|
Like, with the move to USA weeks before AEW debuted on TNT, was that because they "wanted to get the jump" as Meltzer says? Or was it because Triple H wanted to debut unopposed so WWE has got a figure to shop around the next time they want to get something on a network. We know that ~1 million people will tune in to a debuting WWE wrestling program with minimal promotion.
If they debuted at the same time then you've got the fresh AEW beating the fresh NXT, which is a slightly different story to the fresh AEW beating NXT in its third week. It's not "good," but it's preferable to have that tiny bit of distance. I think the story that WWE wanted to get NXT into that slot so that no one would be watching AEW is just a bit naive with some wishful projection.
But then again, this is WWE, and they prove themselves to be fucking idiots all the time. That being said, this does seem to be a Triple H project as much as anything has been, and while I'm not the biggest Triple H defender in the world -- and am skeptical that he would run the main roster WWE like he does NXT -- this isn't main roster WWE and his ego is invested in winning and winning means being different.
If AEW falters and becomes TNA 2.0, then my crazy hope is that Triple H proves he can run wrestling to Vince and to shareholders and they allow their different shows to be handled in different ways as Vince inevitably needs to start stepping back. I know people think it will never happen, but it's got to at some point, and the dude's got to be tired. If Triple H can handle NXT, maybe Vince steps back off Raw and lets Triple H handle that in a supervisory position as Heyman books. I dunno, that's all I'm left with.
|