10 Ways AEW Is Nothing Like TNA
5. Hardcore Fans From The Start
The internet has changed everything about professional wrestling. Okay, sure, it hasn't changed the nuts and bolts of it all, the Irish whips, the heat and the shine and all the rest, such things are sewn into the very fabric of the business, but the way in which pro wrestling is promoted, enjoyed and embraced has changed with the advent of the internet and mass communication.
AEW has had the luxury of a somewhat rabid fanbase supporting its every move from the very beginning. This hasn't come about by accident; it is the perfect storm of elite (yes, pun intended) professional wrestlers combining with the tradition and experience of those who have been at the top of the mainstream mountain, riding a merchandising wave built on '90s cosplaying to its very limits. All In sold out in less than 30 minutes. Before there was an AEW, there was a fanbase ready and waiting to devour anything and everything that these men put together.
TNA's first shows were attended by a ragtag of pro wrestling fans and casuals who happened to be in the area. They came in with no real expectations and left with those non-existent presumptions met. TNA had to build a fanbase from scratch, fighting preconceptions and assumptions every step of the way.