FIVE THINGS AEW HAS IMPROVED ON

- Kelvin Kately, Senior Editor

As All Elite Wrestling continues to grow and gain more experience in the wrestling industry, I began to look back at how the company has changed, particularly in the last year. 2024 was a year of big criticism for the company, as they were still rather fresh off the firing of CM Punk. The firing split the fanbase, leaving owner Tony Khan working to rebuild the image of AEW. Many fans grew frustrated with the product and voiced their opinions on the need to change. For AEW’s credit, they have listened to the criticism and have worked to respond. The following is what I noticed about this time after a few months of solid data.

1. Storytelling- One of the chief complaints about AEW was the booking. Particularly, fans grew frustrated that matches were being made without a storyline or objective tied to them. Fast forward to today, we have a few big stories coming from AEW. Look no further than the saga between Swerve Strickland and Hangman Adam Page. On the women’s side, “Timeless” Toni Storm has captivated the wrestling world, and her story with Mariah May was one of the biggest in the past year. The AEW Championship has had AEW’s longest running story attached to it. The Death Riders angle has been polarizing. But AEW has stuck with it, and we may be getting the glue to piece everything together very soon.

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2. Downsizing- Posting empty sections of stadiums was a favorite pastime of the IWC with some fans suggesting that the company should move to smaller arenas. Well, AEW not only did that, but it also seems as if they tend to look for unique arenas where the entire crowd can be seen on camera. The best part about it is the sound of the audience. They not only look more engaged, but they also sound more engaged. The switch up has made the product appear more fun to watch. The more fun it is to watch, the more you want to be a part of it.

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3. Letting Things Breathe- Fans often complained that when you got a great AEW moment, they quickly rushed to the next moment. Enter, Renee Paquette. Renee has been a vital part of AEW shows, helping to piece together moments with her backstage interviews. She is a master of subtly weaving these moments together and helping the show breathe so that viewers can digest what just happened and how we can look forward to more. Simply put, Renee slows down the pace just enough for you to appreciate the story being told.

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4. The Big Men- Another subtle change AEW made was the involvement of the big men. Names like Powerhouse Hobbs, Lance Archer, Big Bill and Brian Cage have all been more frequent on the television screen. We’re also seeing them interact with the champions of the divisions more. This was not the case a year ago. This was one of my personal gripes, so it’s really refreshing to see. This is a trend I hope they continue to build on.

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5. Keeping the product as the focus- This is, without a doubt, the biggest change in the past year. Backstage news getting leaked to the public was a huge talking point a year ago. Today, the public primarily operates on assumptions.  For AEW, this is a massive win. Even the television ratings were a big talking point. With the announcement and subsequent move to Max, that too is half-assumption for anyone pointing to the numbers. Tony Khan endured his fair share of criticism for responding to online negativity. He’s largely been quiet except to thank fans for tuning into the product and promoting the next show. This has left all the focus on what they are delivering to your screens. For his part, Tony has said that he does consider the fans’ reactions to stories. Based on the evidence I have, it’s hard to not believe him.

We must consider that AEW is still a growing company. In its existence it has already endured the highs and lows. One thing that has never changed about this company is their commitment to giving the fans what they want. In a world of instant gratification, it’s worth noting that they have slowed it down and have started to take their time to get all their ducks in a row. Change usually doesn’t happen overnight. To me, at least, they are acknowledging that and moving accordingly. I see you AEW. I see you.