Backstage Reason For AEW Not Finding A TV Deal For Shockwave Show Yet

AEW is reportedly shopping around a new show called "Shockwave," and it's rumored that Fox was interested in acquiring it for FS1. Unfortunately, the promotion has yet to find a home for the project, and Dave Meltzer of the "Wrestling Observer Radio" believes that Fox is no longer interested in landing the show due to AEW's declining ratings.

"I mean, you know, the thing like, obviously, that there were talks with Fox and AEW, numbers fell. And, I mean, that's the key. I mean, it's like, if their numbers had stayed stronger, or, you know, I think that they would have a lot better shot getting on Fox because there are several nights a week where an AEW show could do an AEW show from a year ago, or even six months ago, could have done better than Fox does on those nights. And there are still nights that you could do that, but it's not as much of a sure thing."

For comparison's sake, the latest episode of "AEW Dynamite" drew an average of 625,000 viewers. The show hasn't topped the 800,000 mark since April, and it's yet to attract over a million viewers in 2024. Ticket sales have also been down this year, and some critics believe that the product has been cold.

While "Shockwave" has yet to find a network, company officials can rest assured knowing that "AEW Dynamite" and "AEW Collision" will continue to air on ITV in the United Kingdom for the foreseeable future. What's more, Tony Khan's company signed a new media rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery in October 2024, and its content will move to the Max streaming service in 2025.