MR. TITO: Does AEW Dynamite Compare to WCW Monday Nitro Through 288 Episodes?
On April 14th, All Elite Wrestling plans to celebrate their AEW Dynamite show becoming the “longest running prime-time wrestling show in Turner Broadcasting’s history” with their 289th exceeding the WCW Nitro’s total show output of 288. That’s an achievement, as AEW appears to be financially solvent through episode #288 compared to WCW that began losing money through 1999 and ultimately died during early 2001. Before anyone says “WWE RAW/Smackdown and TNA Impact lasted longer”, re-read AEW’s statement about mentioning TURNER, not the entire Cable/Satellite channel world. Geesh.
But here’s the real question: For the same length of time, which show had more impact on the wrestling business with 288 episodes of wrestling content? WCW Nitro or AEW Dynamite?
Before older WCW fans and newer AEW fans get into a tizzy, consider this:
– WWE’s Attitude Era doesn’t happen without WCW Nitro
– WWE’s Bloodline Era doesn’t happen with AEW Dynamite
– Wrestlers got PAID MORE as a result of WCW Nitro and AEW Dynamite’s existence
Can we at least agree that both WCW Nitro and AEW Dynamite were DISRUPTORS to the wrestling business and FORCED MUCH NEEDED CHANGE on a stale and complacent WWE?
See how easy that is? Instead of creating unnecessary debate, I gave credit to both WCW and AEW promotions. Both forced a lazy, stale, complacent, and incompetent WWE for different eras to become better. As a result, the quality of the overall wrestling product increased and wrestlers got paid because of COMPETITION.
Thus, my hat is off for BOTH WCW and AEW for making WWE better again.
*applause*
Now, which one had the BIGGER impact on the wrestling business is the true debate.
And you have to consider where wrestling was through 1995 and where it was during 2018.
Through 1995, WWE was shrinking rapidly and losing money through several years. Their product began to stink, as their main event scene was Bret Hart, heel then babyface Shawn Michaels, and Diesel pushed as a smiling but zero personality babyface. Much of their shows were taped and attendance and merchandise was going down the toilet. WWE making significant cutbacks on salaries for their staff members and declined payouts from live events, merch, and Pay Per Views. WWE lowered themselves to become prey for a rising WCW who just signed Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage to deals and were heavily investing money in their product.
Through 2019, the WWE was profitable and made good money off of TV deals from struggling cable or network channels desperate for live sports content. While WWE RAW lost over 2 million in viewership, they were still holding steady at just under 2 million in viewership. But attendance declined as did merchandise, as the Roman Reigns babyface push produced mediocre results and Brock Lesnar’s drawing ability was losing steam. Triple H lacked independence in his Talent/Creative role and Vince McMahon micro-managed everything he did. Though financially successful, the quality of the WWE product was in decline.
In other words, wrestling in 1995 was at the lowest of lows whereas with 2018, wrestling declined in popularity but still made money. WWE in 1995 was losing money and had been financially struggling since 1990, the peak of its business. Each year added fewer revenues and through 1995 and continuing into 1996 and 1997, WWE did some major cost reductions to stay afloat. WWE in 2018 was flush with cash with only weak competitors in site who couldn’t sign away their talent.
I would argue that WCW’s rise through 1995 and especially 1996 saved pro wrestling and revitalized this form of entertainment, whereas AEW’s rise just woke up a sleepy WWE giant that has been asleep for much of the 21st century, especially the last 5 years. Don’t get me wrong, AEW waking up that sleepy WWE giant has been appreciated and we’re still riding that high through 2025.
Think about how much the rise of WCW Nitro changed the WWE:
– Changed creative to include more realism and adult themes
– Took chances on pushing new wrestlers or existing ones differently
– RAW went from 1 live show and 4 taped to live every other week to eventually live every week, plus adding WWE Smackdown
– Wrestler salaries went up significantly
– WWE became a publicly traded corporation
How about the overall changes that AEW Dynamite did to WWE?
