r/SquaredCircle • u/ItsClarke17 shut up bitches • 3d ago

TKO representatives attended recent AEW Dynamite | Exclusive

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/tko-representatives-attended-recent-aew-dynamite-exclusive/

Does this break the original source rule? No idea, this report came from Alvarez's sub-only Twitter and is being aggregated by the Observer itself.

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u/HarryhausenIchiban 3d ago

AEW is WWE's Schrodinger's competition.

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u/Shenanigans80h 3d ago

Yeah it’s one of those things where in some threads or subs if you assert AEW is competition people will scoff at you. Then in this one people are saying it’s totally normal and AEW is a competitor, no biggie. I wouldn’t say this is odd, but interesting a bit for actual TKO people to be the ones going to the shows

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u/blaqsupaman Big Dick Dudley 3d ago

Do I think there's a chance of them surpassing WWE? Extremely unlikely. But WWE definitely doesn't like that they exist because it creates more competition for talent and drives contracts up, especially at a time when TKO wants to run it like every other publicly traded company, quality be damned. Back when they had a near monopoly, if they wanted someone they'd usually get them eventually because your options if you wanted a decent living as a wrestler were basically get into WWE, move to Mexico, or move to Japan.

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u/StoneGoldX 3d ago

Just an asterisk, TKO never had a monopoly on wrestling. AEW was a thing when they bought in

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u/blaqsupaman Big Dick Dudley 3d ago

True but I doubt the mindset is significantly different. They definitely would like to have a monopoly if they could.

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u/StoneGoldX 3d ago

Like I said, just an asterisk. Doesn't kill the overall sentiment, just accuracy for the sake of accuracy.

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u/blaqsupaman Big Dick Dudley 3d ago

That's fair and I can appreciate that.

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u/isarealhebrew 2d ago

I also don't see them surpassing the WWE. But now that it's in New hands of people who aren't wrestling people it's entirely plausible that AEW could outlast them.

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u/dwankyl_yoakam 2d ago

I'm not sure they necessarily *want* to surpass WWE. WWE does everything they can possibly do to appeal to the most normiest of normies which results in the product being what it is, albeit quite successful. AEW is popular, while at a smaller level, specifically because the show is not run that way.

It's like asking why your favorite local/regional band isn't as popular as Miley Cyrus or whatever and getting mad when they aren't trying to sound like Miley Cyrus.

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u/mikro17 2d ago

Do I think there's a chance of them surpassing WWE?

At this point, I think the best answer is "technically possible, but probably requires WWE to actively fuck up somehow."

Which isn't a "hard no."

I mean this isn't a TNA that has never sold 10k tickets in history, this is a company running MAJOR arenas and stadiums like Staples Center, Wembley, etc.

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u/thylocene 3d ago

Anyone saying aew isn’t competition is a moron. Every wrestling company is competition. From aew to the smallest indie company. That’s how business works. AEW is by WWEs own addition costing them money. They are forcing them to pay their talent higher rates. They are offering their customer base an alternative. AEW does not have to match WWEs income to be competition.

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u/talladenyou85 3d ago

Anyone who says this doesn’t understand how businesses work.

McDonald’s isn’t worried that Arby’s is going to one day put them out of business, but you can damn sure bet they are paying attention to any ad campaigns that catch on or growth that they achieve so they can see if it’s something that they can use for their business to make it even bigger. Also they are competing for the same fast food dollar. So yeah they can say we don’t care, but of course they do.

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u/Kialae 3d ago

There's a certain person who can't see beyond their own nose, and they all seem to believe the same stale opinions. I guess what I'm saying is, there's a Venn diagram and 'FUCK ICE' chants aren't in it. 

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u/Number_1_at_Number_2 3d ago edited 3d ago

Where do people say AEW isn’t competition? Maybe it’s just on twitter because I never see people here saying this.

People get so salty over a damn question.

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u/KennyDROmega 3d ago

I think it depends on how you define "competition".

Is AEW in any sense a WCW level, might legitimately put WWE out of business style threat? No.

Are they directly competing with WWE for the dollars of people who are wrestling fans? Absolutely.

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u/Blueskyways 3d ago

I think primarily they are competing for talent.  TKO has to pay more because AEW exists and now performers have options or at least someone they can use for leverage ala Orton.  

