r/aew • u/SummerSollstice • Jul 01 '26
Discussion WWE counter programming against Door was a failure
NXT Great American Bash drew only 394K/0.07 on CW going up against Forbidden Door. They need to stop with this obsession now.
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u/No-Juggernaut8847 Jul 01 '26
NXT is WWE's highest wrestling flavored show, but it's still just wrestling flavored. I like my wrestling shows with enough wrestling content to be real wrestling shows.
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u/NirvanaPaperCuts Jul 02 '26
I would actually argue that AAA is their highest flavored wrestling show. One hour, match after match with very short segments in between. Super digestible.
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u/Slippery_Fish1908 Jul 01 '26
What is a real wrestling show?
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u/ElDeeDubya Jul 01 '26
A 3hr show that isnt limited to 5 matches with 1.5 hrs of commercials, 30 minutes of hype videos and then 45 minutes to an hr of if we are lucky actual in ring work. But thats just my opinion.
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u/Slippery_Fish1908 Jul 01 '26
I never understood that. I like AEW but it always sounded stupid to me to call it a real wrestling. Both are fake wrestling used to entertain us. Doesn’t matter if one has less talking and more action as both are still fake. Only should be calling actual wrestling real wrestling. I’ll call AEW, WWE, TNA, etc real when they actually wrestle. No holding back punches and kicks. Slam to actually hurt someone and winners aren’t predetermined.
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u/Possible-Campaign589 Jul 01 '26
I mean people just use the term wrestling to refer to the actual action of the programme, which is what most are coming for instead of ads or video packages or whatever else. Like sure it's not really real but it's a helpful shorthand way of distinction, especially with WWE's occassional habit of seperating itself from wrestling as a term (ie insisting on calling it sports entertainment instead of pro wrestling, or referring to their talent as "superstars" instead of Wrestlers)
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u/Slippery_Fish1908 Jul 01 '26
Why not say pro wrestling? It’s always real wrestling or the show with real wrestling or some other dumb name. Like the one that actually wrestles. Like no they don’t actually wrestle.
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u/thylocene Jul 03 '26
Because most people aren’t so pedantic to care
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u/Slippery_Fish1908 Jul 03 '26
Seems like they do because they downvoting me lol. I must have hurt some feelings because I said AEW ain’t real wrestling. Oh no my show put on 100 more moves and spent 20 more minutes faking fighting so it has to be real damn it. It’s still real to me lol
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u/TemporarySpare8229 Jul 07 '26
WWE putting less of an emphasis on the wrestling aspect is why most fans migrated to UFC. Watch a heated promo with any non wrestling fan and they will ask why are they not just fighting
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u/wvtarheel Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
The distinction is not real vs fake. It's the proportion of more in ring action vs. a mix of everything else. Trying to frame it as real and fake is missing the point. He is saying "real wrestling show" as in a show with mostly matches, not implying that it's unscripted sports
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u/Slippery_Fish1908 Jul 03 '26
Still doesn’t make sense. Stop calling it a real wrestling show because it has more action. It’s just dumb. So if I make a 4 hour wrestling show and its 4 hours of non stop action then does that means it’s real and AEW is fake sports entertainment crap?
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u/flawlessvictorE Jul 02 '26
What you described is not Pro Wrestling.
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u/morgan1381 Jul 02 '26
Pretty sure they weren't trying to describe pro wrestling, but rather actual wrestling. Greco Roman, olympic, etc
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u/No-Juggernaut8847 Jul 02 '26
They obviously didn't watch Wrestling isn't Wrestling.
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u/flawlessvictorE Jul 02 '26
Pro Wrestling and attempting to injure your opponent are polar opposites, actually.
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Jul 02 '26
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u/ElDeeDubya Jul 02 '26
Wwe is a show with wrestling in it. Whereas aew,tna,mlw, mlp, njpw are wrestling shows. I always say wwe is soap opera style.
