# Impact of COVID-19 on AEW



## Pippen94 (Jan 10, 2020)

Fledgling company slowly building an audience - how will break for corvid 19 impact business?


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## validreasoning (Jul 4, 2012)

It will hurt it but it's a company run by a multi billionaire not a fledgling enterprise.

WWE would be in bigger danger. They are still a small family run business in truth and need to continuously put on shows to survive. They have $200m cash on hand but that would quickly be burned through if shows are forced to be cancelled. Vince's personal fortune is all tied up in WWEs success so completely different to AEW.


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## Prosper (Mar 25, 2015)

I wouldn't call them fledgling...Tony Khan is richer than Vince and they have a lot of new money to play with from the TNT deal. They would lose money and some weekly viewers but I think they would be alright if they had to cancel some shows. New AEW viewers are not trained to tune in every Wednesday like WWE has trained their fans to tune in every Monday so when they come back ratings will take a hit too. Storylines would also take a hard hit. Their next big PPV is not until May so hopefully all this virus panic is over by then or at least slowed down. 

Wrestlemania being canceled on the other hand would be a disaster for all involved. WWE doesn't tell stories so they have nothing to worry about there. They have a lot more to lose financially though. They already don't make enough money from the WWE Network so if their biggest revenue-driving event over the course of the year is canceled then that would be a problem. 

Both companies will be fine though. Govt is handing out low-interest loans and tax relief to companies that are impacted negatively I believe.


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## Optikk is All Elite (Sep 5, 2007)

prosperwithdeen said:


> I wouldn't call them fledgling...Tony Khan is richer than Vince and they have a lot of new money to play with from the TNT deal. They would lose money and some weekly viewers but I think they would be alright if they had to cancel some shows. New AEW viewers are not trained to tune in every Wednesday like WWE has trained their fans to tune in every Monday so when they come back ratings will take a hit too. Storylines would also take a hard hit. Their next big PPV is not until May so hopefully all this virus panic is over by then or at least slowed down.
> 
> Wrestlemania being canceled on the other hand would be a disaster for all involved. WWE doesn't tell stories so they have nothing to worry about there. They have a lot more to lose financially though. They already don't make enough money from the WWE Network so if their biggest revenue-driving event over the course of the year is canceled then that would be a problem.
> 
> Both companies will be fine though. Govt is handing out low-interest loans and tax relief to companies that are impacted negatively I believe.


How big will those loans be though? WWE probably make millions off WM if you include the salaries of staff and talent. Would they just not pay talent? Crazy to think about it. I mean their talent are contractors so WWE could absolutely not pay them.


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## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

Could be a good thing for AEW long-term, if they handle it well. Politically-speaking. Not good short-term for money, but you can take that hit.


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## Buhalovski (Jul 24, 2015)

The biggest problem is his soccer team and the Jaguars. Khans are losing money for sure.


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## validreasoning (Jul 4, 2012)

Wrestlemania week is worth around $45-50 million in revenue for WWE, probably conservative in that estimate ($17 million gate + $1m gates each for HOF, SD, Takeover, Raw + 2 million network subs approx $20 million + $5 million in merch sales + YouTube views which peak in Wrestlemania week)

So approx 5% of their annual revenue comes during Wrestlemania week. Obviously knock on effect would be greater because e.g Wrestlemania sets up the network for the year. No mania would see much lower subs in May-Dec.


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## Geeee (Aug 9, 2010)

On the other hand, if everyone has to stay inside, TV ratings might improve across the board


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## validreasoning (Jul 4, 2012)

Geeee said:


> On the other hand, if everyone has to stay inside, TV ratings might improve across the board


Tv contracts are locked in for next 4-5 years.

So it doesn't matter if nobody or 10 million watch they get paid same money. AEW has ad sharing so more people watching might effect that but is usually based on income/education of audience. WWE don't have ad sharing so not relevant to them as NBC keep all ad revenue


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## Prosper (Mar 25, 2015)

optikk sucks said:


> How big will those loans be though? WWE probably make millions off WM if you include the salaries of staff and talent. Would they just not pay talent? Crazy to think about it. I mean their talent are contractors so WWE could absolutely not pay them.


They will be life savers for small businesses but for companies as big as WWE they will only provide some relief. They will probably still be in the hole pretty heavily.


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## Metalhead1 (Jan 21, 2019)

Like other people mentioned, I thought of how much WWE would be impacted since Wrestle Mania is early next month. People are planning to come to Mania from all over the world yet due to the impending travel ban, they won't be able to get here. Add to that all of the events in Tampa associated with Wrestle Mania weekend and it could be a major hit for the WWE.

In terms of AEW, I don't think they'll be impacted much; just as long as they stay relevant and on TV. A part of me actually wonders if they'll be forced to do televised shows to empty venues, kind of like the NBA is doing.


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## The Masked Avenger (Apr 18, 2018)

Metalhead1 said:


> Like other people mentioned, I thought of how much WWE would be impacted since Wrestle Mania is early next month. People are planning to come to Mania from all over the world yet due to the impending travel ban, they won't be able to get here. Add to that all of the events in Tampa associated with Wrestle Mania weekend and it could be a major hit for the WWE.
> 
> In terms of AEW, I don't think they'll be impacted much; just as long as they stay relevant and on TV. A part of me actually wonders if they'll be forced to do televised shows to empty venues, *kind of like the NBA is doing*.


Not anymore, the NBA just suspended their season, MLS just did as well.


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## Roxinius (Jul 21, 2014)

Ticketmaster is alerting people next weeks dynamite is being rescheduled Aew hasn't commented on it yet though


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## The Masked Avenger (Apr 18, 2018)

I wish they had a Performance Center to continue to put on shows from a controlled location like WWE will probably start doing.


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## Geeee (Aug 9, 2010)

Man it would suck if Blood and Guts didn't happen


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## RapShepard (Jun 20, 2014)

TheMaskedAvenger said:


> I wish they had a Performance Center to continue to put on shows from a controlled location like WWE will probably start doing.


Maybe do it at that wrestling academy QT has


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## Oracle (Nov 9, 2011)

Confirmed no blood and guts happening 
search twitter


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## TKO Wrestling (Jun 26, 2018)

I’m so sick and tired of the left wing nut jobs spreading fear just because they couldn’t get Trump impeached.


