8 Things That Could Trigger AEW’s Downfall

1. A Major Talent Exodus

Wrestling remains a star-driven business. The idea that "the brand is the draw" carries some weight in WWE, where most wrestlers not named Roman Reigns and Sasha Banks have little to no impact on ticket sales and television numbers, but it isn't entirely true. If it was, the promotion could get away with booking Akira Tozawa vs. Tamina on top at WrestleMania.

WWE, at this stage, might be down to its hardcore base. Thousands upon thousands will tune into weekly television and attend live events regardless of how well those shows review. That the promotion generates an increasingly huge chunk of its revenue from business to business sources rather than from consumers further strengthens it, shuttling "appeasing the audience" down its list of priorities.

AEW is different. Pay-per-view buys and live event gates are more valuable to this younger promotion that doesn't have billion-dollar distribution deals in place. AEW's stars make a bigger difference to its metrics, too, with quarter-hour increases and dips more perceptible on a week to week basis.

Losing a large group of wrestlers would therefore be more damaging to Tony Khan's group than Vince McMahon's. Should a number of the concerns outlined elsewhere in this article come to life at the same time, perhaps greater volumes of AEW wrestlers will seek their fortune elsewhere.