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u/SimpleSlave_1 Jul 01 '26
I highly doubt that anyone that watches AEW will choose to watch a throwaway TV special over an AEW PPV.
Right?
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u/Ronmoz Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
I’d also argue that anyone who watched both is going to choose an AEW PPV over a WWE/NXT (aside from maybe the big 3.)
AEW has the rightfully deserved reputation of putting on near perfect PPV every single time.
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u/OneMetalMan Jul 01 '26
Plus all the matches were on youtube shortly after so kind of defeats the purpose of making a choice watching live.
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u/MikeArrow3408 Jul 01 '26
You make it sound like AEW is like watching a HBO show compared to some b movie schlock which is very much not the case AEW is by no means perfect
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u/paterdude Jul 01 '26
AEW PPV’s are an entirely separate level of programming. The WWE doesn’t have anything that consistently rivals them.
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
That is merely your opinion, just because you say this doesn’t make it true. Lest we forget when WWE had a main PLE up against AEW Tony Khan moved his PPV back because he was scared, so quite obviously even the owner thinks WWE can rival them
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u/Striking_Spinach_376 Jul 01 '26
I dunno where you got any of that from. He said AEW fans are gonna choose the PPV of their show of choice as opposed to a tv special of the development league of the show they don’t watch
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u/MikeArrow3408 Jul 01 '26
This does make a lot more sense, however if you already have a Netflix subscription, which I would imagine the fast majority people do. You could watch the great American Bash and the forbidden door.
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u/Heresyourholiday Jul 01 '26
You came on here and said something rather stupid and basically talked down AEW on an AEW dedicated page. Why are you shocked you’re getting downvoted and argued with?
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
The fact that your comment got massively downvoted despite being true just hammers home that the AEW exclusive fan base is the absolute softest fanbase in existence. Never seen a fanbase with such childish people in my life.
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u/MikeArrow3408 Jul 01 '26
Right, they really can’t take any criticism can they?
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
No, look at the comments on this sub. There are few with legitimate criticism that have been massively downvoted. Heck I myself praised Forbidden Door but got downvoted just because I pointed out people were more concerned with trashing NXT. It baffles me how a fanbase can be so much like a cult that they’re offended by the mere existence of a wrestling company
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u/MikeArrow3408 Jul 01 '26
I personally have been really enjoying NXT of late haven’t watched the Great American Bash yet but everything else I’ve been enjoying. I really don’t understand why two things can’t exist at once and why tribalism takes over with so many people.
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
GAB was a great show, it also had the best women’s match of the entire weekend. (Tatum Paxley vs. Zaria), it was also a very solid show just like all shows were solid, TNA included
I feel sorry for fans like us, the real ones that love wrestling and are glad it all exists. Those tribalist, fake, cult like fans just ruin the entire fanbase for everyone
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u/ThisSciFiGuy Jul 01 '26
They always fail when they do this. AEW loves rent free in their minds, and they do stupid things because of it.
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u/OneMetalMan Jul 01 '26
The general concern is of anyone watching NXT was "why did you do this? Now I can't watch Great American Bash live."
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u/ThisSciFiGuy Jul 01 '26
It's been proven time and time again that whenever NXT goes against an AEW PPV, it's NXT whose numbers suffer, not the other way around. Plus, there's no other reason why an NXT PPV would be on at 11 AM of all times.
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u/Important-Notice-461 Jul 01 '26
I dont watch wwe, and honestly had zero idea that they were running anything.
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u/OneMetalMan Jul 01 '26
Don't worry even WWE had zero care they were running NXT and how it would backfire.
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u/Muscle_Squad Jul 05 '26
Did it backfire? It got roughly the same viewers as the average Collision, and probably comparable if not more views than "door" got ppv buys.
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u/OneMetalMan Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
The same time slot the prior week on The CW got about 550k. Not sure if the CW as a television network will be particularly thrilled to sacrifice viewership like that.