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## Optikk is All Elite (Sep 5, 2007)

Oracle said:


> Confirmed no blood and guts happening
> search twitter


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## Optikk is All Elite (Sep 5, 2007)

TKO Wrestling said:


> I’m so sick and tired of the left wing nut jobs spreading fear just because they couldn’t get Trump impeached.


this a joke right


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## AEWMoxley (May 26, 2019)

Blood & Guts will no longer be taking place. In its place? Blood & Lungs.


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## Geeee (Aug 9, 2010)

TKO Wrestling said:


> I’m so sick and tired of the left wing nut jobs spreading fear just because they couldn’t get Trump impeached.


Left wing nut jobs like Trump who cancelled all European flights?


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## Whoanma (Apr 5, 2016)

It could be done behind closed doors.


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## TKO Wrestling (Jun 26, 2018)

Geeee said:


> Left wing nut jobs like Trump who cancelled all European flights?


He had to do something.


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## Oracle (Nov 9, 2011)

Whoanma said:


> It could be done behind closed doors.


Why on earth would u do an event like this with nobody there ? you wouldnt


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## Whoanma (Apr 5, 2016)

Oracle said:


> Why on earth would u do an event like this with nobody there ? you wouldnt


I said it could be done, assuming they wanted to.


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## Bosnian21 (May 27, 2019)

TKO Wrestling said:


> I’m so sick and tired of the left wing nut jobs spreading fear just because they couldn’t get Trump impeached.


More like right-wing nut jobs denying reality yet again. 

There is reason to worry. Not that we’ll all die, but at the rate we’re spreading the virus, we may not have the resources to help all the people who will require hospitalization.


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## Optikk is All Elite (Sep 5, 2007)

Bosnian21 said:


> More like right-wing nut jobs denying reality yet again.
> 
> There is reason to worry. Not that we’ll all die, but at the rate we’re spreading the virus, we may not have the resources to help all the people who will require hospitalization.


it's also that the stock markets have crashed. it's only gonna get worse.


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## AEW_19 (May 15, 2019)

If Dynamite does get cancelled, I would like to see AEW put out an hour of video packages each week for each roster member. When they get the all clear, I would run Blood and Guts on a Saturday because it's basically going to be PPV lite then continue Dynamite from every Wednesday.


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## laserlaser (Nov 15, 2019)

There Are 3 Options for me now:
1. They gonna do a BIG BTE 2 Hour Show. Maybe with a Hardcore Match in a empty Bingo Hall and the rest is BTE Stuff
2. They Move to a Bingo Hall with 500 Fans for Dynamite in NY
3. They Move to a State where they can do Events with 3.000+ Fans (Smackdown in Detroit isn't canceled) The Problem is only to get an Arena and fill it under one Week.. Maybe with 5$ or FREE tickets..


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## TKO Wrestling (Jun 26, 2018)

Would be cool as fuck if AEW toured tiny bingo halls while this went on and had Blood and Guts in Mexico or something on a Saturday night.


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## RiverFenix (Dec 10, 2011)

I'm a proponent of an off-season for wrestling, late May to MId-August has been my stated preference. I think TNT should just air reruns from the first week and then each subsequent week - invite fans to come see what they missed from the beginning. 

I think DoN II is the earliest chance for a re-start of large crowd arena shows. Flatten thr curve and stock op on beds and supplioes.


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## El Hammerstone (Jan 11, 2020)

AEW Dynamite Finds New Home For Next Week's Show


AEW had to change their plans for Dynamite next week. The coronavirus is causing alarm in Rochester and they aren't allowed to have big events. Now All




www.ringsidenews.com





While always subject to change, next week's Dynamite will indeed be taking place as they will move the show from Rochester to Jacksonville.


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## rbl85 (Nov 21, 2017)

Well it's a good thing that Khan owns the arena.


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## punkypower (Mar 2, 2020)

Their FB includes what @El Hammerstone posted, plus info on the Blood & Guts edition:

"
As a precautionary measure against COVID-19, we are relocating next week’s AEW DYNAMITE show on March 18 from Rochester, NY, to Jacksonville, FL. This show will be televised live on TNT from Daily’s Place, and be managed under a restricted attendance policy. The DYNAMITE show in Rochester will be rescheduled for Wednesday, July 8, at Blue Cross Arena.

Fans who have already purchased tickets to the Rochester show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase, or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on July 8. Additional details will be forthcoming.

In addition, the DYNAMITE show on March 25 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, will be relocated to a new venue, which will be announced shortly. This show will be televised live on TNT on March 25, and be managed under a restricted attendance policy. The DYNAMITE show in Newark will be rescheduled for Wednesday, July 22, at the Prudential Center.

Fans who have already purchased tickets to the Newark show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase, or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on July 22. Additional details will be forthcoming.

We appreciate your understanding as the safety and well-being of our fans and talent is always our top priority. We will continue to closely monitor this evolving situation related to COVID-19 and be guided by government officials, health organizations and venue management."




__ https://www.facebook.com/276076433043811/posts/545053192812799


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## Jazminator (Jan 9, 2018)

These next few shows are going to be surreal to watch.


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## Seafort (Jun 5, 2014)

optikk sucks said:


> How big will those loans be though? WWE probably make millions off WM if you include the salaries of staff and talent. Would they just not pay talent? Crazy to think about it. I mean their talent are contractors so WWE could absolutely not pay them.


The WWE wrestlers are hurt the worst financially. Let's take the salary of a generic wrestler making $500K a year, and presume that WWE voids WrestleMania, stops touring until June, and only does TV until October: 

A WWE wrestler's regular salary is based upon:

1) Arena revenue, as per position on the card
2) Merchandise revenue
3) Residual PPV revenue, based upon position on the card
4) Network subscriptions (possibly)

*What that wrestler does not get is $500K divided evenly in 26 payments over the course of the year.*

If at the end of the year, Wrestler A has not made 500K, WWE will cut a check to make up the difference. 

The impending WWE shutdown would eliminate revenue streams 1 and 3, and the first is the primary income driver for wrestlers over the course of a year. Your generic WWE wrestler also loses WrestleMania and the next Saudi Show, which provide big bumps in income.

