All Elite Wrestling

[UVA_Guy81]

Depends on how much they are paying their talent. I think I saw something where Corgan's partner, Dave Lagana, said they are doing well. But they are still pursuing a TV deal of some kind. I doubt they can make it long term without one. Even with limited costs by filming in one studio, there's only so much money you can make from Youtube (not much) and PPV buys

I feel like if they ever are able to get a tv deal, it'd be on some low level network like Impact was on, which would really be pointless. But with this being wrestling, strange is the norm quite often.

 

[wildturkey]

I feel like if they ever are able to get a tv deal, it'd be on some low level network like Impact was on, which would really be pointless. But with this being wrestling, strange is the norm quite often.

Could be like MLW. They've been able to sustain themselves with a deal with Bein sports and I read today that they might be having some talks with a streaming service.

 

[Duffman]

I saw a rumored leak of a bunch of talents that were going to get cut on Joey Mercury's twitter, so don't know how truthful or not that will end up being and Colt was listed on it. I think Colt will be fine on the Indy scene and I'd assume he can occasionally go back to NJPW if they'd want him around.
As for Marty, I'm thinking if he does indeed stick around with NWA for a bit, the Jackson's will probably let him know when they have a spot available for him and he'd be in AEW shortly after that.
One thing that does interest me is how much of a pit or moneymaker NWA is. I can't imagine it being too profitable and it's not like Billy Corgan has Tony Kahn or Vince McMahon money to survive for a long period of time with losses.

Well AEW is hemorrhaging money so of course the NWA is, but as long as they don't sign anyone to ridiculous contracts they should be able to last a while. I mean hell just looking at their roster I'd be surprised if anyone makes more than 50k a year outside of maybe the top 2 or 3 guys, and even then it's probably in the low 6 figures.

 

[futballiscool]

Well AEW is hemorrhaging money so of course the NWA is, but as long as they don't sign anyone to ridiculous contracts they should be able to last a while. I mean hell just looking at their roster I'd be surprised if anyone makes more than 50k a year outside of maybe the top 2 or 3 guys, and even then it's probably in the low 6 figures.

Im sure Aldis is making a nice salary but otherwise its basically a glorified indie with a YouTube show and a light schedule.

Credit to both Corgan and Lagana for having a big vision on a low budget. It reminds me a little bit of ECW in that regard. I can see this eventually growing into something bigger in time.

Also not sure AEW is hemmorhaging money at this point. Every company operates at a loss the first few years but they're consistently beating NXT in the money demographics and their TNT contract gives them a percentage of advertising revenue. The next TV contract will likely make or break them as viable number 2 brand

 

[Duffman]

Im sure Aldis is making a nice salary but otherwise its basically a glorified indie with a YouTube show and a light schedule.

Credit to both Corgan and Lagana for having a big vision on a low budget. It reminds me a little bit of ECW in that regard. I can see this eventually growing into something bigger in time.

Also not sure AEW is hemmorhaging money at this point. Every company operates at a loss the first few years but they're consistently beating NXT in the money demographics and their TNT contract gives them a percentage of advertising revenue. The next TV contract will likely make or break them as viable number 2 brand

So far there they’re losing pretty big. When you look at Cody, Omega, The Bucks, Jericho, and Moxley all making 7 figures(say $1.5 million/year) that’s $9million minimum right there just for 6 guys. Then you factor in everyone else on the roster and I think you can say they equal around $3 million total. So AEW is spending $12 million on just talent alone. That doesn’t include all their production people, referees, commentators, office people, etc that’s just talent. And then you figure they have to pay for the arenas they’re in and all the cost of running a TV show. Now you get the live gate and like you said they get a share of the advertisements but pulling in a .28 every week isn’t going to give them that big of a split and also some of that live gate goes back into paying the arena for hosting them.

