Why There Will Never Be Another Wrestling Boom

WWE has haemorrhaged millions, even in this age of streaming and endless smart phone distraction. It isn’t a visibility issue, either: TNT went big on its own advertising campaign, AEW cosied up to suits and critics, and adverts for Dynamite played across the States ahead of blockbuster Hobbs & Shaw.

This is all desperately disappointing because AEW marketed itself as the dream alternative to WWE. If you hated the stilted, lame promos on WWE TV, AEW promised “less scripted, soapy drama”. If you were sworn off by the meaningless of it all, AEW created win/loss records under a sporting framework removed from farcical sports entertainment. In execution, Dynamite by critical consensus has delivered, improving week-on-week in the ring and by refining its match-heavy imbalance with meme-able promos and hot, well-received angles.

It’s a desperate subversion of the old, non-fan, ‘Why do you watch this sh*t?’ deal: why aren’t those WWE fans drawn to everything they once wanted WWE to be?

It should be noted that AEW is considered a huge success, on its own terms, by those that matter. They are capturing fans in the most sought-after 18-49 demographic, too. But a new wrestling boom isn’t happening because years and years—decades—of WWE being synonymous with just rampantly awful product and, of course, wrestling itself. People have moved on, worryingly, for good.

If not AEW, then what?

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