Smark Out Moment

Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.

This week, Robert DeFelice, Jordan Chaffiotte, and Greg Coleman will be giving their thoughts on the historic All Elite Wrestling rally!

The world is changing! All Elite Wrestling is real! Who is signed? Will there be a TV Deal? What happens next? Let's discuss...


COLEMAN: Chris Jericho. He’s one of the greatest of all-time and has shown he can succeed in any promotion and in any scenario. Jericho provides instant credibility to the casual wrestling fan who may not be familiar with The Elite. Major signing and I believe he will bring tremendous value to AEW in all areas.

DeFELICE: Chris Jericho completely legitimizes AEW. He is by far the biggest signee announced so far. The GOAT is in AEW, and everyone better take note.

CHAFFIOTTE: Going to have to go with Jericho as well, for a few reasons. The first is the name equity, Jericho is probably one of the most recognizable names in wrestling. What AEW needs right now is buzz, after all, it's basically all they do have on WWE. AEW is cool. WWE is not. The second is that WWE knows it. This signing has them scared, and you can tell because they literally took Jericho out of the intro to Raw and SmackDown. Sure, they've always been petty, but it's clear that this has gutted them because Jericho has been allowed to do what he does, taking dates wherever he pleases and coming back for 2-3 months at a time because they trusted he always would come back. Now he's found greener pastures, and that has to be terrifying. The third is simple, I consider Chris Jericho to be the greatest wrestler of all time. He has been able to remain relevant by adapting to the landscape. He is as important to wrestling today as he was in the attitude era. Now that's a get.


COLEMAN: I’m in the minority that believes AEW could be successful without a TV deal to start as long as they have a way for the masses to view the product. I do however believe they will get a TV deal and the channel I would predict is the Paramount Channel. Paramount currently has Bellator on its roster. I also wouldn’t rule out AEW going the route of DAZN which has picked up a lot of momentum within the past year on the streaming side.

CHAFFIOTTE: Absolutely not. To be frank, do they really need one? The world is changing and television consumption is not what it used to be. Let's evaluate two scenarios here: one, Impact Wrestling moves off PopTV (you know, the TV guide) to Pursuit Channel, which is in about half as many homes. Two, AEW airs exclusively on FiteTV, potentially organizing a special subscription with the streaming service. Which is preferable? Personally, I think the second, because these are loyal fans. If this content is out there, they'll be willing to pay for it. Don't forget the kind of profit they turned on All In. Alternatively, they could get a really pitiful TV deal and wait for the fans to stream it on DailyMotion. You tell me which seems like a better financial decision.

DeFELCE: Chris Jericho has confirmed three major potential networks having negotiations for an All Elite. That is what they need. I completely disagree with my contemporaries. If All Elite gets TV, the casuals take them more seriously and as we know, Casual fans are the bread and butter of the WWE. Yes, the world is changing, but traditional bases need to be covered still.


DeFELICE: All Elite Wrestling means so much to me. As somebody who covers this industry to make ends meet, it means more work opportunities. As a fan, it provides the greatest hope for an alternative to WWE in damn-near two decades. I’m all in on All Elite and I hope you all join me.

COLEMAN: As a wrestling fan, it means another promotion for men and women to perform and provide an alternative to the WWE and their brand. I love the fact that it is actual wrestlers who are behind the creation of the promotion and I’m excited to see what it all play out.

CHAFFIOTTE: Honestly it doesn't really mean that much to me personally, but that doesn't mean I don't think it's great. I've never been a particularly big Bullet Club fan, though I've come around in recent weeks and months. Ultimately, competition is good for the industry, and we know that for a fact. I think these guys are smart and they know what they're doing. This could be the start of something really cool, it could also crash and burn. The whole industry will capsize if we don't start innovating, so I'm willing to bet on these odds.