A lot has been made of the WWE's recent counter-programming strategy, where they are scheduling shows on the same days as major AEW events, including All Out 2025, to perhaps divide the fans who watch both products, therefore decreasing the amount of people who tune in live to AEW pay-per-views.
On "Busted Open Radio," Bully Ray gives a suggestion to AEW that he believes could potentially combat WWE's new strategy.
"If AEW wanted to do something drastic to show that they give a damn about the average wrestling fans more than anyone else, including WWE fans, come one, come all. They should pick a city that WWE is running in, and then they should run a show in the same city on the same day, and give every ticket away for free. Don't pay the ungodly amount of money that WWE is charging, come to our show. We're gonna give you something for nothing, and we're gonna be more entertaining than them."
The concept of giving tickets away for free may trigger a memory in wrestling fans' minds when WCW would give away free tickets to their shows during the Monday Night Wars to give the appearance they were selling out more than reality. While prices for WWE events have certainly risen, call it the TKO effect, AEW is staying strong as a viable second promotion.
AEW All Out 2025 takes place on September 20, from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. WWE, in its most definitive counter-programming move to date, is running its first-ever PLE exclusively on ESPN called Wrestlepalooza and is advertising the top names in the promotion like John Cena, Seth Rollins, and CM Punk.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the "Busted Open Radio" podcast and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for transcription.
