Jeff Jarrett believes AEW Collision is great for the wrestling business.
Jarrett, a WWE Hall of Famer who has been in the business for over three decades, joined AEW as a talent and the Director of Business Development in November 2022. Since then, AEW has continued to grow, and on May 17, Warner Brothers Discovery confirmed the long-rumored addition of AEW Collision to the company's line of programming. The show will premiere on Saturday, June 17, and it will give AEW two more hours of primetime television.
Speaking on My World with Jeff Jarrett, the WWE Hall of Famer was asked to share his thoughts on the looming premiere of AEW Collision. He emphasized that he thought it was exciting, as Warner Brothers Discovery doubled down and added more wrestling to their lineup.
“Collision, how big? It’s all about the television industry, and at the end of the day, in under five years, five hours of primetime television. It just goes without saying, the brand is hot. Look, maybe it’s not for everybody. Maybe the WWE is not fit everybody, and the controversy and all the ins and outs, but at the end of the day, it is this plain and simple. Warner Brothers Discovery looked at their menu, they’ve got hockey, they’ve got basketball, they’ve got all kinds of different programming, and they wanted two more hours of primetime wrestling. That just says a lot to me, not only for AEW, but for the industry as a whole. Pretty dang exciting," Jarrett said.
Jarrett continued by describing how there have been some negative reactions to the news, but he shared his belief that it's an exciting time in the business. He stated that he is excited for everyone involved with AEW, and while there might be some drawbacks, the addition of a new show could be a great opportunity.
"I know as a wrestling fan, we’re like, ‘Oh, great!’ Then some folks are saying, ‘Now there’s too much wrestling,’ or this, or that, or the numbers and the ratings and all that kind of stuff. Look, the people running the industry are making these calls. I just think it’s an exciting time, and I can tell you a common thread that I even, from time to time, had thoughts, when I would watch AEW, prior to six months ago, was, ‘My god, they’ve got probably 15 main-eventers.’ Not enough slots for a two hour show, or too much talent, or the balance or this and that. We just doubled our primetime. It’s big. It’s really big. I’m excited. I’m excited for everyone involved with AEW because on the one hand, careful what you wish for because there really is a doubling down of so many things. But on the upside and my delusional optimism, wow, what opportunities we have in front of us," he said.
Co-host Conrad Thompson highlighted the criticism of AEW adding another show and emphasized that he thinks it's good for the industry as a whole. Jarrett pointed to the way wrestling continues to evolve, and other sports will also be in negotiations for their TV rights soon. He stated that AEW landing Collision is a statement, and it's nearly a game-changer.
"It is great. When you kind of look now at the consolidation, there’s Comcast, Peacock, there’s the different groups, the ABC/ESPN, the Warner Brothers Discovery, that group. There’s Viacom, Paramount, all the different groups. They’re in the top three of media companies, and when you kind of look around the entire globe, that’s where it gets really, really interesting. With the writer’s strike going on, the NASCAR renewal I believe is up, NBA, WWE, there’s a lot of sports rights, the industry just continues to evolve because look, there’s a lot more than just cable television. There’s broadcast and cable and digital and streaming, and then all the content created out of that, and then you have your international players. Two more hours in primetime, I can’t say it’s game-changing, but man, it’s knocking on its door. They made a statement, and when I say they, Warner Brothers Discovery, to me, made a statement, doubling down on wrestling. I think it’s great. If you love the squared circle, what a time it is to be in this industry," Jarrett said.
Matt Hardy recently shared his thoughts about AEW Collision and a potential brand split. Click here to see what he had to say.
Check out the card for the May 24 episode of AEW Dynamite here. Fightful will have live coverage of the show as it airs.
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