AEW is setting up shop at Philadelphias historic 2300 Arena for a three-week residency, but this may just be the beginning.
According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Tony Khan is already considering more residencies after the upcoming string of shows in the former ECW stronghold.
There is talk of more residencies as well, Meltzer reported, noting that Khans strategy is to cut costs while maximizing crowd energy and TV production quality. The Philly residency kicks off on August 27 with AEW Dynamite and runs through September 11, with multiple tapings for both Dynamite and Collision, along with ROHs Death Before Dishonor on September 5.
Meltzer explained that Khan believes the 2300 Arenas small size will actually work to AEWs advantage. Khan said taping this way saves hundreds of thousands of dollars in loading in and out, Meltzer wrote. But the TV is worth far more than that. He thinks the tapings in the building will be special partially because of the nostalgia of wrestling in that building and because he expects the energy of the live crowd in that building to be a huge positive.
Last year, AEW ran a similar residency in Arlington, Texas, for ROH and Collision, selling out most shows and nearly filling the building for every taping. With the 2300 Arena residency only holding 800 to 1,000 fans per event, the focus isnt on gate revenue but on creating a unique atmosphere that Khan believes will translate to TV.
Khans strategy could open the door for more residencies in other wrestling hotbeds, especially if the Philly experiment delivers the intense crowd reactions AEW is banking on.
Would you like to see AEW bring its residency concept to other iconic wrestling venues, or is three weeks in one building too much? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