Now I think it’s been well stated that Tony Khan knew it was going to be a loss for his first couple years but considering he’s using his dad‘s money to finance this and the one thing I can tell you for certain about billionaires is it they don’t like losing money that’s not how they became billionaires in the first place. And as we found out just like Dixie Carter and TNA after a while the pull got plugged because her parents kept losing money, and obviously that was 15+ years later and AEW is just starting out but after two years when it’s time for a new TV deal if it’s not monumentally big there’s no way they’re going to start turning a profit and by that point if the ratings are about where they are now you don’t know if Shad Khan is going to go to a his son and say “alright Tony it’s been 2 years you’re still losing a bunch of money and it looks like you’re not gonna be profitable anytime soon, I’m gonna pull the plug“.

 

[futballiscool]

So far there they’re losing pretty big. When you look at Cody, Omega, The Bucks, Jericho, and Moxley all making 7 figures(say $1.5 million/year) that’s $9million minimum right there just for 6 guys. Then you factor in everyone else on the roster and I think you can say they equal around $3 million total. So AEW is spending $12 million on just talent alone. That doesn’t include all their production people, referees, commentators, office people, etc that’s just talent. And then you figure they have to pay for the arenas they’re in and all the cost of running a TV show. Now you get the live gate and like you said they get a share of the advertisements but pulling in a .28 every week isn’t going to give them that big of a split and also some of that live gate goes back into paying the arena for hosting them.

Now I think it’s been well stated that Tony Khan knew it was going to be a loss for his first couple years but considering he’s using his dad‘s money to finance this and the one thing I can tell you for certain about billionaires is it they don’t like losing money that’s not how they became billionaires in the first place. And as we found out just like Dixie Carter and TNA after a while the pull got plugged because her parents kept losing money, and obviously that was 15+ years later and AEW is just starting out but after two years when it’s time for a new TV deal if it’s not monumentally big there’s no way they’re going to start turning a profit and by that point if the ratings are about where they are now you don’t know if Shad Khan is going to go to a his son and say “alright Tony it’s been 2 years you’re still losing a bunch of money and it looks like you’re not gonna be profitable anytime soon, I’m gonna pull the plug“.

The production and its cost is fully covered by TNT so thats not an issue (on an aside that probably explains the poor audio)

Also the major difference between now and the TNA investment is rights fees for live programming. Its been discussed here and elsewhere ad nauseam but WWEs ratings have gone down but their rights fees skyrocketed. A TNA level competitor has a much better chance of turning a profit.

There's also going to be a question if the numbers would be better if another network takes the program on a night without a WWE show as competition.

I would say they're in a good position for now but it really depends where they are when they're ready to negotiate a TV deal

 

[wildturkey]

So far there they’re losing pretty big. When you look at Cody, Omega, The Bucks, Jericho, and Moxley all making 7 figures(say $1.5 million/year) that’s $9million minimum right there just for 6 guys. Then you factor in everyone else on the roster and I think you can say they equal around $3 million total. So AEW is spending $12 million on just talent alone. That doesn’t include all their production people, referees, commentators, office people, etc that’s just talent. And then you figure they have to pay for the arenas they’re in and all the cost of running a TV show. Now you get the live gate and like you said they get a share of the advertisements but pulling in a .28 every week isn’t going to give them that big of a split and also some of that live gate goes back into paying the arena for hosting them.

Now I think it’s been well stated that Tony Khan knew it was going to be a loss for his first couple years but considering he’s using his dad‘s money to finance this and the one thing I can tell you for certain about billionaires is it they don’t like losing money that’s not how they became billionaires in the first place. And as we found out just like Dixie Carter and TNA after a while the pull got plugged because her parents kept losing money, and obviously that was 15+ years later and AEW is just starting out but after two years when it’s time for a new TV deal if it’s not monumentally big there’s no way they’re going to start turning a profit and by that point if the ratings are about where they are now you don’t know if Shad Khan is going to go to a his son and say “alright Tony it’s been 2 years you’re still losing a bunch of money and it looks like you’re not gonna be profitable anytime soon, I’m gonna pull the plug“.

You can't say they're losing big unless you know how much TNT is paying them and how much they are making from advertisers.

 

[The Q]

You can't say they're losing big unless you know how much TNT is paying them and how much they are making from advertisers.

And merchandise sales.

And ppv buy rates

 

[Duffman]

You can't say they're losing big unless you know how much TNT is paying them and how much they are making from advertisers.

TNT isn’t paying them that the issue.

And merchandise sales.

