AEW Collision Taking a Hit From Double Tapings

AEW’s strategy of double taping Dynamite and Collision may be saving money, but it’s coming at a cost to Collision’s quality.

According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the back-to-back taping schedule is wearing out fans and hurting the presentation of AEW’s Saturday show.

“They are also doing a lot more double tapings of Dynamite and Collision,” Meltzer reported. “Obviously it’s a major cost savings, but in recent cases it has hurt Collision because the audience is tired after Dynamite and lots of people leave early.”

Meltzer noted that Tony Khan’s plan to run multiple shows from the same venue is intended to save “hundreds of thousands of dollars in loading in and out,” but it may be backfiring for Collision. Fans exhausted after sitting through Dynamite aren’t sticking around for the full Collision taping, impacting crowd reactions and the overall energy of the show.

The strategy is set to continue during AEW’s upcoming residency at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, with three weeks of Dynamite and Collision tapings from August 27 to September 11. While Khan believes the intimate venue and nostalgic setting will create a “special atmosphere,” the risk remains that Collision will continue to suffer from burnout and early exits.

With AEW reportedly considering more residencies in the future, the big question is whether they can find a way to keep fans engaged through both tapings — or if Collision will keep paying the price.