Missing the AEW Party Era

By Scott Keith on 11 March 2024

Good morning Mr. Keith, hope all is well. I have no evidence that this is in any relation to recent AEW's TV Show attendance or ratings. Quick background: I've been to one AEW show, the post All Out Brawl-Out Dynamite in Buffalo. A very unknown and exciting night going in since no one knew what would come from what happened, and it was my first wrestling show since 1999 ECW in my city. An estimated 5,544 tickets were sold in a 20k seat arena, and it was the first Dynamite in Buffalo. But i had a blast with what was presented to me.
Since AEW's attendance and ratings have really gotten more attention in the past year and even more, I've also noticed the decline in AEW's “party match” style. And this is from someone who loved it as a weekly attraction. Kenny's time off, Bucks swerving face/heel the past years (depending on their opponent). The Dark Order mostly ROH, Best Friends kinda sticking with Rampage, Sting now retiring. Also I think they are over exposing Orange Cassidy. Once the pinnacle of this match style, his IC title run was a GREAT story that drew me in even more, but once he lost it the first time, they really just keep putting him out their without much purpose and the man is very talented, but you just can't put that character on week in and week out without a background to draw more people in. I dunno, maybe i'm just already nostalgic for The Elite cosplaying as the Ghostbusters and Danhausen curses mid match.

I agree 100 percent! It was a very underrated but distinguishing thing that made the AEW shows feel different and fun, along with the way the 2019 shows were lit. We need more Jeff Jarrett goofiness, not less.