8 AEW Nightmares That Could Come True In 2026
3. TV Interest Keeps Shrinking
Let's be honest: There is some good content to be found weekly on Dynamite and Collision, but AEW television isn't the pulsating, can't miss prospect it was many moons ago. People were tripping over themselves to experience the fresh vibrance of Dynamite when it launched in late-2019, and that sustained for a good few years. In 2025? Ratings have been sinking lower and lower.
The wider wrestling audience interest in what AEW is doing has been shrinking for a while now. They’ve split focus between traditional television outlets like TBS/TNT and HBO Max, and there’s a ton of discourse online involving fans, critics, Dave Meltzer etc about that, but the bare numbers are smaller than they used to be. Way smaller.
Yes, the way people view ratings has changed in the modern era due to streaming, socials and the like, but some of the figures posted around for Dynamite (for example) are shockingly low. If nothing else, Tony will want to be able to point to solid numbers as a sign that things are on the up. He couldn’t do that in 2025.
What if they worsen in 2026?! It wouldn't be a great look, or tangible proof that fans enjoy what they're seeing.
Eye-popping stunts like Darby Allin chasing down the Death Riders with a flamethrower or using Molotov cocktails on TV might look fab for a YouTube thumbnail, but they haven't made a clear difference to the amount of folks who want to watch AEW shows. Dynamite is creeping towards the death rattles of Rampage in terms of pure attention, and that's not good.
Not good at all.