So now that wrestler has to rely almost solely on merchandise sales, and Network subscriptions if that is in fact part of their deal. His/her income has been drastically slashed, and while they will still ultimately get their guarantee at the end of the year, the somewhat steady income that they have been making on a monthly basis is gone.


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## Optikk is All Elite (Sep 5, 2007)

Seafort said:


> The WWE wrestlers are hurt the worst financially. Let's take the salary of a generic wrestler making $500K a year, and presume that WWE voids WrestleMania, stops touring until June, and only does TV until October:
> 
> A WWE wrestler's regular salary is based upon:
> 
> ...


Well when you put it like that


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## Pippen94 (Jan 10, 2020)

laserlaser said:


> There Are 3 Options for me now:
> 1. They gonna do a BIG BTE 2 Hour Show. Maybe with a Hardcore Match in a empty Bingo Hall and the rest is BTE Stuff
> 2. They Move to a Bingo Hall with 500 Fans for Dynamite in NY
> 3. They Move to a State where they can do Events with 3.000+ Fans (Smackdown in Detroit isn't canceled) The Problem is only to get an Arena and fill it under one Week.. Maybe with 5$ or FREE tickets..


None of those things will happen - show will be postponed


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## Pippen94 (Jan 10, 2020)

punkypower said:


> Their FB includes what @El Hammerstone posted, plus info on the Blood & Guts edition:
> 
> "
> As a precautionary measure against COVID-19, we are relocating next week’s AEW DYNAMITE show on March 18 from Rochester, NY, to Jacksonville, FL. This show will be televised live on TNT from Daily’s Place, and be managed under a restricted attendance policy. The DYNAMITE show in Rochester will be rescheduled for Wednesday, July 8, at Blue Cross Arena.
> ...


This probably won't happen either if just one wrestler tests positive


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## Optikk is All Elite (Sep 5, 2007)

Pippen94 said:


> This probably won't happen either if just one wrestler tests positive


I don’t think any of these wrestlers will be going anywhere until then.

anyone know if MJF etc have bookings elsewhere?


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## The Masked Avenger (Apr 18, 2018)

optikk sucks said:


> I don’t think any of these wrestlers will be going anywhere until then.
> 
> anyone know if MJF etc have bookings elsewhere?


I think several AEW wrestlers are going to be doing a NEW show including a Sammy vs Darby match.


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## Matthew Castillo (Jun 9, 2018)

TheMaskedAvenger said:


> I wish they had a Performance Center to continue to put on shows from a controlled location like WWE will probably start doing.


They kind of do, they can run out of Daily's Place in Jacksonville because the Kahns own the build and it's unlikely to be booked for anything else due to the coronavirus.


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## French Connection (Apr 5, 2010)

laserlaser said:


> There Are 3 Options for me now:
> 1. They gonna do a BIG BTE 2 Hour Show. Maybe with a Hardcore Match in a empty Bingo Hall and the rest is BTE Stuff
> 2. They Move to a Bingo Hall with 500 Fans for Dynamite in NY
> *3. They Move to a State where they can do Events with 3.000+ Fans (Smackdown in Detroit isn't canceled) The Problem is only to get an Arena and fill it under one Week.. Maybe with 5$ or FREE tickets.*.


This is the most viable option.
Moving to a 500 seats bingo hall will make the show look like indy, and I think this aspect is currently hurting NXT for example.

Maybe the other option will be just to cancel the shows and wait for the virus to spread down.


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## RiverFenix (Dec 10, 2011)

Florida Governor is recommending not to have events with crowds - I think it's a bad look to have a show there just because you can because you own the venue. You're putting your fans and the wrestlers at risk, as well as the employees of the venue and then their aged parents and the like. NCAA March Madness, NHL, NBA all canceled or postponed - AEW keeps running venues.


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## Chan Hung (Dec 28, 2011)

optikk sucks said:


>


Does this also mean schools since they are usually more than 200+ gatherings? 

As for AEW, damn i hope it doesnt hurt them much.


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## Chan Hung (Dec 28, 2011)

Blood and Guts with a small crowd is not the same as it was to be. Shame. But its okay, health comes first.


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## imthegame19 (Oct 12, 2008)

DetroitRiverPhx said:


> Florida Governor is recommending not to have events with crowds - I think it's a bad look to have a show there just because you can because you own the venue. You're putting your fans and the wrestlers at risk, as well as the employees of the venue and then their aged parents and the like. NCAA March Madness, NHL, NBA all canceled or postponed - AEW keeps running venues.


Depends on how they do it. Could be empty arena for the show. Or they could have back office people, wrestlers not being used on the show and pay some Jags employees watch show to give some reaction to the show. If they have people around the ring in expecting 25-50 type people thing. They won't have big crowds or charge for tickets or anything like that with all this going on.


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## bassist69 (Jun 4, 2018)

Idk, maybe they could film a show... in some sort of compound... in north carolina?


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## French Connection (Apr 5, 2010)

imthegame19 said:


> Depends on how they do it. Could be empty arena for the show. Or they could have back office people, wrestlers not being used on the show and pay some Jags employees watch show to give some reaction to the show. If they have people around the ring in expecting 25-50 type people thing. They won't have big crowds or charge for tickets or anything like that with all this going on.


This will be horrible to watch!
Please AEW, if you cannot find another venue, just postpone it until this BS virus bubble pops. 
Release to the press, and everyone will be fine with this even if upset in a certain way. 

Ask your workers to be more active on social medias, and launch some videos to keep your small fanbase in. 
Of course you will not make any money, you will even lose money, but every industry is facing this reality right now!
Do not downgrade your product at the Impact, ROH or NWA level!


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## Pippen94 (Jan 10, 2020)

Should just go on hiatus & coming back with big war games match first show up.


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## Pencil Neck Freak (Aug 5, 2013)

TheMaskedAvenger said:


> I wish they had a Performance Center to continue to put on shows from a controlled location like WWE will probably start doing.


They could always just use a TNT studio or something... That's probably the best choice for them.

