AEW Makes Major Change to Discounted Ticket Offerings

In recent months, AEW has faced a series of challenges. Tony Khan’s promotion has been experiencing a sharp decline in attendance, with TV tapings going down significantly and only PPV events performing well. It appears, AEW has made some changes to their live events, raising speculation about potential impacts on ticket sales.

According to Wrestling Observer Newsletter, AEW has ditched it’s practice of offering late ticket price reductions or buy-one-get-one-free promotions for recent events, resulting in diminishing attendance levels. This sudden change implies that the late sales which traditionally boosted the attendance numbers, have failed to do so.

Despite an initial improved Q4 2023 sales figures, notably a 4.7% increase for Dynamite compared to the previous year and an average of 3,400 for Collision, recent changes in approach have reversed this trend. For example, a customer pointed out that at the February 28 Dynamite event in Huntsville, AL, only lower-level “official platinum” seats were available for sale, and they were notably expensive.

The source further stated that, The Probst Arena which has maximum capacity of 7000 if sold out, created a perception that the show is either sold out or close to it as only the higher-priced seats were available for sale. This strategy could potentially impact ticket sales, as potential attendees aren’t likely to buy tickets if they believe only expensive seats are available. This sudden change in policy might be a result of a management change from Rafael Morffi to Kosha Irby, who handles booking venues as well as merchandise. 

It’s worth noting that there’s speculation that AEW might shift its strategy by booking larger markets and reducing the number of shows in towns like Bossier City, LA, or Savannah, GA. This potential change could be attributed to the reason that smaller markets cost less to book but also draw less people, consequently affecting ticket sales. However, for a recent episode of Collision at in St. Louis, the venue only saw a crowd of 2,815, indicating potential challenges in audience engagement.

AEW finds itself at a crossroads, navigating through a series of challenges and changes in recent months. The decision to abandon its traditional ticket pricing strategies, coupled with shifts in venue selection, has sparked both curiosity and concern among fans and industry insiders alike.

As AEW continues to adapt and refine its approach under new management, the wrestling world eagerly awaits to see how these transformations will shape the future of this dynamic promotion.

Do you agree with AEW shifting their strategy? Let us know in the comments.