Less is usually more, and the saying applies to wrestling; with the looming premiere of AEW Collision, there will be a wrestling TV show on practically every night of the week. This amount of programming can feel like an overload, and while there are some downsides from a fan’s perspective, the move raises some potential obstacles for AEW as well.
However, AEW could benefit from another major TV show, and the latest expansion of the company’s content lineup could pay dividends, especially if the rumored brand split is handled well.
For a long time now, AEW has drawn criticism for struggling to balance its loaded roster. The issue became noticeable after CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole, and other stars signed with the company in a short period of time in 2021, and it has become increasingly problematic. In some instances, even titleholders have gone weeks without having a prominent storyline, let alone appearing consistently on TV.
A sizable number of talent has been sitting practically dormant as others have risen to the forefront. Tony Khan has been clear in his method of cycling talent, but it’s hard not to feel like chunks of the roster take a backseat for extended stretches due to the company’s limited amount of TV time.
By adding two more hours of primetime, AEW won’t necessarily have this excuse. Even if we assume that, as reported by Fightful Select, Rampage will become comparable to WWF Heat, Collision will seemingly be another A show that can showcase stars who have gotten lost in the shuffle. This will also free up the booking of AEW Dynamite as well, as the company will be able to spread talent out more evenly between the two programs, with Rampage servicing as a supplementary show. With the introduction of AEW Collision, there’s far less of a reason to go weeks without seeing names like Jade Cargill and FTR in the spotlight.
Shortly after the reports about AEW Collision started to swirl, fans started speculating that the company could introduce a brand split for the same aforementioned reasons. In Rampage, AEW has already tried adding a B show that featured much of the same talent the audience would see on AEW Dynamite. This approach has already shifted somewhat, as the show has leaned toward younger and/or less established stars. According to recent reports, Collision will essentially be a do-over with a clear brand split that will aim to give it a strong roster.
Some reports have indicated that CM Punk is at the heart of this brand split; the controversial former champion evidently has issues with AEW EVPs Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks, and this conflict blew up with “Brawl Out.” Given this tension, it’s easy to imagine why AEW might put Punk on his own island (with a primetime TV show) and surround him with people he likes, including FTR. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported that Punk pushed for the duo, as well as Andrade El Idolo, to be part of Ranpage, and all three are already on promotional materials for the show.
At the very least, Collision is seemingly set to include wrestlers who have “heat”, one way or another, and AEW even leaned into this idea by showing Miro and Thunder Rosa enter Tony Khan’s office upon his return. While this distinction likely won’t apply to the whole roster, it does set up an interesting dichotomy between the shows, and it will be up to the fans to decide which one they like better.
The extent of the brand split has been the subject of conflicting reports, with some noting that it will be soft and others indicating that there will be a clear divide. A recent report by Sapp states that a hard brand split, excluding champions and special exceptions, is planned. If nothing else, the shortcomings of the WWE brand split have illustrated that it’s best to either go all in, at least as much as possible, as WWE has blurred the lines between RAW and SmackDown over the years. As a result, the company has rendered the split meaningless at times. However, AEW has a chance to do a brand split their own way.
It’s unclear what that will look like. Could AEW do a draft? If not, how will they explain the rationale behind the split? These are questions that the wrestling world is already buzzing about, and there’s not necessarily a perfect answer, and brand splits can be challenging to begin with. AEW does have one leg up over WWE in the sense that its two main shows are under the same umbrella, Warner Bros. Discovery, whereas FOX and USA Network are two different networks entirely. In other words, AEW shouldn’t have to navigate the minefield of trying to please two partners, as it’s still technically working with one.
At this point, it’s still far too early in the process to know whether AEW Collision is set up for success. However, despite the drawbacks of diluting the product by introducing another show to the lineup, AEW stands to gain from more TV time and a potential brand split that could allow the company to successfully present the depth of its star-studded roster.