Edit: dailys place would make sense

And the people saying they should go on a hiatus... Isn't aew obligated to make content for TNT? They could air reruns but it's not like they have a big library. They could do documentaries as others have said but how long could they do that? Using the Dailys Palace to save costs and running limited to empty shows is the best thing moving forward.


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## 304418 (Jul 2, 2014)

AEW will be fine. They can always run tours or monthly shows like NJPW to catch up. The promotion is designed to do that. And Blood and Guts can be their "season finale" of sorts held in an empty arena. If Stardom can hold one empty arena show, why can't AEW?

Promotions in Japan will be fine – they can always do a series of joint shows in Tokyo Dome or Seibu Dome or wherever to make up profits. Japanese promotion are very comfortable working together lie this.

WWE will be fine – if they shut down now. If not, and they go through with WM with live attendance and COVID-19 spreads because of that event, the steroids scandal and Benoit tragedy will be minor compared to this, as their history of negligence (i.e. Owen Hart, wrestlers health, Saudi scandal) will be brought up in a major way in the media and government will have to do something about them.

All indies dependent on WM are screwed though. If WM is cancelled, there’s no revenue earned from that weekend. If WWE goes ahead with the show and cause COVID-19 to spread, governments will come down hard on them and might even shut them down for good, which would screw all indy feds dependent on WWE for good.



TKO Wrestling said:


> I’m so sick and tired of the left wing nut jobs spreading fear just because they couldn’t get Trump impeached.


Even Trump is showing restraint by restricting travel to and from Europe.


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## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

With how this is developing, I can see the AEW show being canceled completely. It’s too risky for even a controlled crowd. Many are carrying the virus without knowing. It’s just a bad look to be facilitating this because you are anxious to pump out your content.

Also, even a small crowd in front of an arena is probably going to make it look and sound rinky-dink.


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## RiverFenix (Dec 10, 2011)

Pencil Neck Freak said:


> They could always just use a TNT studio or something... That's probably the best choice for them.
> 
> Edit: dailys place would make sense
> 
> And the people saying they should go on a hiatus... Isn't aew obligated to make content for TNT? They could air reruns but it's not like they have a big library. They could do documentaries as others have said but how long could they do that? Using the Dailys Palace to save costs and running limited to empty shows is the best thing moving forward.


Just air reruns from the first show - they have five months of shows to re-air. If Corona Virus is still causing cancellations and the like come September we have a lot bigger problems. April-September could re-air every AEW Dynamite episode from the beginning and then have All Out II the new launch.


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## TKO Wrestling (Jun 26, 2018)

French Connection said:


> This will be horrible to watch!
> Please AEW, if you cannot find another venue, just postpone it until this BS virus bubble pops.
> Release to the press, and everyone will be fine with this even if upset in a certain way.
> 
> ...


They dont have a choice, Vince won't do that, AEW can't either. It is that simple. If they do what you are asking they are dropping to Impact/NWA level.


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## bdon (Nov 12, 2019)

The Wood said:


> With how this is developing, I can see the AEW show being canceled completely. It’s too risky for even a controlled crowd. Many are carrying the virus without knowing. It’s just a bad look to be facilitating this because you are anxious to pump out your content.
> 
> Also, even a small crowd in front of an arena is probably going to make it look and sound rinky-dink.


Yeah. It would. Make it feel like Full Sail.


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## #BadNewsSanta (Sep 26, 2004)

Probably been suggested by why not do a show like WWE did in 2015 when that snowstorm cancelled the live Raw? Just have wrestlers cut promos/do an interview show. Let’s see what some of these guys can do in backstage interviews. Including people who don’t get mic time all the time so we can see how good they are.


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## Optikk is All Elite (Sep 5, 2007)

#BadNewsSanta said:


> Probably been suggested by why not do a show like WWE did in 2015 when that snowstorm cancelled the live Raw? Just have wrestlers cut promos/do an interview show. Let’s see what some of these guys can do in backstage interviews. Including people who don’t get mic time all the time so we can see how good they are.


How long can you do this for?


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## shandcraig (Mar 23, 2008)

If they cant do the war games event they need to delay that match


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## validreasoning (Jul 4, 2012)

shandcraig said:


> If they cant do the war games event they need to delay that match


Probably blessing in disguise. That match should never in a million years have been given away on free tv.

Should have taken place at DON.


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## thisissting (Aug 14, 2018)

March ppv must be cancelled? Can't believe Vince is going ahead with wrestlemania.


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## thisissting (Aug 14, 2018)

Aew are good at promos and video packages. Be a good opportunity to build up some storylines with a weekly chat / video clip show. Could have some closed door matches. Could work quite well.. They need to avoid dead air for months.


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## French Connection (Apr 5, 2010)

TKO Wrestling said:


> They dont have a choice, Vince won't do that, AEW can't either. It is that simple. If they do what you are asking they are dropping to Impact/NWA level.


Formula 1, NCAA, NBA, NHL, European soccer? 
You don't think they don't have bigger deals than AEW?
If these organisations can suspend their activity, I don't know why AEW shouldn't!


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## TKO Wrestling (Jun 26, 2018)

French Connection said:


> Formula 1, NCAA, NBA, NHL, European soccer?
> You don't think they don't have bigger deals than AEW?
> If these organisations can suspend their activity, I don't know why AEW shouldn't!


None of that matters. All that matters in this case is what Vince does/doesn't do. They can't close if Vince is open.


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## French Connection (Apr 5, 2010)

TKO Wrestling said:


> None of that matters. All that matters in this case is what Vince does/doesn't do. They can't close if Vince is open.


Vince is nothing regarding the global crisis we are facing right now. 
If Vince wants to keep going in empty arenas, let him do it.


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## TKO Wrestling (Jun 26, 2018)

French Connection said:


> Vince is nothing regarding the global crisis we are facing right now.
> If Vince wants to keep going in empty arenas, let him do it.


Because it isn't worth stopping for. If a wrestler doesn't want to come, they don't have to. I am an avid AEW mark but this is awesome and this has to happen Wednesday night also:


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## captainzombie (Oct 21, 2013)

I posted this in the WWE thread, but want to post it here too.

