Everything We Know So Far About AEW’s TV Show

Cody Dustin Rhodes
AEW

How AEW approaches this is uncertain. Very certain—hilariously certain—is the fact that the crimson pissing from the face of the Dustin Rhodes at Double Or Nothing is very much confined to Saturdays.

We will not see the blood flow on TNT; Tony Khan was clear on that front when he talked to the press following Fyter Fest. “No, no, no, no. Definitely not. Definitely not,” he said, panicking at the idea of appalled advertising partners. “You can expect different rules for PPV,” he clarified.

The approach makes commercial sense; the WWF failed to maximise advertising revenue at its peak in popularity; several family-friendly sponsors were reluctant to associate their brands with the—yes—blood and guts of the Attitude Era. AEW is splitting advertising costs with TNT, which at present is its only source of revenue not generated by the fandom.

It also creates—or should create—a sense of discipline within the fictional universe. For the blood to spill, the person with the blade must hold motivation, which should—should—demand of AEW gradual, long-term build with cause for ultra-violence on Saturday nights.

AEW’s (initial) approach is in total contrast to the week-to-week chaos that drives WWE flagship programming.

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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!