AEW Collision is making a bold move this November, trading its usual Saturday night slot for a special Thanksgiving Day broadcast. The decision, revealed in a Warner Bros. Discovery press release, confirms that Collision will air on Thursday, November 27 at 8 p.m. ET, just five days after AEW Full Gear.
On paper, the shift avoids a direct fight with WWEs Survivor Series, which airs two days later on Saturday, November 29. AEWs logic is clear: dodge a head-to-head ratings disaster. But not everyone is convinced this was the right play.
Dave Meltzer didnt hold back when he heard the news. Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer called it a ratings trap no matter how you look at it.
After co-host Garrett Gonzales mentioned the WBD schedule update, Meltzer explained that historically, airing wrestling on Thanksgiving night has almost always been a disaster for television numberseven if it once worked for live events in the territory days.
Meltzers warning reflects AEWs tough position. Earlier this year, Collision took massive hits in viewership when airing against WWE PLEs. The February 1 episode that went head-to-head with the Royal Rumble drew just 197,000 viewers and a 0.04 rating in the 1849 demothe worst numbers the show has seen. A similar drop followed on March 1 during Elimination Chamber weekend.
AEWs decision to move Collision to Thanksgiving may help avoid WWEs stranglehold, but Meltzer made it clear that the holiday presents its own pitfalls. Between NFL games and family events, wrestling often gets lost in the shuffleespecially in todays saturated content landscape.
The Thanksgiving edition of Collision will serve as fallout from Full Gear and begin AEWs build toward Worlds End in December. But if history repeats itself, that night could be a rough one for the ratings sheet.
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