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Ricky Havlik for All Elite Wrestling
As yoy no doubt know, the June 19 Dynamite got record low ratings for AEW’s flagship show in its regular Wednesday night timeslot. This past Wednesday’s Sheldon Cooper-fueled rebound isn’t likely to shut down the conversation about what’s ailing Tony Khan’s company.
One of the big free agent Khan’s signed over the past years in hopes of returning AEW to its commercial peak (and ideally taking it to news ones) says he was motivated by Dynamite’s Juneteenth ratings crash. He also doesn’t think the company — and therefore his boss, who in addition to owning & running AEW also has ultimate say on booking & creative — should ignore those who are attempting to explain the declining numbers.
Chatting with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri to promote Forbidden Door this Sunday (June 30), which Ospreay will main event clash with AEW World champion Swerve Strickland, Bruv said:
“That one did suck to see that rating come out because for me, that was a home-run Dynamite. It was an excellent showcase, there wasn’t any down points for it. Outside of being in the wrestling business, I just thought it was a really good Dynamite and it sucks it was such a low rating but it’s motivating me and I’m sure it’s going to motivate others to try and think out of the box and try and come back swinging.
“I’m not someone who ignores that shit, I see it and I take note of it and make sure whatever we do next week, we come back swinging. We shouldn’t ignore criticism, we shouldn’t shy away from it, we are still a five-year [old] company.
“For me personally, AEW still has a lot of growing pains to go through and even myself, I wasn’t someone from WWE, the only thing I had going for me is I was a New Japan wrestler. This is all new for me, like this what, my fourth month on weekly TV? I’m still learning the ropes with all this.”
Ospreay’s taken to weekly TV better than most expected, but some of his booking has been emblematic of the complaint that AEW values match quality over all else.
Might that change? What other adjustments should he or AEW make?
Let Ospreay know. He’s listening.
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