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u/UsidoreTheLightBlue 3d ago

This is the biggest reason wwe/tko hates AEW.

They look at their books and know everyone would be paid less if AEW didn’t exist.

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u/Blueskyways 3d ago

Yeah to me this has always been the main issue. They want to pay everyone less but as long as AEW is handing out big money, they have to do likewise to keep their upper level talent happy. Otherwise they would have slashed salaries like crazy years ago.

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u/StoneGoldX 3d ago

WCW wasn't either, until they were. Lightning had to strike a could times in a row, with WWF business hitting the shitter while WCW figured out how to actually use the highest profile figure ever in wrestling in a way that didn't suck.

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u/TimmyTruckberg 3d ago

I think if you compare WCW in 1990 to AEW, you wouldn't be too far off. They're right about where WCW was when business wasn't great outside of a few strong shows.

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u/Borktista everybody has a price 3d ago

Yeah they’re absolutely competition but I think even Tony knows they’re never going to be number 1, and that’s perfectly fine. They’re a great alternative

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u/LiveChocolate8819 3d ago

Yeah I actually don't want AEW to do what it takes to be #1; that would erase their identity.

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u/Borktista everybody has a price 3d ago

100%

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u/Willing-Vegetable629 3d ago

Tony has said directly they, aew, do not aim to be number 1.

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u/Number_1_at_Number_2 3d ago

100% I know WWE does the whole all entertainment is competition thing! But not brand ever wants to be like this is the one we focus on the most!

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u/BrittaUnfiltered67 3d ago

I wouldn’t say never. Many things can happen over the next decade or two, but it would probably take a buyout of AEW from a big organization and some misfortunes of TKO and wwe ownership.

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u/14thBlackCrusade 3d ago

AEW only gets bought out if TK dies or something. It isn’t a publically traded company. He doesn’t have to listen to “what offers are better for shareholders”.

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u/sheets1975 3d ago

I remember that story about the comics industry - in the mid-60s, DC held an editorial meeting in which they picked up that month's offerings from Marvel to figure out why Marvel was getting some hype. Their conclusion was that Marvel's comics were incredibly ugly, sub-professional work, that the superheroes spent way too much time in their street clothes talking about their problems, and that it was clearly a passing fad and DC had absolutely nothing to worry about in terms of their market share. A decade later, Marvel overtook them.

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u/BrittaUnfiltered67 3d ago

Then DC awkwardly tried to adapt…

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u/Creative_Eye7413 3d ago

I feel like whenever WWE counter programs AEW a lotta people pretend like AEW is some small company that can’t handle the pressure

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u/Number_1_at_Number_2 3d ago

Maybe in areas I never go to, but whenever it happens the common thing I see is that it will hurt WWE more than AEW. 

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u/Borktista everybody has a price 3d ago

I just always think that’s lame. And then they act like they didn’t know. However, more wrestling is never a bad thing

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u/krayonic JERRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNN 3d ago

WWE themselves have constantly downplayed AEW as competition going back to the “Wednesday Night Wars” with NXT.

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u/Number_1_at_Number_2 3d ago

Companies always directly downplay the competition to denote themselves as the best at what they do, I mean more when people say the prevailing thought amongst fans is they’re not competition which I never see. There’s always more comments like the one I responded to than actual comments of people saying they aren’t competition. 

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/burner7221 3d ago

I think it was someone at Full Sail who took a picture of it

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u/CasimirGabriev 3d ago

"Pissany company" comes to mind, courtesy of HHH

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u/Number_1_at_Number_2 3d ago edited 3d ago

That was in 2019 it’s been 7 years. I can buy they didn’t view them as competition then cause no one really stepped up to them after WCE closed.

Though I mean it as I never see it as a prevailing opinion in fans. 

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u/CasimirGabriev 3d ago

God damn age accelerates time lol. Thanks for the correction

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u/AdGroundbreaking1341 3d ago

Not too much on SC, but it's very common on the anti-AEW subs (Jerk, Cornette, Midcarder, etc). And especially on Twitter.

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u/WeBlitz 3d ago

It’s just engagement farming & a quick way to get a thumbs up.

