Jeff Jarrett Excited For Launch Of AEW Collision
AEW Collision’s impending launch has Jeff Jarrett excited
The recent announcement of AEW Collision has created a lot of chatter around All Elite Wrestling, with their foray into Saturday nights set to feature a number of returning stars, and the possibility of some form of roster split.
The news has many in the wrestling world excited, not least AEW’s own Jeff Jarrett, who gave his thoughts on the impending show on the My World podcast:
“Collision, how big? It’s all about the television industry, and at the end of the day, in under five years, five hours of primetime television. It just goes without saying, the brand is hot. Look, maybe it’s not for everybody. Maybe the WWE is not fit everybody, and the controversy and all the ins-and-outs, but at the end of the day, it is this plain and simple; Warner Brothers Discovery looked at their menu, they’ve got hockey, they’ve got basketball, they’ve got all kinds of different programming, and they wanted two more hours of primetime wrestling. That just says a lot to me, not only for AEW, but for the industry as a whole. Pretty dang exciting," Jarrett said.
Jarrett addressed some concerns fans have with the announcement of another wrestling TV show on an already packed schedule, but insisted it will be good for the roster:
"I know as a wrestling fan, we’re like, ‘Oh, great!’ Then some folks are saying, ‘Now there’s too much wrestling,’ or this, or that, or the numbers and the ratings and all that kind of stuff. Look, the people running the industry are making these calls. I just think it’s an exciting time, and I can tell you a common thread that I even, from time-to-time, had thoughts, when I would watch AEW, prior to six months ago, was, ‘My god, they’ve got probably 15 main-eventers.’ Not enough slots for a two hour show, or too much talent, or the balance or this and that. We just doubled our primetime. It’s big. It’s really big. I’m excited. I’m excited for everyone involved with AEW because on the one hand, careful what you wish for because there really is a doubling down of so many things. But on the upside and my delusional optimism, wow, what opportunities we have in front of us," Jarrett said.
With AEW TV rights negotiations being the subject of much recent rumour and innuendo, Jarrett says the arrival of Collision could act as a statement from the company:
"It is great. When you kind of look now at the consolidation, there’s Comcast, Peacock, there’s the different groups, the ABC/ESPN, the Warner Brothers Discovery, that group. There’s Viacom, Paramount, all the different groups. They’re in the top three of media companies, and when you kind of look around the entire globe, that’s where it gets really, really interesting. With the writer’s strike going on, the NASCAR renewal I believe is up, NBA, WWE, there’s a lot of sports rights, the industry just continues to evolve because look, there’s a lot more than just cable television. There’s broadcast and cable and digital and streaming, and then all the content created out of that, and then you have your international players. Two more hours in primetime, I can’t say it’s game-changing, but man, it’s knocking on its door. They made a statement, and when I say they, Warner Brothers Discovery, to me, made a statement, doubling down on wrestling. I think it’s great. If you love the squared circle, what a time it is to be in this industry," Jarrett said.
AEW Collision is set to debut on June 17, 2023.
H/T: Fightful
