Bishop Dyer believes that the recent frustration expressed by some WWE fans over the company’s new premium live event deal with ESPN could create an opportunity for All Elite Wrestling. In a new interview, Dyer suggested that if AEW remains consistent, it could attract new fans who are unhappy with the changing landscape and rising costs of consuming the WWE product.
Bishop Dyer on the WWE and ESPN Partnership
WWE recently announced a landmark media rights deal that will see all of its main roster premium live events move from Peacock to a new, more expensive ESPN streaming service in 2026. The move has been met with a mixed reaction, with some fans expressing frustration over the need to subscribe to another service. Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Bishop Dyer weighed in on the situation, acknowledging that while WWE is making a major business move, it is also “pissing some people off.”
“They’re rocking the boat, they’re kind of pissing some people off, some people love it,” Dyer said (h/t to Wrestling Inc). “You can’t win, obviously everyone with every decision you make, but I think that creates opportunity for AEW.”
An Opportunity for an Alternative
Dyer believes that this fan frustration could lead some viewers to look for a wrestling alternative, a role that AEW was created to fill. He argued that if AEW simply stays in its lane and continues to deliver a high-quality product, it will naturally gain followers from the pool of fans who may be drifting away from WWE due to the cost and complexity of its new distribution model.
“I think for someone who is not going to pay the $30 a month for ten PLE’s from WWE for ESPN, maybe they’re looking for an alternative,” he explained. “If AEW is just staying consistent, staying in their lane and doing them, continuing to do what they’ve been doing over the last six months, which I think has been incredible, I think they will continue to gain followers, and some of those followers and viewers are going to be from WWE who are tired of paying extraordinary prices for tickets. They’re tired of having to continue to buy seven different apps to watch the product.”
As of now, AEW’s content in the United States is consolidated on the platforms of its broadcast partner, Warner Bros. Discovery, with television on TBS and TNT and streaming on Max.
Staying Consistent
For Bishop Dyer, the key for AEW is not to try and change what they are doing to capitalize on the situation, but to simply remain a consistent and high-quality alternative. The company has seen a positive trend in its television ratings and pay-per-view buys in recent months, a sign that the current creative direction is resonating with its audience. Dyer’s perspective is that by continuing to focus on its own product, AEW will be perfectly positioned to welcome any fans who may be looking for a new wrestling home. His comments are a confident and level-headed take on the competitive landscape, showing a belief in his own company’s product and a keen understanding of the modern wrestling fan’s mindset.
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