If I'm WWE and AEW right now, I would get my wrestlers together for 3-4 days of tapings and tape as much TV as you can even if it means some empty arena shows. For WWE this will be harder since they have multiple shows to fill, but AEW can tape 2 days of Dynamite per day over the course of 3 days that can have them at least get 6 weeks worth of shows on TV but then also give the wrestlers this amount of time off and also not being at risk of getting the virus. Granted this is not practical, but it can help keep them still going on TV and keeping some of the momentum. They can also have guys cutting promos and doing some backstage stuff to fill out some of these shows.


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## #BadNewsSanta (Sep 26, 2004)

optikk sucks said:


> How long can you do this for?


Admittadely yes, it's not going to work weekly unless they get very creative.


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## Chan Hung (Dec 28, 2011)

As i mentioned on the SD thread, put the limited heels on one side of the empty arena as fans to cheer for heels and faces on other side. Least there will be an addition to the announcers. AEW is already doing great with video packages, etc...They should have a nice brawl-match, no holds barred in the entire arena...i'm sure that will be an additional match.


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## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

Serious suggestion: 

Every promotion should have a back catalogue ready to go in case of shutdown or tragedy. A wrestler dying, for example, doesn’t need a haphazard tribute show. The Benoit scenario also put WWE in a pickle. There should be a “Sorry, folks. We can’t do our regularly scheduled program tonight, but here is something you haven’t seen before.”

Now, AEW can’t have these around the block like WWE can (but doesn’t). Hell, they could just air the Mae Young Classic or something. But AEW could dip into their limited back catalogue and do spotlights for a few weeks as they put proper things together. Do a Cody vs. Dustin special. Explain who they are. Have them talk about the match. Maybe even break it up and let them talk about their emotions at that point. Have wrestlers comment. What does JR think? Arn Anderson think? Chris Jericho think? Do it in fucking kayfabe though.

Showing off some personalities in AEW is detrimental, because a lot of them are insufferable. But it could help people latch onto personalities. MJF talking about Cody vs. Dustin could be hilarious. “I loved watching both those pieces of crap beat each other half to death and then hug afterwards like they were better off. I used to beat the shit out of my little sister all the time, but they didn’t put it on PPV.”

Simultaneously, run an “AEW Underground Tournament.” A tournament of Empty Arena Matches, maybe with a few people there. Brodie Lee, Matt Hardy, Lance Archer, Cody, Dustin Rhodes, Wardlow, The Butcher and The Blade all enter. None of them are egregiously offensive. Maybe you should have Mox in there? Pull out Wardlow and have him as an extra opponent at some point, because MJF should be on these shows.

Everyone has their own story. Lee is the 40-year-old looking for one last shot at glory. Matt’s had his glory, but is chasing it again. Archer is Jake’s puppet. Moxley doesn’t give a fuck. The Blade and The Butcher are hired guns with The Bunny in the skimpiest attire you’ve got. Cody wants Archer but will have to get through MJF’s men to get him. Dustin was invited to participate by someone, but he isn’t sure who. Give it an underground fight club feel.

I won’t book the whole thing, but you can probably tell how it goes. Guys who are knocked out come back all pissed off, looking for revenge setting things up for your return to TV proper. Jericho can be the guy who throws the tournament so you can still have him on your shows, insulting the participants. He can do the introductions for them even. Have him and the Inner Circle on a balcony.

That takes you through seven weeks at least. Your spotlights can be Cody vs. Dustin, Jericho vs. Page, Omega vs. Mox, Cody vs. Jericho, Cody vs. MJF, Mox vs. Jericho and _sigh_ Omega/Page vs. The Young Bucks (without much talking). 

That gets you through.


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## Pippen94 (Jan 10, 2020)

The Wood said:


> Serious suggestion:
> 
> Every promotion should have a back catalogue ready to go in case of shutdown or tragedy. A wrestler dying, for example, doesn’t need a haphazard tribute show. The Benoit scenario also put WWE in a pickle. There should be a “Sorry, folks. We can’t do our regularly scheduled program tonight, but here is something you haven’t seen before.”
> 
> ...


Why do I get feeling you are amusing yourself & nobody else?


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## Jazminator (Jan 9, 2018)

This is such a unique circumstance, and maybe that calls for a unique way to handle "Dynamite."

Maybe open the show in a darkened and empty arena. Only the ring is lit. Have Cody, the Bucks and Kenny sitting in directors chairs talking about what a weird feeling this is. Have them explain to the TV camera that they have a few matches that will take place, but first they want to address the current situation with the coronavirus. Have the four execs "shoot" for a while on having to balance worker safety with the "show must go on" mentality.

After a while, have the Inner Circle walk out from a tunnel or something and start heckling the Elite. Maybe they challenge them to a fight. Then a camera catches Hangman Page about to enter the fray, but thinks the better of it, and quietly leaves into the shadows. After the two groups trade insults and threats, have Aubrey Edwards come out and tells everyone to knock it off because the first match is about to start.

Out comes MJF. He sneers at Cody as the Elite members return to the back. Then out comes Darby Allin.

MJF vs Darby Allin. JR, Tony and Excalibur take their places at the announce table.

Etc., etc., etc.

Basically, I think it would be cool to have some empty arena matches mixed in with "worked shoot" interviews with talents around the ring and in their dressing rooms.


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## French Connection (Apr 5, 2010)

@The Wood @TKO Wrestling
I have nothing against your suggestions guys. But a wrestling show without a live audience just look horrible. 
Actually this Covid19 is more problematic for WWE than it is for AEW.
They have to put something on the table to build up their biggest show of the year.
But I am pretty sure they will stop it if WM is cancelled.

Aew is still new and can freeze their storylines and postpone their events and PPV until everything return to normal. 
Nobody can blame them for doing that while most major sports competitions are doing this around the world!

Please, just don't do the Exalted One revelation in an empty arena, it will look crap, and you will be the first to claim it is.


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## DaSlacker (Feb 9, 2020)

Simple solution.

Have wrestlers from the roster cut 5-10 minute promos on anything. Live stream each from their homes if necessary. There is a reason Podcasts and vlogs are so popular - people like to listen to people. Just listening to MJF, JR, Chris, Jake etc talk past and present. Also give some needed promo time to Kenny, Adam, Scorpio, Lance.

