A Roster Crunch Is Coming

[Timbo Slice]

So it’s pretty obvious that with the NXT makeover, the next several weeks are going to give AEW the opportunity to basically create the roster they’ve always wanted, along with what looks to be significant talent cuts on the main roster, and maybe some folks feeling WWE isn’t what they want it to be. However, even with three hours of TV and the two Dark programs, there is this feeling of a roster crunch when it comes to showcasing talent, and one of things AEW has done well, which is bring along new talent, might not be as highlighted as much when they have to make TV time for so many folks. 

Is this a good thing? We just saw NXT wither away after being a hit promotion for a spell, and with the major indies basically drying up due to COVID, there’s going to be a top down push thanks to who AEW can bring in. Is this gonna be to their detriment? Or will they be able to actually make things happen with basically every non-WWE talent at their disposal?

[KawadaSmile]

As I've mentioned in another thread, there may come to a point where they need to do a brand split. Their roster is fucking huge as it is, and they have FOUR shows. I believe they can use most of their wrestlers in this capacity while building new people. 

Also, you wouldn't get diminishing returns like this. I imagine that seeing a wrestler twice a week might be a bit too much in today's economy. 

[Zoo Enthusiast]

I think as long as they let the lesser-used wrestlers work indies on the side, it's not a massive problem.  The issue with NXT was that they basically just warehoused wrestlers that would have been better served being able to take outside bookings as long as they aren't conflicting.

[Matt D]

Let me tread carefully as I'm only casually following all of this, but one of the greatest strengths of AEW is the use of enhancement talent on their youtube shows to help build their midcarders and the sheer variety of talent they have either at their fingertips or under contract in order to keep match-ups fresh. If they can afford it, they're much better off cycling wrestlers off in an "off-season" sort of format or using them in non-wrestling/promotional roles (like how Kingston announces). There are probably some other things they could do, like create six-man belts, but in general, they're far, far better off using a large roster to protect talent and keep talent fresh.

[Jmare007]

I think they should cycle people in and out while they work other places. One of WWE's biggest issues as has been already stated is that they stashed talented people, didn't do shit with them while at the same time the same wrestlers kept having the same programs, rematches and spot on the cards.

AEW should continue to take advantage of their partnerships and send people to different places for 3-6-9 months runs so they can comeback fresh or when they actually have a good program for them. In the meantime, said wrestler continues to work and hopefully gains  momentum in other places so when he/she comebacks, it's as a bigger name (or at the very least the same level + the advantage of being gone) and means something.

The core should be people like MJF, Darby, Baker, Guevara, etc. Young people that continue to grow while they throw at them different people and programs. They have enough names to have a very solid main event scene, but they gotta be careful to not let it become stagnant because they can't move those name out or down the card.

From an outsider perspective I think they've done a very good balancing act so far. With more people coming in, they gotta find new ways to keep it that way.

 

Edit: damn you Matt!

 

[Timbo Slice]

I think my point was more that the folks coming in from outside the company are used to being featured more, and with so many of those folks being brought in at once, you have a natural tendency to oversaturate. There are plenty of older talents there they need to figure out how to mix and match, and while it seems the majority of them understand how to give back, that’s more theory than practice, and I think giving time to guys that are past their peak isn’t as helpful as one thinks, especially when there is this obvious bounty of younger guys they can push. 

[El-P]

Some people who got there at first will get phased out and not get renewed. I mean, Joey Janela really hasn't made any stride at all apart from that one crazy match with Omega. Thankfully Big Swole has vanished into Dark obscurity. I doubt we're gonna get that much of Kip Sabian in the future. And hopefully total failed project like The Acclaimed are gonna vanish (Caster sucks, the other guy is decent enough). There is gonna be a turn over and some people are gonna end up on the indies again. They won't keep everyone, they just can't. Great new young guys like Dante Martin and Daniel Garcia are gonna jump above guys I just mentioned, hell, they already have.

[SirEdger]

1 hour ago, Zoo Enthusiast said:

I think as long as they let the lesser-used wrestlers work indies on the side, it's not a massive problem.  The issue with NXT was that they basically just warehoused wrestlers that would have been better served being able to take outside bookings as long as they aren't conflicting.

That's pretty much what I think too. With AEW allowing their talent to work indies, this allows them to keep a certain aura of freshness and buzz among specific talents without them overstaying their welcome in that position, so-to-speak. And with Dark & Elevation being used to pretty much pad stats and give exposure to unsigned people, there isn't any real harm yet with all the wrestlers working an AEW show every week.

Honestly, I don't know why WWE hasn't gone with the talent rotation over the years rather than the proper brand split. It pretty much accomplishes the same thing without compromising the possibility of fresh matchups.

[El-P]

Just this : sign Kiera Hogan already ! I was glad she got to be on TV for Punk's debut, even if that was to be squashed by Jade.

[SirEdger]

3 minutes ago, El-P said:

Some people who got there at first will get phased out and not get renewed. I mean, Joey Janela really hasn't made any stride at all apart from that one crazy match with Omega. Thankfully Big Swole has vanished into Dark obscurity. I doubt we're gonna get that much of Kip Sabian in the future. And hopefully total failed project like The Acclaimed are gonna vanish (Caster sucks, the other guy is decent enough). There is gonna be a turn over and some people are gonna end up on the indies again. They won't keep everyone, they just can't. Great new young guys like Dante Martin and Daniel Garcia are gonna jump above guys I just mentioned, hell, they already have.

I'd be curious to see Anthony Bowens on his own, coming up with something different than The Acclaimed's act, and see how he could get over the same way Dante Martin is doing right now. Bowens got a great physical look so he has that star power look potential. Just about giving him the right opportunity.

[Dale Wolfe]

If we were in the territory days the likes of Janela, Spears, Hager would have already moved on

Its an interesting time really, i guess we get to find out how ruthless AEW are. If sentiment starts to get involved it might cause them some issues

[Kadaveri]

2 hours ago, KawadaSmile said:

Their roster is fucking huge as it is, and they have FOUR shows.

Gah not really. Dark and Evelation are just nothing dark matches likeJakked and Metal but even less meaningful as they're on YouTube only. You can follow AEW perfectly well without watching any of it.

[sek69]

I mean, just because AEW hasn't really released people unless they were being shitheads or couldn't come to the US for covid reasons doesn't mean they can't or won't. I still think they will just let a lot of contracts expire when the time comes if it's people not really being uses and/or not playing a role. Hell, I could even see Tony making sure they land with Impact or someone else they are working with too. 

[C.S.]

9 hours ago, KawadaSmile said:

As I've mentioned in another thread, there may come to a point where they need to do a brand split.

No, no, NO, NO, NO! Fuck this stupid, tone deaf, was never a good idea, WWE bullshit.

AEW will do what it has been doing all along and not renew certain contracts when they're up. 

They also have relationships with other feds through the Forbidden Door and can send top stars like Christian to Impact for a bit and youngsters to other territories for seasoning.

[Migs]

Yeah, I think the Forbidden Door is a big one here, especially once travel to Japan opens. They can send 3-4 guys to do the G1, getting them huge exposure outside of AEW TV. Send guys to Impact. Heck, do a week of shows in Mexico for AAA. Try to let the resets be organic as much as possible, which is the opposite of a brand split.

[FMKK]

It’ll be interesting to see what happens in about 6 months time when the first wave of AEW contracts presumably come up for renewal. The likes of Janela and Kiss could easily hit the bricks with no loss. Maybe they like having Kazarian around but he also seems to be at a point where he doesn’t have a load of utility. And maybe if there are a couple of big names there, Vince might be tempted to offer big bucks to get the first AEW to WWE jump.