How AEW's Numbers OBJECTIVELY Prove Its Success

MJF Cody
AEW

That is just a theory; what we do know, measurably, is that many of those already invested in the fledgling promotion are willing to pay for it.

AEW's overarching narrative philosophy is to create a premium vibe around the quarterly pay-per-view model. This is achieved, variously, by building key matches over the long, long-term over a suspenseful and intricate narrative philosophy engineered to cultivate interest in the physicality of the blowoff. In a story built from the very origins of pre-Dynamite AEW, MJF and Cody physically interacted just twice before their February 2019 Revolution match. FTR and the Young Bucks, after the former team debuted in May, haven't laid a hand on each other yet. Kenny Omega and Hangman Page have only struck one another by accident in a long-term strategy to make the deliberate violence such an intoxicating proposition that people will pay $49.99 for the privilege.

The pay-per-view numbers generated each and every time yield yet more proof of AEW's success: not one pay-per-view has dipped below 100,000 international buys. AEW's foundational storytelling approach, which the talent is entrusted to decorate with the gaga, is clearly working.

It feels quaint to even bring this up now, in this locked-down era, but AEW's first pay-per-view sold out in four minutes and drew 11,000 paying fans. The lowest attendance for a Dynamite, in the old world, was 2,950. Mostly, AEW drew very healthy live gates not too inconsistent with WWE's TV tapings.

In an altogether more anecdotal take, AEW is barely mentioned alongside NXT these days.

CONT'D...(5 of 6)

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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!