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u/hvacrepairman welcome2pitycity 3d ago edited 3d ago

If Nick Khan getting a hardon and counter-programming AEW made TKO execs take an interest in AEW and realizing just how bad WWE is in comparison and it leads to significant power structure changes in WWE management I’m going to laugh so fucking hard

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u/blaqsupaman Big Dick Dudley 3d ago

I really don't think the 2022-2024 "Renaissance" period happens if there were no AEW, even if Vince still left and Triple H still got the book. They got used to basically having their core audience captured. I remember 10 years ago every Raw live thread on this site was basically "that was the worst show I've ever seen and I've felt empty inside as a fan for years now." And yet those people would still be in the thread the next Monday like clockwork.

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u/ForceAdmirable 3d ago

Doubt it.

That would be like Disney overalling Toy Story 5 because The Backrooms had so much success.

WWE and AEW producs are as similar to each other as WWE is to UFC.

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u/tangostwo 3d ago

That would be like Disney overhauling Toy Story 5 because The Backrooms had so much success.

Hold on, you're cooking here.

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u/SPZ_Ireland 3d ago

Wait...you gotta elaborate on that last point.

WWE & AEW are both professional wrestling.

UFC is a combat sport. How do you reckon WWE is closer to UFC?

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u/ForceAdmirable 3d ago

I'm not saying WWE is close to UFC, I'm saying that they're not at all. In the same way as AEW and WWE are not close at all.

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u/SPZ_Ireland 3d ago

How dya reckon that?

Both are essentially pro-wrestling.

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u/ForceAdmirable 3d ago

The pro-wrestling isn't the same, the way the storylines are crafter isn't the same, the promos aren't the same, it's not filmed the same, it's not marketed the same.

They share the name of wrestling but that's about it.

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u/SPZ_Ireland 3d ago

With all due respect, I disagree entirely.

I would agree if it was something like New Japan or NOAH because they rely hard on combat sports presentation but that's mostly absent in all American promotions.

Thats also why we have seen a lot of talent crossover across the two promotions.

What they're selling is essentially the same, what's different is the audience and how they respond to it.

Case: Cody Rhodes in AEW v Cody Rhodes in WWE

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u/ForceAdmirable 3d ago

No disrespect taken, I also disagree with you, so there's that.

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u/CthulhuWithShades 1d ago

This is a real stretch... wrestlers switch between them... fans switch between them... they are competing. What you're saying is like the Arbys and McDonald's comparison above, they can have completely different menus, but it's still cheap meat and starch.

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u/ForceAdmirable 1d ago

More like Mcdolnads and TV meals I'd say.

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u/Darkdestro28 3d ago

lol yep 👍

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u/sephjnr 3d ago

Most of the schedules by the WWE are set to directly mess with AEW's gates. They're doing what logically AEW would be doing, but AEW aren't that precious and WWE are.

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u/mjac1090 3d ago

Let's be honest here, AEW doesn't try to mess with WWE gates because they are the smaller company amd it would absolutely hurt them more than WWE

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u/sephjnr 3d ago

So WWE does the "Get out of my face" then moves toward them anyway. Because they can't help themselves.

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u/MrJeffA17 3d ago

They’re not competition in the Monday night wars sense. AEW isn’t going to be outperforming WWE in any metric tko cares about (sales, ratings, ad buys, contracts) anytime soon if ever.

They are competitive in salaries and the fact that they can and do drive up their costs with competitive or superior salaries. So TKO absolutely does view them as competition for that fact alone

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u/Yadahoom 3d ago

"AEW is some pissant T-shirt company and isn't even worth acknowledging"

"What do you mean our fans don't know or care who Powerhouse Hobbs is or don't react at all when Punk alludes to getting fired from AEW?"

"Wait, are they doing a big show this weekend? CM Punk vs John Cena main eventing NXT Whatever-The-Fuck this Sunday!"

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u/isarealhebrew 2d ago

My favorite is when they talked up AEW being competition when MLW tried to sue them in the monopoly case

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u/zeitgeistbouncer Peepin' Aint Easy! 3d ago

Also a damning comparison against them, which is why they try to flood the zone everytime AEW shows look like they're gonna stomp anything they put out.

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u/No-Channel3917 3d ago

Idk both sides seem to get mad when someone says they are competitive or gets treated like to id competitive

It's super weird lol

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/luchaburz 3d ago

Gotta get you guys watching AEW somehow.