AEW recently announced its launch date on TNT, with the very first episode set to take place on October 2nd, and it is certainly going to be a big event with the pressure firmly on wrestling's newest company.
With the wrestling wars officially kicking off in October, both WWE and AEW will be doing everything in their powers to make sure they have the best show possible, and in order for the newest company on the block to make a good start, there are certain things that they need to do, and avoid.
Within this article, we will take a detailed look at five things AEW must do on their first show in order to make it a success, and five things that they must avoid.
10 Must Do: Promote The Young Talent
We all know about the big names that AEW boasts, from The Young Bucks to Kenny Omega or Cody Rhodes, but the roster is also jam-packed with amazing young talents that are going to be the future of the company.
So far, AEW has done a good job of showcasing some of them, but now they are on a weekly television show, that is the crucial time to give the limelight to them and hopefully, that starts from episode one.
The last thing AEW needs to do is have ex-WWE stars taking up all of the time, from Jon Moxley to Chris Jericho, as that will only make it look like they're relying on WWE names, which is not the case.
9 Must Avoid: Not Announcing The Tag Team Tournament
For all we know, this announcement could officially take place at ALL OUT, but if not, then AEW must make sure they do not leave it any longer than the first weekly television show, as this is something the company has been alluding to for a while.
We know a tournament is coming to create the first-ever AEW Tag Team Champions, but beyond that everyone is in the blue about what it all means. Will it be a PPV, will there be matches each week?
AEW needs to get this officially announced as soon as possible, and on a big show with a major audience, this could be the perfect time to make that.
8 Must Do: Give Kenny Omega A Real Purpose
So far AEW has established real storylines for all of its main former Bullet Club talent, with The Young Bucks trying to prove they're the best tag team in the world, Cody battling Shawn Spears, and Hangman Page chasing the World Title.
However, Kenny Omega really has been quite directionless at this point, outside of some attacks from Jon Moxley, Omega has just been getting placed in random matches on each of the shows.
The Cleaner should be the name AEW is building around as he truly is one of the best in the world, and hopefully following the first show AEW will give him some clear direction and a real storyline.
7 Must Avoid: Any Broadcasting Mishaps
Whilst it is understandable that AEW is a brand new show and things are not going to be perfect, however, with the backing of TNT, the expectations of quality are high from people, who want to see a good presentation.
The in-ring quality is going to be amazing, and everyone knows that, but if AEW really wants to compete with WWE on a weekly basis (which is the real aim), then ensuring the production quality is at a similar standard is crucial.
This can't feel like an independent show and a ramped-up, glorified PPV, it has to be a smooth-running weekly television show. That can come with problems, but hopefully, AEW can avoid those without too many hiccups.
6 Must Do: Heavily Feature The Women
AEW has quickly built up an impressive women's division, compromising some of the very best talents from around the world and on the very first night, the company should be showcasing them under a big spotlight.
Whether it's the main event, a title match, or a huge angle, AEW would be smart to show the world that they are going to be investing serious time into their women's division, with just as much effort as the men.
AEW has made it clear they are going to be giving the women a big platform, and there is no time like the present to follow up on that promise, so hopefully, the company will allow them to shine straight away.
5 Must Avoid: Too Many Run-Ins
This is an element that WWE really suffers from and is something that fans have expressed their anger about, which is why AEW must not make that same mistake, especially on their first show.
There is nothing worse than having tons of matches ruined by run-ins from other talents, especially so early on in a companies lifespan, as there aren't enough built-in storylines yet for someone to really need a run-in.
Hopefully, every match that AEW has on its debut show will have a clean finish in order to showcase all of the talents they have, without ruining matches for the sake of it.
4 Must Do: Showcase Some Promo Abilities
Whilst AEW is very much going to be based on its in-ring product, with some of the best wrestlers in the world on its roster, that doesn't mean that the company can only rely on the wrestling to tell all their stories.
It might have worked so far, having events few and far between, but when it comes to a weekly television product, fans want to see continuous storylines that develop, and one of the best ways to do that is through promos.
A lot of the current talent are unknowns when it comes to microphone work, and whilst wrestling fans know Chris Jericho or Cody Rhodes can cut a mean promo, the first show would be a prime time to show that some of the newer names are also able to work a crowd simply by their words.
3 Must Avoid: Do Not Feature The Librarians
This gimmick is a complete mess and it isn't getting over with the fans even though AEW has pretty much acknowledged and given a wink and a nod through Being The Elite that they know it sucks.
However, AEW seems persistent with this and unfortunately for Leva Bates and Peter Avalon, they are going to have to keep suffering and try to make things work as best as they can.
Whilst they will obviously be featured at some stage, it would be smart of AEW to not push them out on the very first show, as there will be plenty of new fans watching and the company needs to showcase their best, not their absolute worst.
2 Must Do: Debut A New Name
Of course, AEW cannot do this every single week, but starting the first show off with a band by debuting a brand new surprise signing would be a great way to show that anything could happen on the weekly show.
AEW needs to give fans a reason to tune in on a weekly basis and this could be how they do it. The company has announced a six-man tag match that will see Chris Jericho and two mystery men take on The Golden Elite, and this seems the spot to do it.
Whilst AEW could bring in two wrestlers already on the roster here, such as the Lucha Brothers, instead, it would be great to see a team such as LAX make their debut, causing a big splash straight away.
1 Must Avoid: Major Bloodshed
So far on the PPVs that AEW have had, we have seen some extreme moments, from Dustin Rhodes being bust wide open at Double or Nothing to the unprotected chair shot that Cody Rhodes received at Fyter Fest.
Whilst these moments have served a purpose in getting the wrestling world talking, they have also brought a little controversy and negativity to the company, with some fans feeling they have gone too far and overstepped the line.
The key is that the moments have gained AEW a lot of attention, however, if they overdo it then that is all they will be. On the first show, it would be wise to pull back, saving these for bigger PPV moments to hook the fans for the following shows.