Dave Meltzer Explains Why The Elite Joining WWE Would Have Been 'A Disaster' For AEW

Last week, The Elite signed new contracts with AEW that will reportedly keep them in the company for the next few years. That said, Adam Page, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks reportedly considered joining WWE, but a group vote led to them re-signing with AEW. Dave Meltzer thinks Tony Khan will be happy about their decision, as losing four of his top stars to a rival promotion could have affected the promotion's growth.

Speaking on "Wrestling Observer Radio," Meltzer explained losing one member of the faction wouldn't have been the end of the world. However, the whole faction jumping ship would have been a major blow as AEW needs to secure its biggest stars for business reasons, especially when it comes to time to enter negotiations over a new TV deal.

"If all four left at the same time, that would be a disaster. It gave them a lot of leverage on both sides. The thing is, they didn't even play it down to the wire because, at the end, I think Tony recognized what a disaster it would be [if they left]... They are willing to spend a lot of money right now in keeping talent and I think they are very bullish on the growth of the company in certain ways."

According to Meltzer, television networks are no longer as focused on sports as they used to be, as evidenced by the dissolution of the Pac-12. He said that AEW will be looking at the future of sports on television at the moment, so keeping the most popular talents on the roster could be an integral factor in the company securing television deals down the line.