AEW - SEPTEMBER 2024

[The Natural]

3 minutes ago, SturmCRF said:

Young lion from the class between Tsuji/Ren/Yuya/Shota and the current crop whose names I have yet to internalise, currently excursioning in Noah. I haven't seen much of his Noah stuff, but from what I have seen of him there and in New Japan, he looks like a future star. Good charisma, hits hard, built like a tank, I get no credit for stating the obvious and predicting Tokyo Dome main events in his future.

Thank you. Best to you, your partner and baby.

[Shartnado]

Due to some campaign on Google Play app (as well as payday), I purchased the All Out '20 for 11e and got triple Play points. I used what I had now to purchase 2e credit, which I intend to use for whatever the PPV after All Out will be (WrestleDream?)

[The Natural]

4 minutes ago, Shartnado said:

Due to some campaign on Google Play app (as well as payday), I purchased the All Out '20 for 11e and got triple Play points. I used what I had now to purchase 2e credit, which I intend to use for whatever the PPV after All Out will be (WrestleDream?)

Yes, WrestleDream.

[Technico Support]

I’ve been buying AEW PPVs after the fact if they got good reviews, but lately I’ve been holding off, just in case they get a deal with Max with all PPVs on the service.

[The Natural]

1 hour ago, Technico Support said:

I’ve been buying AEW PPVs after the fact if they got good reviews, but lately I’ve been holding off, just in case they get a deal with Max with all PPVs on the service.

Let us know if you want any AEW PPVs recommended.

[The Natural]

AEW really need to put some classic full matches up on YouTube so fans can rewatch them and make new fans as well.

[stuntmanc]

I want to watch All Out for Swerve/Hangman, but these PPVs are getting pricey with their expanding quantity and steady price tag.  I definitely got spoiled by WWE but there should be some sort of "yearly" deal

[The Natural]

9 minutes ago, StuntmanCrowley said:

I want to watch All Out for Swerve/Hangman, but these PPVs are getting pricey with their expanding quantity and steady price tag.  I definitely got spoiled by WWE but there should be some sort of "yearly" deal

I preferred the reduced AEW PPV schedule. Less is more.

[stuntmanc]

5 minutes ago, The Natural said:

I preferred the reduced AEW PPV schedule. Less is more.

Same here.  4 a year plus Forbidden Door and Wrestledream would suit me just fine.

 

If anything, at least have a 2 for 1 for All In/All Out, since that's about 100 bucks in a short span.

Edited September 6 by StuntmanCrowley

[The Natural]

1 minute ago, StuntmanCrowley said:

Same here.  4 a year plus Forbidden Door and Wrestledream would suit me just fine.

I like 6 a year. I wondered whether WrestleDream would go as you have Forbidden Door and Wrestle Dynasty which makes three AEW vs. NJPW shows but then I remember it's booked as an Antonio Inoki tribute so it's not going anywhere.

[Brandon Bones]

I’ve always thought fewer PPVs would service the weekly shows positively.  More destination match making during the week in theory should boost interest.

For awhile that seemed to be the AEW approach.  But looking at Collision I often wonder about some matches even being on the show other than to dodge, delay, and avoid giving anything away for free.

[HarryArchieGus]

32 minutes ago, Brandon Bones said:

I’ve always thought fewer PPVs would service the weekly shows positively.  More destination match making during the week in theory should boost interest.

For awhile that seemed to be the AEW approach.  But looking at Collision I often wonder about some matches even being on the show other than to dodge, delay, and avoid giving anything away for free.

More PPVs and Triple LP gatefold size PPVs with extended (and completely forgotten) zero hour shows certainly does poorly effect the ratio of of quality TV matches/In Action/Competitive Showcases. My hope has always been for the B and C shows to feature great matches with undercard talent that aren't gonna necessarily move the needle (yet), and then be unafraid to run said matches back on a Dynamite or PPV when they need to be there. The run back part is oft overlooked. Hologram v Beast Mortos is maybe a good example of the type of match I'm talking about. I like the idea of monthly PPV/PLE cards, but I much much much prefer the Levesque 5 card match model (not to say those lengthy vid packages wouldn't be an issue if i ever watched live). Things don't get lost in the shuffle over 2 1/2-3 hours. The extended 5 hour AEW PPVs always feature excellent matches better served with more focus and less exhausted crowds. All that said, obviously there's a difference when you're prepping a 'PLE' opposed to a 'PPV', but it's my greatest reason to hope for Max streaming. Tho, I should not expect the marathons to end anytime soon, so I'll keep myself satisfied with tape delay multiple 2 hour plus sections. Other than being live, which I was for Forbidden Door 2023, I have no idea how ppl watch these shows live on ppv. I get exhausted. The post show threads always suggest others feel similarily, but I assume must feel some sort of FOMO. Maybe if you're inextricably linked to twitter, phones etc. it's too hard to avoid spoilers(?). 

