Pros and Cons of the New AEW Venue Strategy

An outfit says a lot about a person. Just like wrestlers require the gear that exemplifies who they are as performers, so does the ring in which they wrestle. With AEW’s recent strategy of taking smaller venues, they’ve calculated how to make the most of it.

Sure, they’ll go into arenas, but for right now, the game plan is to occupy whichever place they can confidently fill. From the Hammerstein Ballroom to the Aragon Ballroom, these settings provide a unique atmosphere. However, there are some setbacks to this setting.

Of course, AEW will undoubtedly not make this too common an occurrence. The product has slowly been building back to a level they’ve so dearly needed to return to.

With the upward trajectory the company is jetting towards, it’s feasible that they’re going to fill out arenas like they did from 2021-2022. It’s also justifiable to think they’d benefit from revisiting these idiosyncratic havens on these nights of fictionalized pugilism. As such, the current strategy may pay off and reveal trends to come, if treading cautiously.

Pros of New AEW Venue Strategy

Scaling back the populous, yawning stretches of arenas in favor of the more intimate ballrooms and music centers adds a presence as though it were a character. Aesthetically, the architecture lends an aura not too dissimilar to theater and concerts. Even Kyle Fletcher seems to agree!

“Timeless” Toni Storm always makes the most of these shows; often, she’ll rally behind a balcony, orating unhinged and innuendo-laden speeches to the fans. When AEW’s camera crew is on its game, it provides shots within matches that add weight to the action to come.

The Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois, in particular, has emphasized another wrestler aside from Toni Storm – Hangman Adam Page. There’s a cowboy vibe to the arena, and it suits him well with its Old West feel. It’s not a bad thing to use a smaller place to run a wrestling event, just as long as you can emphasize its eccentricities.

Cons of New AEW Venue Strategy

From conversations with fellow fans and members of the pro wrestling media, there was little need to run back the cozy spaces of music centers and ballrooms after the spectacle of AEW All In: Texas. Following up on a huge stadium show at a venue more minuscule in comparison felt deflating after such a monumental presentation.

While I disagree with this sentiment, it was certainly quite a leap to occupy a wide, vast space one night, to a condensed area the other. This whiplash runs the risk of running future fans off. Naturally, this would give the people who already dislike the product even more reason to attempt to convince others to steer clear. (I acknowledge this is likely a tin-foil hat take.)

I like venues both big and small, which is why I understand why some would love and hate the compactness of recent events. Part of why fans loved WCW and WWF/E was the loud bombast. The pops in such arenas would echo like mad cacophonies of elation, whether it’s a well-executed move, a finish, or a debut/returning talent.

My Takeaway

Wrestling can be enhanced by what the setting is. For the biggest matches, stadiums are the go-to. Arenas are suited for the party vibe of a show.

Ballrooms and music halls, meanwhile, are for adding substance and depth, focusing on the detail that can elevate a story. Sort of like the quiet, small moments before the next big plot point.

Essentially, my point is that no matter the size of the place your wrestling show takes place in, it’s about how it’s used. The loud cheers or the cinematic moments. AEW’s experimentation has moreso paid off rather than diminished. The years of returning to Daily’s Place have proven effective in showcasing the character one place can add.

It’s a small detail, but it goes a long way. So long as AEW balances out the big and small venues, their product will benefit. The little details, such as these, social media trends, and content creation, are small, underrated aspects of AEW beyond the promos, matches, and personalities. That’s what gives the brand its identity when the cameras aren’t rolling.