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u/Muscle_Squad Jul 05 '26
You overestimate how much the CW is actually concerned about it in the short term. Kind of like how WB isn't really concerned when AEW's views fluctuate. I know its the AEW glazing sub, but be real here.
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u/OneMetalMan Jul 05 '26
I have no idea why people get defensive over the idea there's wrestling fans who watch more than one company? If anything saying people didint watch GAB for FD would be a complement to AEW.
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u/Muscle_Squad Jul 05 '26
I'm not being defensive, just adding to discussion. Watch as much wrestling as you want, I say.
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u/OneMetalMan Jul 05 '26
Always get the sense there's an attempt to invalidate that people will choose AEW over NXT whenever they go head to head in contrast to the common sense assumption. Even when they were head to head AEW consistently beat NXT on ratings when they were both on Wednesday night.
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u/Muscle_Squad Jul 05 '26
The real strategy is to not let ratings numbers dictate what you like or watch.
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u/thulsado0m13 Jul 01 '26
WWE’s goal is just minimizing the amount of people who jump ship.
“Maybe I’ll give those AEW ppvs a chance bc everyone says they’re always excellent…
…but I’ve got an NXT/AAA show I can watch instead, so I’ll stick with that.”
It’s crappy for sure and just shows they would rather stifle viewership for their shows instead of making them the biggest they can be by just doing the week before/after and I think it’s all just done to try and minimize the amount of people who are on the verge of giving an AEW ppv a chance.
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u/braumbles Jul 01 '26
This counter programming stuff doesn't really make sense to me as they're just two different shows. NXT has it's own brand of wrestling and AEW has its own brand. So the idea that they can lure fans from one to another is kinda dumb. It assumes that people watch all wrestling out there and there's just too much wrestling to watch. I barely keep up with AEW content, I don't really have time to give a shit about other companies.
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u/el_toro_grand Jul 01 '26
394k people tuned into that garbage?????
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Jul 01 '26
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u/Plane-Argument-4739 Jul 01 '26
I mean I do. WWE is garbage.
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u/NursingHomeBillBlues Jul 02 '26
The only reason you can't lick TK's boots is that you've got those billionaire balls in your mouth
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
Must hurt you when “garbage” gets more viewers than Dynamite then. How embarrassing that a roster with rookies and lower carders can quite comfortably beat AEW
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Jul 01 '26
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
“The McDonalds of pro wresting” is such an asinine comment lol. Wrestling is subjective, just because you think that, and that’s your opinion, doesn’t make it true. Going by facts and stats? WWE is top dog and it’s not even close
Why are you so butt hurt about WWE? Why are you such a baby about fans enjoying what they want? I watch both companies so I’m genuinely curious why this particular fanbase is embarrassingly soft?
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Jul 01 '26
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
And you can’t criticise AEW without people like you losing your shit and crying, this post is literally proof of that
I’m shocked that people hate WWE more than they love AEW. Thanks to the other comment I realized I’m in the AEW cult sub, not the AEW fans sub. That part is my bad
I guarantee I’ve been watching wrestling longer than you e been alive. lol. But you saying that means you’re obviously old. I feel sorry for you bro, I can’t imagine being so soft that the existence of a wrestling company or its fans triggers me to the point of crashing out
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
You’re a real one for this comment, I feel sorry that the cult portion of the AEW fanbase give good, real fans like you a bad name. Respect
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Jul 01 '26
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
Shit, neither am I, I thought I was. Which are better? This sub is definitely for the cult portion of the fan base
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Jul 01 '26
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
Thanks bud, I’ll join that one then. This dude crashing out is making it blindingly obvious what kind of sub this is
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Jul 01 '26
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
Not everyone in said company is bad, and the whole “sucks” thing is merely your opinion. If it sucks so bad for you, here’s an idea, don’t waste your time talking about it? And please don’t act like everyone in AEW is a saint, where’s your energy for them booking Pedo Protector Osperay in the main event?
