Bryan Danielson Questions WWE Counterprogramming Of AEW

Bryan Danielson has commented on WWE’s recent counterprogramming of AEW events.

In recent months, WWE has begun putting up shows against major AEW pay-per-views. Most recently, the company announced that a new event, Wrestlepalooza, would take place on September 20th, long after AEW had already announced All Out for the same date.

In response, AEW announced that All Out would take place earlier in the day, a move they also made for All In Texas on July 27th, when WWE held Saturday Night’s Main Event the same night.

Bryan Danielson, who has been working with AEW in a backstage capacity since his retirement from full-time wrestling, spoke about WWE’s strategy during an interview with The Kairouz Bros, questioning the reason behind it.

“I’m just curious what the people who are making these decisions, what they’re thinking? In the sense of like, ‘Oh, okay, this AEW thing, it’s a real danger to our billion-dollar business.’ That can’t be it.”

The American Dragon went on to explain that AEW has changed the landscape of pro wrestling for the wrestlers themselves.

“AEW existing and being this challenger brand and being as successful as we’ve been has changed the landscape for wrestling for the wrestlers themselves.”

“Wrestlers are being paid more now than ever. From a sports rights perspective, for example, most major sports in the United States, the players get anywhere between 40 to 50 percent of the revenue and WWE was paying their wrestlers nowhere close to that.”

“Now keep in mind, they’re still not paying anywhere close to that but they do have to pay more because if they don’t, the talent’s going to leave and go to AEW.”

Admitting that AEW is not a threat to WWE, Danielson concluded that there were people “playing weird games” that he doesn’t understand.

“AEW does pay that 40 to 50 percent of their revenue to their wrestlers and despite making much less money. I mean, our TV rights deal was incredible, but we’re still the challenger brand catching up on however many years WWE’s had.”

“We’re not at the point of being a threat. it’s just weird. This is one of the things that people who really crave power and a lot of money play these weird games that I don’t understand.”

Bryan Danielson Believes Cody Rhodes Wouldn’t Be Where He Is Today Without AEW

Continuing, Bryan Danielson pointed out other ways AEW has changed pro wrestling for the better, saying Cody Rhodes wouldn’t be where he is today without his time in the company, while it was doubtful CM Punk would ever have returned to wrestling.

“It’s good for the wrestlers both in AEW and in WWE. It’s been good for them. If AEW wouldn’t have started, would Cody Rhodes be where he is right now? No, they have a mega star because AEW exists, right? Would CM Punk ever have come back? Probably not.”

Do you think WWE’s counterprogramming strategy works? Is Bryan Danielson right to say AEW changed the landscape of pro wrestling? Let us know your thoughts below!

H/T to F4WOnline for the above transcription.