AEW may have accidentally found something its own roster doesn’t want to lose. Sunday’s Redemption pay-per-view is starting an hour earlier than normal, and according to a new backstage report, plenty of talent are already hoping the company never goes back.
According to Fightful Select, it was reported that there are quite a few talent in the company who are hoping the earlier starting time isn’t a one-time thing.
“There are a number of talent in the company who hope the earlier start time sticks.”
That reaction probably won’t surprise anyone who’s watched an AEW pay-per-view over the last few years. AEW’s shows have become famous for packed match cards that regularly stretch well past midnight on the East Coast. While fans often praise the value they get from the lengthy events, the late finishes have also become one of the company’s biggest recurring criticisms, especially for viewers trying to make it through an entire Sunday night show before heading to work the next morning.
The marathon schedule doesn’t just affect fans, either. By the time the final match ends, wrestlers, referees, producers and the rest of the crew have usually spent an entire day at the arena. Finishing an hour earlier may not sound like much on paper, but backstage it could make a noticeable difference after one of AEW’s longest nights of the year.
That’s what makes Redemption so interesting. Instead of following AEW’s usual pay-per-view format, the Buy In begins at 6 p.m. ET, while the main card gets underway at 7 p.m. ET—a full hour earlier than the company’s traditional schedule of a 7 p.m. ET pre-show and an 8 p.m. ET main card.
Whether it’s just a one-night experiment remains to be seen. But if the people actually working the shows have their way, AEW’s earlier start time may end up sticking around long after Redemption is over.
Do you think AEW should permanently move its pay-per-views to an earlier start time? Let us know in the comments below.