And ppv buy rates

Merchandise sales you do get pretty much much 100% but if it’s like the old paper view model then the cable companies take like 80% of it the revenue. that’s how it always was when WWE, WCW, TNA, etc had a pay-per-view.

It’s pretty well known that AEW is going to be losing money the first couple years until they can get a substantial TV deal.

 

[The Q]

TNT isn’t paying them that the issue.


Merchandise sales you do get pretty much much 100% but if it’s like the old paper view model then the cable companies take like 80% of it the revenue. that’s how it always was when WWE, WCW, TNA, etc had a pay-per-view.

It’s pretty well known that AEW is going to be losing money the first couple years until they can get a substantial TV deal.

Yeah. That’s why I said that if aew is serious they need to basically acquire impact to get he old Tna stuff and have their own streaming option. Plus the talent influx. It’s very hard to compete with wwe under the PPV buy rate model. There’s a reason the wwe stock soared after the network came out

 

[The Q]

That dark order ending...Aweosme.

cannot wait for more of that.

 

[The Q]

TNT isn’t paying them that the issue.


Merchandise sales you do get pretty much much 100% but if it’s like the old paper view model then the cable companies take like 80% of it the revenue. that’s how it always was when WWE, WCW, TNA, etc had a pay-per-view.

It’s pretty well known that AEW is going to be losing money the first couple years until they can get a substantial TV deal.

I think they also need an AEW video game.

Get Yukes and have a wrestling game that isnt' trash.

Fans will buy it like it's going out of style.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

I think they also need an AEW video game.

Get Yukes and have a wrestling game that isnt' trash.

Fans will buy it like it's going out of style.

I'd be interested in that. I tried one of those WWE2K games a couple of years ago and hated it. Never did try that Fire Pro Wrestling World though.

 

[The Q]

I do wanna know what the direction is for Kenny omega (it seems like a feud with fellow face Adam page...)

and the Lucha brothers.

they both put on such good matches. But where are they headed. I thought they might feud with scu but that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.

at least you can see what they’re doing with Moxley and with Cody/mjf (which has been loaded with good promo work btw).

 

[The Q]

I'd be interested in that. I tried one of those WWE2K games a couple of years ago and hated it. Never did try that Fire Pro Wrestling World though.

Even the pre 2k series isn’t great.

I had a thread here about games but most of the fans here on SH don’t seem to be gamers.

but Yukes made here comes the pain, which ones of the top 5 wrestling games of all time.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Even the pre 2k series isn’t great.

I had a thread here about games but most of the fans here on SH don’t seem to be gamers.

but Yukes made here comes the pain, which ones of the top 5 wrestling games of all time.

Here Comes the Pain and Shut Your Mouth were both good. I also liked No Mercy back in the day.

 

[The Q]

Here Comes the Pain and Shut Your Mouth were both good. I also liked No Mercy back in the day.

Oh yeah!! sYm was fun too.

imagine that kind of...good game play with the aew roster.

 

[futballiscool]

Chris Jericho on Instagram: “Getting ready to fly to #Tokyo on my private jet and I read your comments in #TokyoSports! And I agree...if you can beat me in the…”


Something I've been thinking about lately..

Cody Rhodes quote that we had only seen 40 percent of the AEW roster makes sense if he knew about a potential partnership with NJPW.

 

[wildturkey]

Chris Jericho on Instagram: “Getting ready to fly to #Tokyo on my private jet and I read your comments in #TokyoSports! And I agree...if you can beat me in the…”


Something I've been thinking about lately..

Cody Rhodes quote that we had only seen 40 percent of the AEW roster makes sense if he knew about a potential partnership with NJPW.

I don't think Cody was serious with that number. He just made it up the time because they hadn't solidified a roster at that moment (this was back in the Summer)

 

[futballiscool]

I don't think Cody was serious with that number. He just made it up the time because they hadn't solidified a roster at that moment (this was back in the Summer)

Thats entirely possible but the show was only a couple months from airing and his numbers suggested there was a second roster bigger than AEWs.

They like throwing cryptic hints and Moxley, Jericho working for both companies always suggested to me there was some type of connection between AEW and NJPW