AEW in June 2023: Two shows, one thread

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Discuss the debut of Collision, Forbidden Door, and all things AEW in the month of June ITT.

 

[geniusMoment]

And so it begins....

https://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/141ld16

 

[909]

Lol

 

[Valeyard]

This is such a horrible idea that it went all the way back around to being awesome again. The stories that come out of these Shortbus tapings better be as good as they should be.

I'm saying the order of meltdowns goes Miro, Andrade, and Punk. Poor Rosa doesn't deserve this.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

All I care about right now is we're getting Bryan Vs Okada in some kind of version at FD2 and Ospreay challenged Omega for it as well. That show is going to be blow away amazing. I'm assuming Sabre Vs Joe as well.

 

[909]

This is such a horrible idea that it went all the way back around to being awesome again. The stories that come out of these Shortbus tapings better be as good as they should be.

I'm saying the order of meltdowns goes Miro, Andrade, and Punk. Poor Rosa doesn't deserve this.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1666055677628776448

dude how are they even gonna have a taping for 700 PEOPLE

 

[Tino Standard]

I’ve seen a lot of complaining about the ticket prices for the Canadian shows, so I went and looked up the Collision in Hamilton. You can get 2nd row ringside for $136—which includes fees. That’s an insanely good deal. The cheapest tickets ($55) aren’t a great price, per se, but it’s also not “show has only sold 700 tickets“ bad.

Other than that show specifically, it seems like AEW’s strategy for their TV tapings has been to keep prices inflated as long as possible and then drop them at the last minute enough to fill in sections to make it look for TV. I wonder if people are catching on or if interest in the product is just not there to justify a premium price point right now.

 

[909]

I think people don't wanna see Punk, but that will be more clear when seeing how Dynamite tickets push over the next few months.

 

[geniusMoment]

I think it's a combination of things. There is probably something to a portion of the fanbase not wanting Punk. But, I also think people are hesitant to buy tickets to what could be Rampage part 2.

AEW really needs to knock it out of the park on the 17th. And in the weeks that follow. You can't have weeks where your main event is something like Trent vs. Daniel Garcia. You're gonna have to make this special to work on Saturday. Pretty much week in and week out. The problem is from what I've seen that goes against everything TK believes in when it comes to booking. He's very much a slow play booker.

AEW attendance (outside of All In) is suffering for that same reason in general. People are only willing to pay to see shows featuring big stars. How many people left that last Dynamite taping in Las Vegas thinking "man, I can't wait till AEW brings Dynamite back."? Not many. That's been a problem for a while now.

What's crazy is Tony has the roster to put on big time shows for years without running out of match ups. He just doesn't.

 

[geniusMoment]

As for what I would do. I know why it's not done often (as it makes it harder to draw when you go back as people just wait for free tickets). But, I would heavily paper the shows. Right now it's absolutely imperative that Collision feels like a big deal. You can't do that with 1,000 people in a 20K seat building. So even though I know the risks with papering the building. I think making Collision seem big is the most important thing for the company, and the potential tv revenue that would follow an even moderate level success on Saturday Night.

 

[alkeiper]

I’ve seen a lot of complaining about the ticket prices for the Canadian shows, so I went and looked up the Collision in Hamilton. You can get 2nd row ringside for $136—which includes fees. That’s an insanely good deal. The cheapest tickets ($55) aren’t a great price, per se, but it’s also not “show has only sold 700 tickets“ bad.

I wouldn't see Wrestlemania for $136 a ticket, let alone a tv taping.

 

[909]

I got a ringside ticket, first row, directly facing the hard cam for just 70 bucks last June. I have paid more to sit first row at indie shows. That being said I'm still extremely convinced that AEW fans don't want to see CM Punk, so pushing tickets is going to be a problem.

 

[Valeyard]

There's no silver lining to 700 people. Punk is dead.

It's crazy that the same company is selling out Wembley and has the biggest dream match possible main eventing Forbidden Door. Gotta catch em all

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

.

I wouldn't see Wrestlemania for $136 a ticket, let alone a tv taping.

I think we’re in a weird state for live entertainment where a lot of people have no limit of what they are willing to spend to see their favorite artists and there are some people where the limit of top amount they are willing to see a show has been long surpassed.

Now if Bernie Sanders had been the Democratic nominee, I…wouldn’t have forgotten what thread I was posting in.

 

[909]

.
I think we’re in a weird state for live entertainment where a lot of people have no limit of what they are willing to spend to see their favorite artists and there are some people where the limit of top amount they are willing to see a show has been long surpassed.

Yeah I never finished my Mania thread but I spent around 1100 bucks on tickets. I don't regret it at all. Then factor in WrestleCon and food and stuff I spent around 1900 bucks. I guess that's my limit but at WrestleCon I think I should have spent more. The kind of fan AEW targets is the kind of person who would do this if they had the means to do it. But that doesn't mean I'd go to Philadelphia and spend that much, or that I'd do it again for a few years, etc.

Here's things we know are facts about the Hamilton shows. Every wrestling fan who would buy a ticket knows that Punk isn't going to be on Dynamite. They’re running Dynamite in Hamilton too. So Dynamite and Collision are effectively competing with each other. They may have done this on purpose because it's not a bad idea to do an experiment at some point. They’re also doing Forbidden Door a few days prior to the first Hamilton show so this might just have been bad planning and assumption on their part they could draw so quickly in the same area over and over again.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Yeah exactly. It seems like half of my friends are willing to drop hundreds of dollars on tickets where other are still in the “I’m not paying more than $50 to see anything.” camp.