Edited September 6 by HarryArchieGus

[SovietShooter]

I was reading a discussion on Twitter recently with Meltzer (and maybe it was in response to something in the Observer) that back when the WWF started the IYH PPV that were 2hr and a lower price point, the buyrate didn't meet expectations, even at the reduced price ($10.99 vs $29.99, or whatever it was back in the mid-90s). However, WCW basically just expanded their PPV schedule with more 3hr PPV at the same price and there was not much change in the buyrate. The conclusion that the industry drew from this was that discounted PPV events were perceived as second tier, and thus skipable.

One of AEW's strengths has been that their PPV numbers are very consistent... no matter the frequency, they get the (relative) same amount of buys. Which, supposedly, was one of the sticking points in the discussions w/ WBD - WBD wanted the events for their platform, but AEW made too much off the PPV to roll them into a TV deal. 

And when you look at it, even at the VPN discounts making the average PPV cost $25, 100K buy is $2.5M per PPV. If AEW can run ten PPV a year at that average, that is $25M.

The point of all this is, AEW isn't going to give up that revenue if it is there for the taking. If they start getting 50K buys instead of 100K, maybe things will change.

 

[Lawful Metal]

18 minutes ago, SovietShooter said:

I was reading a discussion on Twitter recently with Meltzer (and maybe it was in response to something in the Observer) that back when the WWF started the IYH PPV that were 2hr and a lower price point, the buyrate didn't meet expectations, even at the reduced price ($10.99 vs $29.99, or whatever it was back in the mid-90s). However, WCW basically just expanded their PPV schedule with more 3hr PPV at the same price and there was not much change in the buyrate. The conclusion that the industry drew from this was that discounted PPV events were perceived as second tier, and thus skipable.

One of AEW's strengths has been that their PPV numbers are very consistent... no matter the frequency, they get the (relative) same amount of buys. Which, supposedly, was one of the sticking points in the discussions w/ WBD - WBD wanted the events for their platform, but AEW made too much off the PPV to roll them into a TV deal. 

And when you look at it, even at the VPN discounts making the average PPV cost $25, 100K buy is $2.5M per PPV. If AEW can run ten PPV a year at that average, that is $25M.

The point of all this is, AEW isn't going to give up that revenue if it is there for the taking. If they start getting 50K buys instead of 100K, maybe things will change.

 

UNLESS MAX PAYS THEM WHAT THEY WOULD MAKE ON THE PPVS TO STREAM THEM ON MAX WHICH THEY TOTALLY SHOULD BECAUSE I ALREADY PAY FOR MAX AND AEW SHOULD MAKE ALL THE MONEYS AND I WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY 50 BUCKS EVERY TWO WEEKS IT SEEMS LIKE

[Zakk_Sabbath]

1 hour ago, Lawful Metal said:

UNLESS MAX PAYS THEM WHAT THEY WOULD MAKE ON THE PPVS TO STREAM THEM ON MAX WHICH THEY TOTALLY SHOULD BECAUSE I ALREADY PAY FOR MAX AND AEW SHOULD MAKE ALL THE MONEYS AND I WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY 50 BUCKS EVERY TWO WEEKS IT SEEMS LIKE

Hard agree, for obvious reasons - but to go a step further, if that really was a sticking point as Nikita said above, then maybe a happy medium would be something like: all PPVs included except Revolution, All In, WrestleDream, and Full Gear (or idk, pick your 'big 4'). Or maybe something like, you can still buy em full price via traditional methods, but they're 50% off thru Max. I'm sure the numbers have been crunched

[Technico Support]

I’d be fine with Max having a PPV archive and the new PPVs go on Max a few months after initial airing.

