Why Dave Meltzer Thinks 2024 Is The Most Important Year For AEW

For five years now, AEW has proven there is enough room in the marketplace for two major wrestling promotions, finding success on television and PPV, setting attendance records with events like AEW All In at London's Wembley Stadium, and proving to be a true competitor for WWE for wrestlers on the free agent market. Even with all that success, there are some, including Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Dave Meltzer, who believe that 2024 is the year that will ultimately make or break the promotion.

The reason for that, as Meltzer revealed on this morning's "Wrestling Observer Radio," is AEW's ongoing negotiations for a TV deal, as their current contract with Warner Brothers Discovery is set to expire later this year. Stating that "it all comes down to these deals," Meltzer proclaimed that the next TV deal, be it with WBD or another conglomerate/TV network, would prove whether AEW owner Tony Khan was right about AEW's long-term potential or would prove his critics right about the promotion being a failure. Due to this, Meltzer believes it's imperative that Khan come off well publicly while negotiating.

Meltzer's viewpoint on the latter subject appears to have been referenced by Khan's comments while appearing on the NFL Network late last week, when Khan was critical of WWE, referring to the promotion as "evil" and "The Harvey Weinstein of Pro Wrestling," a reference to the ongoing sex trafficking lawsuit facing the promotion and former chairman Vince McMahon. Khan's comments have been met with a polarizing response from fans, pundits, and wrestlers, with some feeling the comments were out of bounds, while others have praised Khan for keeping the story in the news.