I’m sure you remember since it’s your neck of the woods (or maybe not since my knowledge of SoCal geography sucks), 909, when there was a minor controversy when the South Bay Lakers decided 6 or 7 years ago to exclusively cater to high end corporate ticket sales rather than the general public.

It seemed like a weird news story and novelty ATT but I think that is going to be the big question for live events in the future. If it isn’t already. For AEW and failing sports teams, ticket prices keep going up as the quality declines. As long as TV rights keep going up, they have no reason not to just sell seats to the highest bidder. But at some point, the bubble is going to burst.

Maybe not. Formula 1 is making a play for mainstream television and that’s the wealthiest, most exclusive form of sports entertainment. None of this would have happened if the Democratic Party didn’t screw Bernie, of course.

 

[909]

I've been meaning to post a map of where I live in comparison to LA but I keep forgetting. I guess I'll post this:

Rancho Cucamonga · California

California

www.google.com

South Bay is down in Long Beach so I'm pretty far from there. I don't remember that at all, but the Clippers G League team is down the block. I keep saying I should go see them play when the G League Ignite come in, but I never do.

Also remember that the UFC is currently running shows in front of nobody at their gym in Vegas just because their TV deal says that they can. These TV deals make it so you don't really have to put a good product out there as long as someone's paying.

 

[geniusMoment]

Tomorrow night in the weekly TK announcement series he is going to announce the main event for Collision in Chicago.

I've heard possibilities being Punk vs. Joe and Punk/FTR vs. White/Juice/Mystery Partner.

Curious to see what it is.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

These TV deals make it so you don't really have to put a good product out there as long as someone's paying.

I guess question that will be answered in the next 5 or so years is if 2020-21 broke people’s brains in being willing to accept a mediocre, poorly (or entirely un )attended product.

 

[Fall of Epic]

So in general, they no longer drastically drop ticket prices as the event is neat to paper the arena and just keep ticket prices high even into the show starting?

 

[Sex Machine Gun]

I was in the next to last row but I got a ticket for Revolution 2022 for $39, and it was purchased over two months before the event. They HAVE to come down on prices, this combination of running certain markets into the ground while charging so much is a certain death.

 

[geniusMoment]

There's also the fact that these are Collision tapings and no one knows if anyone in Canada will even be able to watch it. Nothing has been announced. Think about that for a second. You're running a series of tv events in a country for a new television show where as of now there isn't any information on anyone in that country being able to actually, you know, watch it.

 

[Fall of Epic]

There needs to be more cost efficient ticketing in general. Paying $150-$200 for nosebleed seats is insane. The working class can't afford that shit. If I'm paying that much, I wanna see the action up close. Give me my $30-$50 seats and let me stare at monitors all night.

 

[Broward83]

There's also the fact that these are Collision tapings and no one knows if anyone in Canada will even be able to watch it. Nothing has been announced. Think about that for a second. You're running a series of tv events in a country for a new television show where as of now there isn't any information on anyone in that country being able to actually, you know, watch it.

Don't let Dub hear that. Dude tore into someone and into Meltzer about the whole "no TV" issue.. But then again, he's planted himself firmly in the Anti-Punk/FTR camp.. Or as he's called them, CM Piss and FTsnoRe

 

[geniusMoment]

I don't think it's the biggest issue with Collision ticket sales. But, I think the point is there are a multiple of reasons contributing to poor ticket sales for Collision and honestly AEW in general recently.

 

[909]

There's also the fact that these are Collision tapings and no one knows if anyone in Canada will even be able to watch it. Nothing has been announced. Think about that for a second. You're running a series of tv events in a country for a new television show where as of now there isn't any information on anyone in that country being able to actually, you know, watch it.

You act like Canada is Siberia or something. This is a bad argument. The overall trend is that AEW isn’t selling tickets. News of Punk coming back and it gets worse. I should also mention that Punk being on this show precludes Kenny Omega from working on this Canada show, prevents other draws from working this show. I dunno what other inferences you’re supposed to make from this. Everyone on the planet knows that they’re not getting the full AEW experience when Punk is or isn’t on a show. We’re gonna see really fast that this is very bad for business!

My entire point from day one is that bringing Punk back and splitting the roster will kill the company. I don’t only mean the Saturday shows either. They haven’t even sold 4000 seats for the Boston Dynamite at TD Garden and they’re oblivious as to why not. This company is not good enough to sell tickets when you know the biggest draws in the company won’t be on the same show.

 

[909]

Another thing is that they have to split the roster somehow if they’re gonna do two shows because the contracts don’t have enough dates on them for people to work twice a week! If you think this WCW Thunder shit is gonna help the business I have a bridge somewhere to sell you

 

[Valeyard]

Don't let Dub hear that. Dude tore into someone and into Meltzer about the whole "no TV" issue.. But then again, he's planted himself firmly in the Anti-Punk/FTR camp.. Or as he's called them, CM Piss and FTsnoRe

Oh man he stayed up at least two sleepless nights thinking of those sick burns.

 

[BUTT]

Shoulda gone with BM Cuck

 

[geniusMoment]

Another thing is that they have to split the roster somehow if they’re gonna do two shows because the contracts don’t have enough dates on them for people to work twice a week! If you think this WCW Thunder shit is gonna help the business I have a bridge somewhere to sell you

Last I heard most contracts were for 100 dates a year. If need be I think you could probably have people working both shows on most weeks.

I am curious when the split will be announced. It seems like you would at least want to announce it soon if it's happening. As you want the roster for Collision set at least a week before the show to build it up.