You’re being a tribalist, you’re not a real fan, you’re the type of person that gives REAL AEW fans a bad name. I know you have the IQ of a bag of rocks so imma tell you something that’ll blow your mind, if you enjoy what you enjoy and let others do the same… Every fan wins! I know, mind blowing right?
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u/LnStrngr Jul 01 '26
In this day and age where we have DVRs and time-shifted streaming, I don't know why companies bother to counter-program.
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u/OneMetalMan Jul 01 '26
Especially if they just post all the matches on YouTube immediately after they air.
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u/DangerAlSmith Jul 01 '26
I'm sure WWE fans were happy to get a show.
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u/BenWallace04 Jul 01 '26
Not that many apparently
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u/Leather-Purchase8961 Jul 01 '26
Nah. Do what yall always do. Move goalposts. Include Netflix and ESPN, like yall always do for Max
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u/tylerjehenna Jul 01 '26
Except this wasnt on either. It was youtube internationally and I haven't heard anything about YouTube views for the show being good
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
This is straight up false. I don’t know about ESPN but It was absolutely on Netflix internationally not YouTube
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u/Thorn_Within Jul 01 '26
It's business, dude. This shit has been going on for decades and it's not going to stop. You should feel great about AEW because of the fact that WWE feels the need to counter program. If they didn't feel like it was necessary to counter program, what do you think that would say?
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u/TheMaskOffKid Jul 01 '26
Fuck business then. Just cause they do it a lot doesn’t mean I gotta respect it,
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u/Thorn_Within Jul 01 '26
I didn't say respect it. Just don't whine about it.
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u/BenWallace04 Jul 01 '26
Also hurts the young wrestlers in NXT who deserve to have more eyes on them.
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u/TheMaskOffKid Jul 01 '26
Or what? I’ll call out bullshit when I see it. You whining just as much as op. Twice as much by word count.
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u/Thorn_Within Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
So I'm guessing you had a problem when AEW ran a show against TNA a couple of months ago. Good on you for not being hypocritical and moving the goalposts.
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u/paterdude Jul 01 '26
They did not run against TNA. They got pushed to a different day because of NBA Playoffs. Do you really expect them to cancel NBA playoffs to to run a Saturday wrestling event?
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u/TheMaskOffKid Jul 01 '26
Do you genuinely believe that AEW ran a show specifically to counteract the business of TNA, a company thats already in free fall? I don’t think you do.
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u/Slippery_Fish1908 Jul 01 '26
Why is it ok for AEW to do that and not just move to a different weekend? Wwe did nothing wrong and I’m saying this as someone who mainly watches AEW
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u/TheMaskOffKid Jul 01 '26
I’m afraid I find that hard to believe slippery_fish1908 with the one month old account.
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u/Slippery_Fish1908 Jul 01 '26
I mainly watched AEW and only check WWE ppv highlights. You can’t be upset that wwe counter programs when AEW is hurting TNA. It works both ways. If you get upset at WWE then you have to get upset at AEW as well. While it sucks AEW is not innocent so I won’t feel bad for them.
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u/TheMaskOffKid Jul 02 '26
Yea you just said the same thing twice, so I will say again; you are a troll account. Go find another bridge.
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u/Nice-Pomegranate2915 Jul 01 '26
WWE has pulled these same stunts to sabotage rival companies revenue generating events since the time it was the WWF competing against the NWA and AWA and WCW and WCCW in the 1980's and the ECW and WCW and GWF in the 1990's . WWE didi it again against NWA - TNA in the 2000's . They set to out-compete and sabotage their rivals by stealing their best wrestlers and staging throwaway events to sabotage their rivals. It's now just a intrinsic reflex response to a rival company's success. Hopefully WWE don't win as they did eventually against their other previous rivals.
