15 Biggest False Narratives In Wrestling History

7. AEW Must Appeal To The Casual Fan

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AEW

This is a load of rubbish on two levels. 

1 - No, AEW does not need to appeal to the casual fan. A24 is an independent company that produces film and TV not intended for a mass audience. They exist - as do countless record companies - to grab those who are passionately into a niche medium or genre. The idea is to be great at something fewer people like. 

Why can’t this be true of pro wrestling? Especially when, as AEW has proved by positioning itself as an established, successful #2 by throwing Jun Akiyama in a TV main event in 2024, it evidently is true of pro wrestling? 

AEW should not aim for WWE’s audience; a not considerable audience beyond WWE’s reach already exists, and AEW’s core base rejected the promotion’s WWE-style leanings so heavily last year that Tony Khan apologised via the Continental Classic. 

2 - There isn’t such a thing as the “casual fan”. Sure, there are fans who drop in and out and who won’t commit to watching religiously every week, but the idea that hundreds of thousands more people would watch AEW if AEW would only, say, do what Eric Bischoff says, is preposterous. 

AEW has its own audience. The monopoly has broken many a brain in many different ways - the way in which industries actually function is just one of them.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!