– Changes to the Creative Team (removed HHH during late 2019, added Heyman/Bischoff/Prichard, re-added Triple H later)
– Took chances on pushing new wrestlers or existing ones differently
– Wrestler salaries went up significantly
The end result for both the Attitude Era of the late 1990s and the Bloodline Era of the 2020s? Higher attendance, increased viewership (including YouTube/Social Media for right now), and merchandise is flying off the shelves for WWE.
WWE of 2025 has better advantages than the WWE of the late 1990s to capitalize on their growth. More ads on websites, ads on YouTube, ads on Social Media, Corporate money, and a better structure to make things go viral. It makes me appreciate the Attitude Era more because they grew with limited internet back then and much more reliant on word-of-mouth. Attitude Era grew more organically in comparison.
Wrestling’s demise during the mid-1990s, to me, has been understated when it comes to what Eric Bischoff accomplished through 1995 and especially during 1996 when WCW took full control of the ratings war to win 83 weeks in a row. WCW Nitro made wrestling COOL again, as the New World Order storyline made wrestling become MUST SEE TV all over again. The compelling storyline of a HEEL Hulk Hogan joining 2 free agents in Kevin Nash and Scott Hall to form the NWO just changed everything. Suddenly, everybody wanted wrestling merchandise again… WCW was packing houses to see what’s next in the war between WCW and NWO. Pay Per Views sold and WCW made the monthly PPV model profitable. WCW not only pulled in older fans who loved the Hulkamania era along with the 1980s NWA era, but they created many new fans with college students loving WCW back then.
WCW forced change upon WWE, as WCW was hungry to compete and defeating WWE. In response to WCW emerging as a real competitive threat, WWE began their own changes by adding Jim Cornette and Vince Russo to their Creative Team. They gave more power to Jim Ross to manage the talent and begin looking for newer talent elsewhere. WWE had to let go of wrestlers who were good, but not necessarily drawing big numbers domestically like Bret Hart especially for his $2 million salary per year on his new contract. The signings and repackaging of Steve Austin and Mick Foley were HUGE for the WWE, as was improving the creative for the Undertaker. Then, young guys like Kane, Edge, Christian, the Hardys, and others begin replenishing the roster.
But the big advantage over AEW that WCW had was that they actually DEFEATED WWE for years… Even before the Scott Hall appearance which began around the 83 week winning streak, WCW Nitro and WWE RAW were at least equal in viewership and traded wins back and forth. And then during 1998 when the 83 week winning streak was snapped, they were trading wins again. Pay Per View buys went back and forth at first, but then WCW dominated the PPV scene until WWE got its act together through 1998 with Stone Cold as a main eventer. Lots of NWO, Sting, DDP, etc. merchandise sold before Steve Austin and DX shirts started moving.
Not once has AEW Dynamite ever defeated RAW’s viewership and the only time they’ve defeated WWE Smackdown was on that rare Fox Sports 1 pre-emption opportunity and even then, it was always close if not a loss for AEW. AEW has NEVER defeated the WWE in any metric since their creation during early 2019. Weekly average attendance, viewership, merchandise, and PLE vs. PPV viewers were always a win for WWE.
That said, AEW by its 288th episode will be a lot more healthy than WCW Nitro was for its 288th episode. WCW was a dead promotion when Turner Broadcasting cancelled all WCW programming during March 2001. AEW, however, has multiple years on their multi-million contract with Turner or Warner Bros. Discovery. While AEW’s viewership has NEVER reached what WCW used to draw, even at its peak, and AEW’s attendance and merchandise sales have declined since 2023, they are financially solvent and should exist for many, many years.
To me, WCW is like that NFL or NBA team who is in “win now” mode. Bischoff placed his chips on Hogan, Savage, Hall, and Nash to help WCW become the #1 promotion. And then to keep #1, he kept spending money by increasing the salaries of each of those guys plus paying the likes of Luger, Sting, Curt Hennig, Bret Hart, and many others to keep on top with various promises of creative control to each of those highly paid veterans. Then, Bischoff became a mark for the boys when he joined the NWO and decided to dedicate of his time to remaining a heel boss of the NWO rather than managing the WCW company. Inmates took over the asylum and WCW began to decline through late 1998 and were finished by March 2001.
