Subhojeet Mukherjee on October 6, 2023
AEW WrestleDream will go down in AEW history as one of the company’s most significant events, largely due to Adam Copeland’s earth-shattering debut. Fans were excited for his debut on Dynamite this week but he didn’t manage to become a needle mover for Dynamite this week.
The Rated R Superstar closed out this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, explaining why he joined the promotion. He then brought out his old friend Christian Cage and cut a promo, urging Cage to team up with him one more time.
Adam Copeland’s AEW Dynamite debut drew insane numbers online. TV viewership for the full episode of Dynamite was 800,000 viewers, which was unexpected to say that least.
According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it was reported that Adam Copeland’s AEW Dynamite debut failed to move numbers, even if one takes into account the TBS listing debacle.
His debut on AEW television drew a disappointing rating due to the cable and DVR mess-up situation. But even factoring that in, the number would have been in the realm of usual. They went against two baseball wildcard series games as well.
But with 800,000/0.28, Copeland, even factoring that in, did not move numbers to any appreciable degree for his TV return and mission statement.
It looks more like he could be an entertaining character and have good matches, like Christian is, but not be a needle mover just being there.“When someone switches promotions, as we’ve seen with Cody Rhodes and will with Jade Cargill, it’s like they come in with a fresh coat of paint. Everything is new and fresh.
The expectations should be for Copeland to be able to have fun, have more creative freedom than he had, and have fresh matches with new opponents. As far as being a difference maker, I don’t believe there are any magic bullets.
Even if he did pop a rating at first, and him not doing so is absolutely a disappointment, in the long run, that’s really what the reasonable hope for Copeland should be, someone who gives you good matches and interviews, does programs where they have effective and consistent stories and helps teach the younger talent.”
The Rated R Superstar is set to square off against Luchasaurus on next week’s show, so we’ll have to see how his in-ring debut in AEW will turn out.
What’s your view on this shocking story? Was hiring Adam Copeland the right decision? Sound off in the comments!
October 6, 2023 9:46 am
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