Hire archive content from NJPW, MLW, Dragongate, ROH etc to show matches from said performers never seen before on TNT.


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## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

French Connection said:


> @The Wood @TKO Wrestling
> I have nothing against your suggestions guys. But a wrestling show without a live audience just look horrible.
> Actually this Covid19 is more problematic for WWE than it is for AEW.
> They have to put something on the table to build up their biggest show of the year.
> ...


Hmm, it's dicey. The best thing I've heard for AEW's side is that the Khans don't have as much money tied up in AEW as they do WWE. Theoretically, a relaunch could actually be good for them. Give them a chance to restart, fire all the guys that frequent Dark and start from scratch. Do some angles where MJF is holding out for money, but he's got a provisional contract so no one can touch him or he'll take his "other offer." They've bungled the first show, maybe don't even call this one Dynamite and treat it as a "pilot," so to speak. I mean, they could scrap the entire Women's Division and just pretend it never happened. 

But it could also kill them dead. Resetting could lose them the fans they already have and they may not make new ones -- especially if they stick to insisting their shitty guys have roles. Whatever "momentum" AEW is perceived as having, could be drastically halted here. 

WWE could actually use a break, if it's imposed. They've never really ever had one. Not that it's a bad thing, but holy shit, Vince might actually not mind not working on wrestling if he stops fucking doing it for one day. And I don't doubt that they would do a far bigger relaunch for WWE than AEW would do for themselves.


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## Chan Hung (Dec 28, 2011)

Yeah i forgot the Exalted One to come out to an empty arena will suck ass. LMAO


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## The Masked Avenger (Apr 18, 2018)

I have a feeling the Dark Order will delay the reveal of the Exalted One until they can have a crowd back.


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## NathanMayberry (Oct 11, 2019)

What is going to be revealing if and when AEW has an empty Arena show is just how untrained their Wrestlers are.

Its easy to feed off the crowd and lib. But how do you carry that over in front of no one?


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## punkypower (Mar 2, 2020)

Wasn't sure of the best place to put this, but ultimately figure this is best place..

This is GENIUS..and, as many have been saying in the weekly threads, no more of Hangman partaking of others' beers...


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1238534664740102149


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## Buster Baxter (Mar 30, 2015)

This is very tough situation to be in. I say they should go on hiatus instead of running empty arena shows, a wrestling show in front of no crowd just doesn't work.


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## Chan Hung (Dec 28, 2011)

I still think that they should gather all their talent although very limited put them in the stands to make a little bit of noise and clapping and booing and just go from there


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## Optikk is All Elite (Sep 5, 2007)

Chan Hung said:


> I still think that they should gather all their talent although very limited put them in the stands to make a little bit of noise and clapping and booing and just go from there


Friends and family 

might be worth also taping a few shows at a time. Leaks shouldn’t happen if it’s behind closed doors.


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## RiverFenix (Dec 10, 2011)

No fan/empty arena shows just don't show well IMO. But ratings are up for SDL this week - I guess a case of less competition when NBA, NHL cancelled and folks more likley to be staying home(hopefully). So maybe WWE and AEW know what they're doing with empty arena shows rather than not running them. 

I thought AEW had something planned when Daniels challenged Uno and Grayson to fight him anywhere - Dynamite, Dark or in a parking lot. I thought for sure they were setting up a parking lot match. Then he fought Uno on the Dark taping. 

Maybe cancel Dark and air those taped matches on Dynamite. I guess he could still fight Grayson in a parking lot match or something.


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## DOTL (Jan 3, 2012)

AEW should just film a bunch of things on a closed set. There’s no reason the story should stop because you don’t have a crowd.


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## 304418 (Jul 2, 2014)

If the Dark Order swarmed the ring and the Match Beyond cage during the Inner Circle vs Elite match (empty arena of course) and kayfabe shut down the promotion for a few weeks, or kayfabe took over the promotion and ran several weeks of brainwashing members of the roster to join them, would that be acceptable?


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## shandcraig (Mar 23, 2008)

DOTL said:


> AEW should just film a bunch of things on a closed set. There’s no reason the story should stop because you don’t have a crowd.


most part yes but when you have debuts like possibly matt hardy you absolutely have to stop. Debuts are based around your crowd reaction and the hype of it. 

no reason why the story cant be continued to be told .Its only going to be about 2 to 3 weeks. They need to post pone blood and guts though


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## captainzombie (Oct 21, 2013)

shandcraig said:


> most part yes but when you have debuts like possibly matt hardy you absolutely have to stop. Debuts are based around your crowd reaction and the hype of it.
> 
> no reason why the story cant be continued to be told .Its only going to be about 2 to 3 weeks. They need to post pone blood and guts though


Yeah, Blood and Guts does need to be rescheduled maybe for later in April or even beginning of May. You really need a crowd for this kind of match and even the reveal of the exhalted one.


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## thisissting (Aug 14, 2018)

NathanMayberry said:


> What is going to be revealing if and when AEW has an empty Arena show is just how untrained their Wrestlers are.
> 
> Its easy to feed off the crowd and lib. But how do you carry that over in front of no one?


Their commentators are better than wwe by far so they can carry a no crowd match easily.


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## AEW_19 (May 15, 2019)

They probably need to put on Dynamite each week to keep casual viewers watching. If they go on hiatus, there could be a chunk of people who won't return to watch.


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## cai1981 (Oct 2, 2016)

validreasoning said:


> It will hurt it but it's a company run by a multi billionaire not a fledgling enterprise.
> 
> WWE would be in bigger danger. They are still a small family run business in truth and need to continuously put on shows to survive. They have $200m cash on hand but that would quickly be burned through if shows are forced to be cancelled. Vince's personal fortune is all tied up in WWEs success so completely different to AEW.


You've got it backwards my friend...AEW is run by wrestlers who have the backing of ONE multi-billionaire. WWE is run by a billionaire but is a publicly traded company....meaning they have investors and other outside entities backing them up. They have not been "small" in almost 40 years (as business BOOMED with Hulkamania in the mid 80's) and became public and no longer just "family run" just over 20 years ago (October 19, 1999 to be exact). I know that from being a fan for over 30 years myself and got the mentioned date by looking it up...which is what you should have done before making such statements.