AEW is different… They are a mixture of home grown talents (or guys signed from the indies) with a few big free agents sprinkled in, but not too much. However, unlike WCW, AEW is not owned by their television company. WCW was owned by Turner or Time Warner or AOL/Time Warner, and thus could NEVER capitalize on big TV contracts. AEW benefits greatly on being independently owned by the Khans and therefore, they have a product to sell. Thus, they can obtain that big TV contract to boost revenues whereas WCW could not. Major difference.
But, AEW isn’t growing… They’ve had issues since 2023 following their big All-In event and major free agent signings since (Ospreay, Copeland, Okada, and Mercedes) have not panned out. By their 5th year, they’ve been struggling YET their ability to be an independent company and seek a TV contract has saved them, especially in today’s climate with Channels DESPERATE for live sports content. WCW, by its 5 year, was, well, stuck in the year 2000 with one of the most creatively chaotic shows ever. WCW was complete insanity that year, with about 20 World Title changes that included David Arquette and Vince Russo winning the title.
However, one key difference is how AEW is paying its wrestlers. Yes, there are several that are overpaid, especially the late 2023 and early 2024 signings along with extensions given to other top stars (MJF, Jericho, Moxley). But their salaries, especially when adjusting for inflation, were much less in the aggregate by comparison to WCW’s bloated guaranteed money. Why didn’t Goldberg, Hogan, Steiner, Hall, Nash, or Flair join WWE until later? Because they were enjoying those big WCW contracts that they signed that were 100% guaranteed. Ditto for Sting and Luger who never joined during the 2000s. AOL/Time Warner was losing money through 2001, as revenues were LESS than expenses and by a large margin (initial estimation of money lost during 2000 was around $80 million).
AEW has fewer expenses than WCW and has more revenues coming on… Thus, AEW has the potential to play a much longer game against the WWE. Shad and Tony are playing with their own money, whereas WCW had a corporation to answer to that had to publicly post their losses. Bischoff rolled the dice on defeating WWE, which he did from 1996-1998, and then spent more money to remain at #1 and to prevent any WCW talent jumps to WWE. These decisions were costly and killed WCW’s profitability when the revenues began to decline during late 1998.
Therefore, AEW has some bragging rights because they could still win the battle against WWE simply by existing beyond the 288th episode. WCW was a corpse by the 3rd year of WCW Nitro and wouldn’t last for another 3 years. AEW has the modern infrastructure, better ownership position, and the ability to LEARN from WCW’s past mistakes (“those who do not remember history are condemned to repeat it” – George Santayana).
I cannot emphasize enough, however, how the mid-1996 version of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) made professional wrestling great again. One of the coolest guys to ever wrestle, Scott Hall, kicked it off with his random WCW appearance saying “you know who I am but you don’t know why I’m here”. That mystery of the third man at Bash at the Beach 1996 was pure electricity and then pulling it off with the BIGGEST heel turn ever with Hulk Hogan. Giving them a cool name with “New World Order”, a play on words out of fear that major countries would band together to form a singular authoritative government along with the black and white colors. On top of all of that, IT FELT REAL and compelled a ton of people to want to watch the following week’s show.
I’m glad Eric Bischoff rolled the dice as he did… He legitimately saved pro wrestling from the early to mid-1990s depths and motivated Vince McMahon to make significant improvements to his product. Wrestlers got paid, thanks to WCW pushing the competitive envelope.
But I’m also glad that Tony Khan was inspired by All In 2018 and decided to create a wrestling promotion. Made WWE take a few chances creatively, such as turning Roman Reigns heel after YEARS of failing to present him as an overpushed babyface during the 2010s. The threat of AEW signing their talent caused wrestlers to get paid well again after some 2010s stagnation, especially after the WWE Network took away the Pay Per View revenue.
Can’t we be happy for both Eric Bischoff and Tony Khan collectively kicking WWE in the arse and making pro wrestling great again? A motivated WWE is great for business.
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