts. Check her out on Twitter @Sam4413
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