AEW stands to take a MUCH harder hit than WWE as they are still just building their audience and following and do not have the amount of support WWE does...Vince PLUS investors PLUS the company being self sustaining and still bringing in record profits are worth more far more than Khan alone!


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## punkypower (Mar 2, 2020)

No official answer, but when Cody was asked on Twitter whether Dynamite would be in front of an empty audience..





__





CODY COMMENTS WHETHER AEW WILL RUN DYNAMITE IN FRONT OF NO AUDIENCE | PWInsider.com







www.pwinsider.com


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## DaSlacker (Feb 9, 2020)

cai1981 said:


> You've got it backwards my friend...AEW is run by wrestlers who have the backing of ONE multi-billionaire. WWE is run by a billionaire but is a publicly traded company....meaning they have investors and other outside entities backing them up. They have not been "small" in almost 40 years (as business BOOMED with Hulkamania in the mid 80's) and became public and no longer just "family run" just over 20 years ago (October 19, 1999 to be exact). I know that from being a fan for over 30 years myself and got the mentioned date by looking it up...which is what you should have done before making such statements.
> 
> AEW stands to take a MUCH harder hit than WWE as they are still just building their audience and following and do not have the amount of support WWE does...Vince PLUS investors PLUS the company being self sustaining and still bringing in record profits are worth more far more than Khan alone!


Alternatively, as things stand right now they have 900 full time employees and not many revenue streams: TV rights, licensing, e-commerce and the network. Of course, on the flip side of very little in the way of logistic costs. A lot of admin costs due to issuing 1000s of refunds.

Ratings could increase or decrease once the empty arena novelty wears off. If they have to start pre empting when the virus peaks, then the 6 year long decline could be speeded up. For example, WWE is addictive but once you cut ties it's easy to fully walk away .Say everything is back to normal in 3 months. WWE returns with a bang and WrestleMania occurs. They do well initially but fewer fans stick around as it's still the same thing they were doing before. Additionally, they could be competing with Olympics and a string of sports and then the return of MNF.


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## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

cai1981 said:


> You've got it backwards my friend...AEW is run by wrestlers who have the backing of ONE multi-billionaire. WWE is run by a billionaire but is a publicly traded company....meaning they have investors and other outside entities backing them up. They have not been "small" in almost 40 years (as business BOOMED with Hulkamania in the mid 80's) and became public and no longer just "family run" just over 20 years ago (October 19, 1999 to be exact). I know that from being a fan for over 30 years myself and got the mentioned date by looking it up...which is what you should have done before making such statements.
> 
> AEW stands to take a MUCH harder hit than WWE as they are still just building their audience and following and do not have the amount of support WWE does...Vince PLUS investors PLUS the company being self sustaining and still bringing in record profits are worth more far more than Khan alone!


Investors can pull the fuck out at any time. If WWE stops running shows, that stock price can go, down, down, down. Vince is at the mercy of the market. That is the point. And when the market is down, Vince is down. Shad Khan is a billionaire that has several different sources for his income, and while he will no doubt be feeling the crunch too, his billions are really his billions. 

That being said, Vince is not going to abandon WWE. Depending on how long this thing lasts, Shad Khan might see AEW as the third rung in a sports folio he that thinks is better cutting loose. It's a wait-and-see game.


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## bdon (Nov 12, 2019)

The Wood said:


> Investors can pull the fuck out at any time. If WWE stops running shows, that stock price can go, down, down, down. Vince is at the mercy of the market. That is the point. And when the market is down, Vince is down. Shad Khan is a billionaire that has several different sources for his income, and while he will no doubt be feeling the crunch too, his billions are really his billions.
> 
> That being said, Vince is not going to abandon WWE. Depending on how long this thing lasts, Shad Khan might see AEW as the third rung in a sports folio he that thinks is better cutting loose. It's a wait-and-see game.


Totally fair take.

I wouldn’t and don’t expect investors to pull out, nor do I think Shad will pull out during this time period.

But AEW not having the addicted fans that a WWE does will make things interesting ratings wise if the weekly shows take a hit.


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## Bloody Warpath (Jan 6, 2020)

Has anyone cleared up the Dailey's Place mess this Wednesday? Friday morning AEW announced they would be running there despite the Mayor canceling events in city-owned facilities. Dailey's Place is owned by the City of Jacksonville. Friday afternoon the City of Jacksonville Twitter responded to a question from a fan asking if the shutdown includes Dynamite from Daily's and they responded with a yes. So what actually is going on? If the city owns the facility and they say there will be no events there really is not much AEW could do. Surely they would not attempt to run a show after being told not to as that would be some major backlash.


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## rbl85 (Nov 21, 2017)

Bloody Warpath said:


> Has anyone cleared up the Dailey's Place mess this Wednesday? Friday morning AEW announced they would be running there despite the Mayor canceling events in city-owned facilities. Dailey's Place is owned by the City of Jacksonville. Friday afternoon the City of Jacksonville Twitter responded to a question from a fan asking if the shutdown includes Dynamite from Daily's and they responded with a yes. So what actually is going on? If the city owns the facility and they say there will be no events there really is not much AEW could do. Surely they would not attempt to run a show after being told not to as that would be some major backlash.


The city agreed because there will be no fans.


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## Bloody Warpath (Jan 6, 2020)

rbl85 said:


> The city agreed because there will be no fans.


Be interesting to see how flights are when they try to come in. Airports are already crammed and flights are only at half capacity. Airlines are a very risky place to be currently.


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## shandcraig (Mar 23, 2008)

bdon said:


> Totally fair take.
> 
> Bit off topic lol
> 
> ...



Some people dont agree with me but ive said since day 1 that wwe demise has been since the day it went public. Wrestling being influenced by stockholders is madneas. The product still was ok for a few years after it happend but even then the changes slowly started taking place

This will be a huge advantage for AEW in the long run.

Its like that few years these qeak companies like EA catering to justice warriors that dont even by games in the first place is damaging and that proved so.


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## Citadel_James (Mar 12, 2018)

I don't think they can afford to air nothing, as they're still relatively new and WWE will keep some sort of output which will lure over the casual viewer.

