AEW star Ricochet recently shared his thoughts on the current competitive landscape of professional wrestling, positioning All Elite Wrestling as a great, affordable alternative for fans who may be getting priced out of attending WWE events. The comments come at a time when the rising cost of WWE tickets has been a major topic of discussion, with TKO executives openly stating their intention to continue increasing prices to maximize revenue. Ricochet’s perspective highlights a key part of AEW’s identity as a promotion that aims to be accessible to the “grassroots” fanbase.
During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Ricochet discussed the benefit of AEW’s presence in the wrestling world.
“All those families and all those people who may not be able to afford to go to WWE can afford to come to our show and have a good time and experience some new action, experience some new characters, experience some new drama, and experience just an alternative to what has been going on for a long time. So whether they’re going to counter-program or not, I’m glad that AEW is around.”
He also spoke on the history of fan “tribalism” and his own feelings about WWE’s recent strategy of running shows on the same day as AEW pay-per-views.
“Every company’s goal is to make the most money possible. When we feel things are being done in bad faith, that’s when I feel it’s like okay, then let’s get a little crazy because they can say whether they’re doing it for this reason or that reason, they can say whatever they need to feel. How most people see it, how most people view is one way. So, why not just say, ‘Yo, that’s what’s up. What y’all doing? We know what y’all doing’ … I think AEW is in a great spot. I think AEW is focused on us. I think now more than ever, I think they’re trying to figure out ways to create new stories and drama and suspense while keeping it still sports-based.”