Steve Carrier on August 1, 2023
As one of the prominent stars in the AEW women’s division, Britt Baker knows all too well about dealing with criticism from fans.
Following her match with Taya Valkyrie on last week’s AEW Dynamite, both wrestlers faced their fair share of critiques. Valkyrie even addressed some of the extreme reactions she received on social media.
During an interview with TV Insider, Baker discussed the reaction to the match and Valkyrie’s response to it. She revealed that she had spoken to Valkyrie about the situation, as she had warned her about the passionate and sometimes brutal nature of fans on social media.
“I told her when she first got here to AEW that fans, whether they be WWE diehard supporters or just AEW haters, are very passionate in a brutal way on social media,” Baker said. “I get it every single week if I’m on TV or not … It’s relentless. It’s to the point where I open Twitter and 85 percent or more is negative. It’s really sad and disheartening, but you have to put everything in perspective. When I come out, the fans are so excited to see me. They are chanting ‘D.M.D.’ the whole time. I see it as I can’t hear these Twitter trolls because these D.M.D chants are so loud.”
Baker admitted that she herself receives a constant barrage of negative comments on Twitter, regardless of whether she appears on TV or not. However, she doesn’t let these trolls get to her, as she focuses on the overwhelming support she receives from the fans in arenas and at comic conventions.
The loud chants of “D.M.D.” from fans at the shows mean a lot more to Baker than the negative comments on social media. She expressed her gratitude towards the real fans who pay to attend the shows and engage positively with AEW.
“When I come to comic conventions, there are these fans that are so grateful to meet me and be able to talk about AEW and what it means to them. That’s the stuff that means a lot to me. Those are the real fans. They are paying to come to the shows. They are enjoying the show. Not people who get on social media to troll.”
Baker also expressed confusion and disbelief at the dedication of some people to be hyper-critical and troll wrestlers online. She couldn’t fathom why individuals would invest so much time and energy in creating troll accounts. Despite this, she remains grateful for the passionate fans who continue to support AEW.
“There are literally people who invest hours and hours in their days to make troll accounts for what reason?” Baker said. “I’m such a driven and motivated person I can’t imagine that my goal is to make everyone else’s lives miserable or show flaws in people and what they can and can’t do. It’s such an insane concept. I wish I could understand it. At the same time, what will be will be. We have the best fans on the planet. As loud as the trolls are, there are passionate fans too who are thankful to have AEW.”
In the end, Britt Baker’s focus remains on the positive impact she and AEW have on their real fans, rather than getting bogged down by the negativity of internet trolls. The support and love from the genuine supporters are what truly matter to her as a driven and motivated performer.
How do you feel about the role of social media in shaping the perception of wrestlers and their matches? Do you think it’s fair for fans to be overly critical and create troll accounts to spread negativity? Leave a comment below.
August 1, 2023 6:47 pm
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