Surely the best thing for AEW is to just do a massive block taping to get them through for the next few weeks


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## kingfrass44 (Sep 19, 2019)

thisissting said:


> Their commentators are better than wwe by far so they can carry a no crowd match easily.


commentators They couldn't carry Show Even if good


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## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

bdon said:


> Totally fair take.
> 
> I wouldn’t and don’t expect investors to pull out, nor do I think Shad will pull out during this time period.
> 
> But AEW not having the addicted fans that a WWE does will make things interesting ratings wise if the weekly shows take a hit.


I don’t think the Khans are going to pull out either. I mean, the expenses would basically be in paying people, and they’d probably have to pay people anyway, so why not keep it open?

It’d more be the headache of the thing and a possible sell, although I don’t think anyone would be buying right now (maybe Vince?). I think the real ramifications will take place when things start up again.

As you said, the ratings are going to be interesting. This potentially gives AEW a chance for a relaunch. I mean, is there anything that says they can’t change the name of the show? Not that a fresh coat of paint always works or is even necessary, but they could potentially get buses painted up and pretend that things like The Dark Order and Orange Cassidy never happened. They could get 1.4 million viewers — possibly more.

Buuuut, it could also go the other way. Without it truly being an ingrained habit the fan-base being not as dedicated as people thought, being out of practice could lead to an extraordinarily cold relaunch. It’s much harder to get people into something they’ve stopped caring about.

The Khans might be less effected, but their show might be the most (one way or another



shandcraig said:


> Some people dont agree with me but ive said since day 1 that wwe demise has been since the day it went public. Wrestling being influenced by stockholders is madneas. The product still was ok for a few years after it happend but even then the changes slowly started taking place
> 
> This will be a huge advantage for AEW in the long run.
> 
> Its like that few years these qeak companies like EA catering to justice warriors that dont even by games in the first place is damaging and that proved so.


I don’t think anyone would disagree with the WWF going public as the beginning of the end. I think it is possible to have both a successful promotion and have investors, but you’ve just got to temper what their expectations are with a product that is viable and generating revenue on its own.

Vince is focused on the bottom-line all the time, and he’s afraid to take a hit with investors, so he has become a volume business. If he sacrificed $100 million per year for that third hour gone, investors might question it, but the product would benefit, at least a little bit. He is actually pretty scared of making those decisions though.

New leadership with investors could be the best thing for them. Don’t be afraid to create edgy content on the side, because there is a place for edgy content. If sponsors want out, sure, they’ll find new ones. They’ll also make it up with the TV money.


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## Jazminator (Jan 9, 2018)

I for one am glad the storylines are proceeding. Can’t wait to see who the Exalted zone is this Wednesday!


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## Erik. (Mar 17, 2014)

Real good oppertunity for AEW to see what they can do different to what WWE are doing with no audience.

Perhaps show some creativity in terms of segments away from the arena, showing Hangman shopping for alcohol or making his own brew etc. Seeing the Inner workings and thought process of the guys.


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## shandcraig (Mar 23, 2008)

The Wood said:


> I don’t think the Khans are going to pull out either. I mean, the expenses would basically be in paying people, and they’d probably have to pay people anyway, so why not keep it open?
> 
> It’d more be the headache of the thing and a possible sell, although I don’t think anyone would be buying right now (maybe Vince?). I think the real ramifications will take place when things start up again.
> 
> ...


Elon Musk is someone that doenst let idiot investors fuck his company. He revealed the cybertruck and with in an hour the stock dropped dramatically yet with in a day they had like 100 thousand pre orders for the truck. Investors playing smarty pants over what the fuck the people spending money on the product want.


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## Jazminator (Jan 9, 2018)

The MGM has shuttered it’s doors in response to Covid-19. That’s where “Double or Nothing” is scheduled to take place. I’m hoping against hope this mess is over by then. We already got our tickets.


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## bdon (Nov 12, 2019)

Jazminator said:


> The MGM has shuttered it’s doors in response to Covid-19. That’s where “Double or Nothing” is scheduled to take place. I’m hoping against hope this mess is over by then. We already got our tickets.


Same here, man.


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## Bloody Warpath (Jan 6, 2020)

Jazminator said:


> The MGM has shuttered it’s doors in response to Covid-19. That’s where “Double or Nothing” is scheduled to take place. I’m hoping against hope this mess is over by then. We already got our tickets.


Well the CDC has put out a recommendation to not have any gatherings of over 50 people for a minimum of 8 weeks. If, and that is a huge if currently, things are under control and vaccinated up things would be opened within a few days of DoN.


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## Chan Hung (Dec 28, 2011)

Its weird with no fans. And they should.hold back.on the debut of exalted one


Bloody Warpath said:


> Well the CDC has put out a recommendation to not have any gatherings of over 50 people for a minimum of 8 weeks. If, and that is a huge if currently, things are under control and vaccinated up things would be opened within a few days of DoN.


Which would be too late. Travelers etc dont want to know a few days beforehand if they are having the event afterall, they need to know a couple weeks in advance. That also would be bad for AEW to not know til a few days up to DON. So this whole coronashit is messing it up for everyone but its in the sake of health first.


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## Optikk is All Elite (Sep 5, 2007)

Bloody Warpath said:


> Well the CDC has put out a recommendation to not have any gatherings of over 50 people for a minimum of 8 weeks. If, and that is a huge if currently, things are under control and vaccinated up things would be opened within a few days of DoN.


Vaccinations could take 6-12 months...


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## roadkill_ (Jan 28, 2010)

kingfrass44 said:


> commentators They couldn't carry Show Even if good


Ross and Schiavone are good commentators, even with age taken into consideration.


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## TD Stinger (May 9, 2012)

At this point things to start getting back to normal in terms wrestling or sports until like June. And as far as having full events with fans again, it feels like it will be even later than that.


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## Stadhart02 (Aug 31, 2016)

Hangman Page is just so great at the moment

Damn shame this stupid virus will end up stopping the shows. The idea above of doing a mass lot of tapings is a good one or get some Total Nonstop Deletion style matches recorded - loads they can do


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## Geeee (Aug 9, 2010)

It sure has sucked for Jon Moxley


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