[NoFistsJustFlips]

15 hours ago, The Natural said:

This got me thinking, what's the biggest secondary championship in AEW? I'd still say the TNT Championship as it's the oldest but that doesn't necessarily mean the best. I think the AEW International Championship is neck and neck with it if not surpassed it.

Mox & MJF didn't slum it with TNT title runs. International is def #2.

[Infinit]

Mel has done some great work but this is among her best

[SovietShooter]

3 hours ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

then maybe a happy medium would be something like: all PPVs included except Revolution, All In, WrestleDream, and Full Gear (or idk, pick your 'big 4'). Or maybe something like, you can still buy em full price via traditional methods, but they're 50% off thru Max. I'm sure the numbers have been crunched

 

2 hours ago, Technico Support said:

I’d be fine with Max having a PPV archive and the new PPVs go on Max a few months after initial airing.

I would be shocked if we don't get a modified version of what ESPN/UFC do - probably "full price" thru cable providers and internationally where applicable, and at a reduced price via Max.  The key is that the reduced price thru that platform has to increase the buyrate, not make them "skipable".  It sounds counter-intuituve, but if people believe that there is a "guarantee" they will get their money's worth from a $50 show, but they would not feel as positive about the quality at a $15 price point, then you don't lower the price.

100K people buying a $50 PPV is a $5M gate. 150K people buying a $15 PPV is a $2.25M gate.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

@SovietShooter as much as my wallet wants to fervently disagree, I think you're probably on the money here re: reduced cost - especially in light of the "In Your House" price point stuff discussed earlier

[Zakk_Sabbath]

3 hours ago, Technico Support said:

I’d be fine with Max having a PPV archive and the new PPVs go on Max a few months after initial airing.

I gotta unfortunately respectfully disagree - I think they've gotta be live on there for reasons similar to the price reduction convo above: having a live PPV available on the service, screaming at you from the homepage immediately upon login conveys a perception to the non-AEW fan MAX subscriber that this is a big-time, major league product on par with the other guys.

Don't get me wrong, throw the PPV archive up, TV, Dark, ROH, All In 1, whatever you can - get that money - but purely my opinion, I just think that the library alone without a live component isn't quiiiiite as strong.

I'll use myself as an example: as excited as I would be for AEW for "save it for the finance thread" reasons, a lot of this shit was simply too recent for me to go back to. It's one thing to binge like, '97 WCW or '94 RAW or whatever having grown up with em, but personally speaking, I'm legitimately not sure that I see myself going back to the AEW archive terribly often for a few years outside of maybe rewatching shows I was at, getting wistful about Brodie's last run, or catching up on nü-ROH.

I know that's not necessarily everyone else's preference or the way they consume old stuff, and I'm not meaning to shit on that idea at all so I hope you don't take it that way, I just think it's more advantageous to serve both masters if at all humanly possible

 

ETA: talking about old footy actually gave me a thought, I bet it's gonna be a lot less of a pain in the ass for AEW than it was for WWE to get this kinda thing going given that most of this stuff is already digitized and catalogued one would assume, except maybe like the oldest of old ROH stuff.

Also: while we're on the topic of MAX, my ultimate hope for any AEW streaming deal for sure would be the return of cool shit like that Joshi tournament in the empty warehouse during the pandemic, or airing PAC's International title defenses overseas on Dark when it was on YouTube

Edited September 6 by Zakk_Sabbath

[Stefanie Sparkleface]

16 minutes ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

that Joshi tournament in the empty warehouse during the pandemic

That was Ice Ribbon's dojo. Ice Ribbon runs weekly shows there and occasionally rents it out to other promotions when they need matches filmed. If it's good enough for Tsukasa Fujimoto, it's good enough for everyone else.

[elizium]

Like they always say, mi casa es Tsukasa

[The Natural]

23 hours ago, SturmCRF said:

One of the mid card titles would be fine for now, but the long term plan for Takeshita should be a face turn and a World Title reign. If not, he might as well go to New Japan and trade the IWGP with Zack, Uemura and Oiwa in a glorious new golden age.

NJPW’s Yuya Uemura to miss six months with torn triceps. Bugger. Get well soon.

[hobo joe]

On 9/5/2024 at 4:19 PM, zendragon said:

Rodney Dangerfield would have been unstoppable 'Take my wife, Please!"

That was Henny Youngman

Edited September 7 by hobo joe
Henny, not Kenny