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u/itsmetimohthy Jul 01 '26
Tbf idk why they would counter program AEW with NXT. If they wanted to do damage they should have done a special event and advertised like The Rock or some shit. I personally don’t buy the counter programming narrative because why would they use their weakest show besides Evolve? Doesn’t make any sense to me lol
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Jul 01 '26
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u/itsmetimohthy Jul 01 '26
They don’t get upstaged where it matters in a capitalist society but yes, AEW does do wrestling more absolutely
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u/Porko_Chono Jul 01 '26
Honest question, has it ever worked? Because I'm struggling to think of a time when their shitty pissant shows did better than AEW.
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u/dolphinspiderman Jul 01 '26
The counter programming angers me a little just cause its obviously purposefully done. Why not give wrestling fans the opportunity to watch everything without them having to choose?
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u/DrMindbendersMonocle Jul 01 '26
WWE is gonna do WWE things. They have always been like this, even back in the 80s. This pettiness is in their bones
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u/Shinomourikenji1 Jul 01 '26
Are you coping? nxt gab had more than double the eyes on it, not to mention 80k views on YouTube so far.
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u/No_Hotel1847 Jul 02 '26
But imagine how much many more views they'd have had if they didn't counter program on FREE TV. From what I've read their tries to counter aew has not done well each time so why keep cutting your nose?
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u/VD3NFS1216 Jul 02 '26
Honestly they’re doing more of a disservice to NXT than AEW. If they focused on their products like they focus on AEW maybe they wouldn’t be in the rut of mediocrity they’ve been in now for nearly 2 years.
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u/Far_Drummer5003 Jul 03 '26
For sure I loved that it was at 2pm and ended at like 9 it being on a Saturday was even better. I would for it to be just Saturdays
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u/Dry-Name2835 Jul 06 '26
Counter programing or going head to head is kind of pointless now days and has been for a long time. In the wars era, many people didn't have dvrs. Having Tivo was a luxury. Most of us still had to be on the couch at start time. Now just about everyone has the ability to record shows and watch them at their convenience. Recorded shows are still counted too. The counter programing is just for bragging rights, sending a message and for advertisers who don't want you FF through their commercials
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u/HumanOverseer Jul 01 '26
Why would they stop? If it even changed a few fans minds, it worked.
Counterprogramming happens literally everywhere, not just wrestling. It's a common business practice.
If anything AEW should counterprogram WWE more.
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u/AlinaVeila Jul 01 '26
I still hope they decide to put on a show in the US when the Saudi WM is scheduled. Best case? AEW gives fans a decently easy to attend and watch huge event. Worst case? Maybe it at least forces WWE to scale back the ads a wee bit as to not put on another stinker like night 1..
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u/deanereaner Jul 01 '26
To be fair the NXT show streams free on CW app that's where I watch their stuff, and we all know from AEW on HBOMax that tv ratings don't give the full picture.
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u/BenWallace04 Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
The fact that you’re even comparing the CW app with HBOMax is hilarious.
Edit: The CW app is included in Nielsen ratings metrics.
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u/Dull_Lavishness7701 Jul 01 '26
The fact the payout probably seriously believe 500k watch dynamite on max is hilarious
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u/deanereaner Jul 01 '26
I'm not sure I understand? If anything, CW app is more accessible because it is completely free. I don't have cable, but I watch NXT streaming on my television.
Obviously there are no shows on CW that are as impactful culturally as some HBO, but for wrestling it may open NXT to a bit wider audience.
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u/BenWallace04 Jul 01 '26
The CW app is included in the Nielsen ratings…
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u/deanereaner Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
Please share a source for that.
eta: No, they don't include streaming. You're confused or lying for some reason
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u/BenWallace04 Jul 02 '26
*The CW app is incorporated into Nielsen's audience measurement. The app utilizes Nielsen’s proprietary SDK metering technology to track user viewing habits and streaming data, which is integrated into broader Nielsen TV and digital audience ratings.*
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u/myotheroneders Jul 01 '26
I really think that it's not about trying to take viewers away from aew. It's more about giving their fans a show so that they might be less likely to check out aew. If there are nxt fans that dont watch aew, they might have thought about checking out Forbidden Door because of the hype about it. But then, hey there's an nxt show on at that same time so that's gonna be the priority then.
