10 Biggest Ways WWE Changed In AEW's First Full Year
8. Not Releasing Superstars From Their Contracts
It was common practice every year for WWE to announce a collection of talent releases. Like clockwork, performers would find themselves out of a job and the process became known as being "future endeavored".
That is, until this past year.
It's certainly possible the reason WWE chose not to terminate any contracts since AEW was formed was the result of two huge television deals and a healthy bottom line, but it's hard to imagine WWE wasn't aware of the inevitable jump released talents could make to the competition. Of the limited releases WWE did grant, both Dustin Rhodes and Shawn Spears landed in AEW quickly thereafter. And, with Jon Moxley having chosen AEW over WWE, Vince McMahon wasn't likely to let more talent make their TNT debuts.
Plenty of WWE Superstars asked to leave. Almost no one was granted their requests. It wasn't until the global health crisis hit that stars like The Revival, Luke Harper, EC3, Mike Kanellis and others were let go.