Lately, there has been an influx of “how to fix AEW” articles on this website. When it comes to attaining a level of desired internet wrestling relevance, this is usually the topic at hand. And some of these folks mean well — they really do — but in most cases their universe begins and ends inside of the IWC bubble.

This is a mistake. If you haven’t noticed, AEW is about to become the second most successful pro wrestling company in history. A new TV deal is imminent, as they will be on primetime cable TV longer than WCW Nitro. That’s an accomplishment in itself. 

Otherwise, when it comes to a “fix”, everyone is usually saying the same thing, or repeating outdated narratives, since most of these fans aren’t actually watching AEW from week to week.

-You want long-term storytelling? We have you covered! (May/Storm, Hangman/Swerve – the current Moxley/Darby angle is gaining momentum…).
-Tired of all of the blood? Cool! We rarely see blood on AEW television anymore (sans PPVs).
-Do you crave higher production value? Open your eyes and try not to have an epileptic episode at all of the flashing lights for Dynamite’s stage.
-Want Tony to have a team of writers? Check! From Jennifer Pepperman to Pat Buck, Dean Malenko, and others, they all help with creative.

Again, many of you mean well, but I have to sum up most fix-it articles with:

“Thanks, I hate it.”

We have to realistically observe that a company on the brink of a new TV deal after a mere 5-years of existence doesn’t need to be “fixed”. Nothing is perfect, and of course anything and anyone could make general improvements in life; AEW included.

But fixing it? Dude, it’s not broken.

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“Fixing” AEW

We’ll get to why AEW shouldn’t appease a casual fanbase soon, but first, this whole “this is what AEW needs to do to get better” logic.

There is no fixing needed. Slight improvements? Of course! There are many tweaks I would personally make to AEW, even as a diehard fan. But “fixing” alludes to that something is broken, when it’s really not. It isn’t that drastic, people. Businesses ebb and flow. Lower tickets sales isn’t something I want to see out of the AEW product, but it’s not an indication that the company is near death. WWE is hot right now (but slowly losing momentum), and AEW is building momentum after a tumultuous 2022-23. These things take time.

Smarky 2019 wrestling fans expected AEW to be a better version of WWE and not actually their own alternative with their own identity. Many of these fans (not all, but many) never really wanted AEW to exist at all, they just wanted WWE to get better. Now that WWE is a better product from 2019, AEW is no longer needed to them.

After all, once you become the #1 mainstream choice, you are no longer the alternative, are you? When people claim they want AEW to be “fixed”, they’re really just subconsciously asking themselves “why doesn’t Wednesday nights look more like Monday nights?” Because almost every honest “suggestion” for AEW to get better simply mirrors something WWE is already doing, and well, that’s not something an alternative should do…

AEW went for the king’s crown, and they got a few blows in. While they didn’t take down the king (if anything, they arguably made the king stronger), it sent his peasants into the tribalistic frenzy we see now.

Tony Khan has learned from past mistakes. 2024 is subjectively much improved compared to 2023. We have more storytelling, higher production, and a generally more advertiser-friendly product. However, AEW has still been able to maintain the alternative identity it still has, and a 5-year anniversary show is proof that something is, and has been, WORKING. You don’t just get a SECOND multi-million dollar TV deal if you aren’t doing anything right. 

So why are we so concerned about casual fans?

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Why Not Placate to Casual Fans?

Tell me, what casual fans were WWF and WCW placating to during the Monday Night Wars? What about ECW and their fan base during the mid-90s? Even further back, the then non-existent wrestling fans who were brought into the sport during the 80s celebrity “Rock & Roll Era” — were they casual? Not really; they were just following trends (or for their children), much like the same fans were during the 90s. Some weren’t really even wrestling fans. Many left for good after the Monday Night Wars were “won”.

They weren’t drawn in due to some corporate/shareholder-friendly appeal, they were drawn into these eras because they were presented with something different.

What internet wrestling marks and one-hit wonders like Eric Bischoff and Jim Cornette fail to understand is when they’re talking about drawing casual fans, what they really mean in their antiquated minds are “WWE” fans. And you’re not going to draw a WWE fan over to an AEW product unless they simply grow tired of the current WWE product.

This is what happened during historical lapses from WCW to WWF.

WWF lost fans at the end of their 80s boom and the early 90s because they ultimately failed to keep up with the social zeitgeist of the time. WCW didn’t go after those “casual” fans by emulating the STALE early 90s WWF product, they did so by actually being miles different than what those fans were used to.

It helped that the grittier and edgier WCW product matched the social zeitgeist of the “Xtreme” 90s era. WWF’s Attitude Era, taking inspiration from ECW, would soon follow that trend.