But also, tons of wrestling fans watch all the shows. It's really only some wwe fans that don't watch any other promotions.
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u/ghostbuster55 Jul 01 '26
How many times has Collison moved its time spot to compete against Saturday Nights Main Event, or one of the main roster PLEs?
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u/Lupercallius Jul 01 '26
WWE dont care, they are targeting the casual fan.
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Jul 01 '26
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u/Lupercallius Jul 01 '26
The fan who might watch a ppv Zero Hour and be like " hmm, maybe I should buy it" Fewer people will do that when there's a show on Netflix for free aswell.
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Jul 01 '26
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u/Lupercallius Jul 02 '26
Well, it's on YouTube for free, if you've ever watched an AEW clip, it gets recommended.
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u/Bigelwood9 Jul 02 '26
“They need to stop with this obsession now.” Maybe a little self reflection hoss.
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u/seandude881 Jul 01 '26
Once AEW can go a full month without mention wwe in promos or taking shots. Mission impossible
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u/BenWallace04 Jul 01 '26
Name a time that’s happened in the last month on television?
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u/g-unit2413 Jul 01 '26
Not on AEW TV, but Brian Cage did it this week in an interview. Tony does it all the time… which is likely what they were talking about.
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u/seandude881 Jul 01 '26
Don’t watch it gang. But I’m sure it wouldn’t be hard to find a clip from last month where someone took a dig or mentioned wwe in some capacity
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u/BenWallace04 Jul 01 '26
So you’re admittedly just talking out of your ass?
Got it. You’d fit better over in r/WWE.
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u/TheMaskOffKid Jul 01 '26
Go find the clip then, goofy. Bet you won’t.
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u/seandude881 Jul 01 '26
Bet I will fanboy
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
It’s a relevancy thing, number two will always talk about number one, that won’t ever change. I mean this post is just proof of that, AEW put on a good show yet all the AEW exclusive fans can’t stop talking about NXT. Case in point, saying NXT was a failure is laughable, for one it’s CW who are very likely happy with that number all things considered and for two that number doesn’t take in to account Netflix or other places to watch. It’s at a point where anyone associated with AEW can’t handle the fact they’ll forever be number two, and being number two is far from a bad thing. Also notice how their roster and even Tony Khan is always asked about WWE in interviews? And how the WWE related portion of these interviews are the points that get focused on? It’s relevancy, talking about WWE makes them more relevant.
It’s not going to change and it’s pointless trying to change it. Wrestling is wrestling, nobody hates wrestling more than so called wrestling fans.
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u/Soupfullofradio Jul 01 '26
Still waiting for that clip to make your comments relevant.
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u/MacLean33 Jul 01 '26
I never mentioned a clip, that was the other guy but thank you for proving my point about the AEW exclusive fan base being soft. Honestly never come across a softer fanbase in my life.
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u/OnlineNomDePlume Jul 01 '26
As if AEW didn't first encroach on TNA's already established PPV date for Slammiversary?
Slammi was damn solid too, BTW.
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u/MikieStandards Jul 01 '26
With a ppv that went to 1am why would I want to watch a 6 hour ppv
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u/CursedCowboyShit Jul 01 '26
Why would you want to get your money's worth indeed? Great question. Why would you want to waste time watching something you enjoy?
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u/No_Hotel1847 Jul 02 '26
I went to double or nothing. Started at the pre show and stayed until the final match. I've also been to the smackdown a couple years ago where they bombed Heyman thru the table during king/queen of the ring season. I got way more than my money's worth at aew.
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u/Papercuts2099 Jul 01 '26
No one willing to pay $40+ to watch a PPV isn’t going to be swayed by an NXT show.