I just wrote an articles about why it is that AEW will succeed so now I am going to look at the same comparison but with pessimistic eyes instead. I recently started watching AEW and so have a great many other people as they search for an alternative to WWE. Like with most things, there is some good and some bad. Here are some of the reasons I think that AEW will eventually fail.
It just looks kind of cheap compared to WWE
There's no way for me to really show this to you without you looking at a video or two and if you care enough you will seek that out on your own. Because a big part of pro wrestling is the promotional trash talking videos and the hype leading up to the matches, it is a really big part of the system and it always has been. I remember back in the days of NWA wrestling and how it was just a small studio with a man and a microphone. It didn't look cheap back then because we didn't know any better.
WWE on the other hand didn't do weekly shows back then so when they did cut a public promo the production value was friggin huge. They still do really good promos and their superstars are for the most part fantastic actors. AEW doesn't have WWE's pockets but they could seriously use some better cinematography or at the minimum, better script-writers.
The women's division is garbage
Full disclosure: I am not a fan of the women's divisions in any wrestling promotion and if i have a choice because the event is recorded I will almost always skip the women's matches. I'm not saying there are zero talented women wrestlers but the push to not overly sexualize the division is a mistake. Call my misogynistic if you want to but the only time the women's division was terribly popular was back in the "attitude era" where the women's division was completely sexualized.
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I don't think Stacy Keibler even wrestled.. i'm not sure about that
Be that as it may, the AEW's women's division is particularly bad. The matches have tons of mistakes and the promos are extremely fake-looking. They need to improve dramatically on this or sexualize it immediately. I know that isn't very PC these days but the way that it is now, is just trash and nobody likes it. Think of what your target demographic is guys....
Ex WWE talent is in the limelight
I am happy that some of the old boys are coming over to play at AEW but the fact of the matter is that a lot of these guys, after taking a break from constantly working out and probably getting off the drugs as well is that their physiques are not the best. Jericho in particular looks quite pudgy and his chest definition is basically gone. He still has the microphone skills and does a great job there, but mostly he just looks silly in the ring now.
AEW needs to use their ex WWE types in order to create interest in their unique and original superstars because before long we are going to see these old boys get too old to participate. It might be difficult for them to pull of the creation of new superstars because if they do so, WWE will simply buy them out from under them. I am sure there needs to be some real strict contracts but honestly, there are no stars in AEW right now that aren't from WWE.... and they keep adding more retirees rather than developing fresh talent.
They need to stop bashing WWE
This is basically their only schtick at the moment. Rather than focusing on how they are AEW they constantly draw a comparison to how they are not WWE. We know this... this is why we are watching you but if you get into a battle with WWE do you really think that is going to end well for you?
For one thing i think it is a very bad idea to poke the giant with a stick the way they started doing back in January with Bash at the Beach which resulted in AEW getting sued by Vince McMahon. AEW can have their own thing but if they keep marketing themselves as the anti-WWE they are going to get crushed by Vince's gigantic ego. He will lose money to put you out of business the same way he did with WCW. Ted Turner was and is a billionaire and he couldn't defeat Vince in a wrestling war. If they continue to try this push of attacking WWE they are going to get on the lawyer-filled expressway to bankruptcy.
Final Word
AEW is exciting but it needs to make some changes and fast if if is going to gain relevancy. At the moment people are tuning in out of curiosity but they are going to have to give people a reason to come back and they better do it quickly before the allure wears off.
I hope they can succeed, if for no other reason than to give WWE a reason to strive for greatness. I feel as though over the past 2 years that WWE has kind of not given a crap about the fans because they are the only game in town. I don't think that AEW will overtake WWE, but they could coexist and improve both products if they play their cards right.
For now, if i had to guess I would say that unless some dramatic and lasting changes are made to AEW, that they wont exist in about 2 years.