AEW has conformed enough, in my opinion. If WBD would allow it, I prefer the gritter, edgier, darker AEW of the first couple of years. I enjoy and support the product as it is now, but maintaining a different look, feel, and unique flavor compared to the mainstream is how an alternative is an alternative to begin with.

To be honest, AEW just needs to be themselves; and this version of it. Why would a casual WWE fan care about AEW if they look the same as a WWE product?

But what could AEW do different than WWE that isn’t beyond what they already do? 

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Sex, Fire, and Swagger

This is a weird one but…

If I were to push any narrative to bring into the fold it would to take Malcom McLauren’s approach in forming the Sex Pistols. Form a rebel group of young, sexy, youths to create utter chaos. Legends withstanding (Danielson, Copeland, Cage, Moxley), AEW could be focused more on their youth, but even more — the men and women on the roster that have a certain sex appeal and swagger.

And no, I don’t mean we’re going back to the 90s, which was laced with misogyny and stereotypes. But combine good looks with good talent to appeal to that 18-35 demo and beyond. Mariah May is a great example of a talent who is very good looking, has sex and swagger appeal, and also happens to be a very good in-ring wrestler.

And perhaps this is what Moxley is doing right now in-story by “toughening up” some of the younger talents in AEW that have been around since the beginning. It seems shallow, but continue to build around youth — and good looking youth at that.

This means less FTR, Young Bucks, and Chris Jericho and more The Acclaimed, Top Flight, and Daniel Garcia. More Kyle Fletcher, Will Ospreay, and “Hangman” Adam Page, and less Dustin Rhodes, Bryan Keith, and Mark Briscoe. Okay, Mark Briscoe can stay — dude is amazing and deserves his flowers on a weekly basis.

Also, MORE BIG BILL. Thank you.

In essence, what I’m saying is to put younger talent on television that will bring a certain swagger and chaos to Wednesday and Saturday nights. It’s a way to make that slight tweak of difference compared to WWE.

We’re already sickos, after all. Give us some fresh blood…

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Conflicting Archetypes

There are many seeds being planted right now in AEW. And this is the type of storytelling Tony Khan has always abided by. TK and company likes to weave webs in between feuds and stories. Fans are rewarded when they pick up on the nuances in this type of storytelling.

But there is nothing wrong with classic good versus evil caricatures and especially conflicting archetypes. Hangman and Swerve worked so well not just because they’re both exceptional talent and characters — but because they’re polar opposites. The hip-hop mogul versus the psychotic cowboy.

Rinse and repeat.

-Malaki Black vs. Will Ospreay
-Jack Perry vs. Daniel Garcia
-The Outrunners vs. The Gunn Club
-Konosuke Takeshita vs. Swerve Strickland
-Ricochet vs. Jay White
-Mercedes Mone vs. Julia Hart
-Kris Statlander vs . Hikaru Shida
-Mariah May vs. Willow Nightingale (in the works)

And so on and so forth…

It’s not that current stories aren’t working, but leaning into the simple archetypes to build on may bring in some bored WWE fans who prefer more simplicity in their storytelling. Afterall, this isn’t exactly happening with current WWE feuds to my knowledge. It’s an easy, and classic way, to stand out if you’re Tony Khan and AEW.

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Stay Violent, Stay Gold

Do you know what happened to many of us early adolescents during the early 90s? We grew out of the super PG WWF product. We found ECW, FMW, AJPW, and eventually WCW (Nitro Era).

And we didn’t look back until the WWF caught up with the Attitude Era.

Current younger WWE fans will grow up and grow out of the PG product. And while yes, they’ve introduced some elements of blood, violence, and strong style into WWE, it pales in comparison to what the average viewer already sees in AEW on a weekly basis.

AEW has a very strong base of hardcore fans. As mentioned before — they’ve done enough conforming in regards to production style, promos, presentation, and cutting back on some more violent aspects on the weekly TV shows. But otherwise, they need to simply stay true to themselves and draw uninterested WWE fans, or simply new wrestling fans, into the AEW product. Or simply keep those fans who enjoy both products and recognize and appreciate the differences between the two brands.

This will take time — and it could take another couple of years — but going “casual” isn’t the answer.

Going “casual” was never the answer. Trends ebb and flow. So do the tastes of wrestling fans. I can’t guarantee that AEW will reach the heights they once did in 2021-22, but there’s no reason to emulate your competition in an attempt to do so.

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Also…

FIVE FUCKING YEARS, GUYS. For us AEW fans, through all of the haters and naysayers — WE DID IT. Here’s to five more. Kanpai!

-TKW
tokusenwrestling@yahoo.com