I'm delighted. I'm pretty pessimistic about what their ratings will actually look like - I think those quick sellouts are a lot of fly-ins and that's making people misjudge how much interest there actually is - but I hope they do great.
I also found out today that my cable provider will be carrying Double or Nothing, which wasn't a sure thing when I checked a few days ago. So if anyone wants to drive to middle-of-nowhere, Canada, I'll buy pizza.
I also kind of doubt their chances, although really, who can say? Competition is good, and I'd like to see them do well, although checking their roster has reminded me that Jim Ross is going to do commentary for them, which is a very large negative for me. I wonder what kind of ratings AEW need to pull to stay on the air. Also, since I haven't been following all the network hullabaloo, the new WWE Tuesday show was news to me. A company that already produces 9(?) hours of unique wrestling content per week - some of which already goes unwatched - is adding another show? That feels v. questionable to me. Maybe they're just going to actually promote 205? Wouldn't that be a nice change of pace.
The hate towards is atypical. WWE fans like the concept of competition, but hate it when competition shows up. I will be watching Double or Nothing and I'll be there when this premieres.
This is fantastic. I don't have cable, so if it streams somewhere I'll see it. If not, there's always YouTube.
I hope they do this right. Don't try to be WCW 2.0 (I'm already cringing at the Nitro-style logos people are making on Twitter). Don't try to immediately be WWE competition. Keep a good, fresh show and see if the viewers follow.
In case pop-ups are killing your out-dated device like mine:
Originally posted by culturevultures.comAs reported first by Wrestling News Observer, the match between PAC and ‘Hangman’ Adam Page at AEW’s Double or Nothing has been called off due to creative differences. The two competed in a match during Dragon Gate’s UK event, purely to make up for them not getting to wrestle in Las Vegas this coming weekend.
Speculation suggests that PAC refused to take a loss whilst holding onto the Open the Dream Gate title, a reign which he has taken very seriously since picking it up upon his return to Japan. The PAC/Page match in Nottingham ended via disqualification, which leaves the possibility for AEW to pick up the feud again somewhere down the line. In the meantime however, PAC will not be appearing on Saturday and Hangman will be competing against an unknown opponent, which could be one of many potential surprise appearances.
This is a pretty rough go before even starting. I'll still check out the show on TNT, but PAC was who I was most interested in seeing. To be fair, I probably wasn't going to see Double or Nothing before anyway. (Although KJames, if I find myself in middle-of-nowhere Canada I will come over, but only if you have that gum that tastes like soap.)
It's the most important meal of the day.
http://toomuchbreakfast.tumblr.com/
I know the PPV is available here in the UK with the pre-show on free TV, but is there any word on how we will get the weekly shows yet? I've looked but can't find a definite answer. I've been a WWF/E fan since 1990 but am really struggling to still be one, and with them moving to BT Sport soon I think it will soon be I used to be a WWF/E fan.
I was a Network subscriber for a long time, but my credit cards expiry date meant I lost it a year ago and I haven't bothered to resubscribe and have to say I haven't regretted it. I enjoyed NXT and parts of the main shows but rarely watch Raw and Smackdown unless I see there is something worth watching. How many people can realistically say they have 5 hours to watch 'normal' weekly shows, let alone extra Network shows? I wish I did but, for UK fans, I'm out.
There are no deals yet for UK/Canadian television rights, because they haven't yet determined exactly what day the show will air on. They want to figure that out before they go and shop the rights around to Sky/TSN/Whoever Else.
And to elaborate on what Toast Jr. posted, the speculation has evolved to be "Dragon's Gate doesn't want PAC to take a loss while holding their championship", rather than "PAC doesn't want to take a loss". Which is similar to how a match with Toni Storm in Stardom was cancelled recently due to leverage from WWE because she was going to likely lose to someone contracted to AEW. It's the danger you face when you bring in wrestlers under contract to other companies to work your shows. I imagine when they set up the match in January, they didn't think PAC would still be the champion by September, when he would be facing Kenny Omega coming off of his victory over Page. But now, come May, it's looking like that will be the case and PAC will be having a lengthy reign.
Originally posted by Toast JrTo be fair, I probably wasn't going to see Double or Nothing before anyway. (Although KJames, if I find myself in middle-of-nowhere Canada I will come over, but only if you have that gum that tastes like soap.)
Come on over! I'll make breakfast for dinner and stock up on gum. Apparently the flavour is supposed to be lavender?