AEW Questioned Over Going From 25,000 Fans at All In to Just 1,200 in Chicago

AEW drew a massive crowd for All In: Texas, packing 25,000 fans into the building for one of the biggest nights in company history. But just days later, the scene in Chicago looked a lot different—and Bully Ray didn’t let it slide.

Speaking on Busted Open After Dark, the WWE Hall of Famer reacted to AEW’s July 17 episode of Dynamite, where the company ran the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago with only 1,200 fans in attendance. While the building had a cool vibe, Bully pointed out that the optics were tough to ignore—especially after such a monumental weekend.

“Hangman comes out and he’s got a great pop. Monster ovation. People happy to see him—all 1,200 of them. I’m not gonna harp, but this is for you to decide whether tonight is a victory or not—perception-wise or reality-wise for the company. 25,000 people at All In in Texas. Biggest house in the United States for AEW ever. The follow-up show in Chicago—which nine out of ten people, unbiased people, will tell you is the greatest wrestling city in America, that AEW has run over and over again—it’s been a hotbed for AEW… In Chicago, they did 1,200 people. 25,000 to 1,200.”

Bully then took it a step further by comparing AEW’s situation to something unthinkable for WWE.

“Could you imagine the WWE coming out of WrestleMania and doing the Manhattan Center? The Manhattan Center’s gonna look good. It’s gonna sound good. But it’s a serious dip in the amount of people interested in going to see this product live.”

To be fair, Bully admitted the crowd was passionate and the show looked good. But he was clear that the drop from 25,000 to 1,200 sends a mixed message, especially in a city like Chicago, which has long been one of AEW’s strongest markets.

AEW is clearly trying different things with its venue choices and presentation, but Bully’s blunt take has forced fans to look at the bigger picture. Whether it was a creative move or a sign of something deeper, it’s clear that this dip in live attendance isn’t being ignored by wrestling insiders.

AEW may have knocked it out of the park in Texas—but the real question now is whether they can sustain that momentum moving forward.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.