AEW is starting to regain some traction. Earlier this year, Tony Khan hired Jennifer Pepperman, a former WWE writer, while QT Marshall also returned to the company. Those two additions have slowly helped establish some strong storylines within the company’s TV product.
According to Tony Schiavone, who appeared on the “What Happened When” podcast, AEW’s turnaround is due to multiple roster members emerging as homegrown stars throughout the year.
“It’s important for a promotion to make its own stars, and I think AEW is,” Schiavone said (h/t to Fightful for the transcription). “With MJF, like him or not, with the Young Bucks, with Hangman Adam Page, who to me is going to be a great freaking heel, holy sh-t, and with Will Ospreay, who obviously became a star with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but I think it’s an exciting time because we’ve got stars. Swerve Strickland is another one. We’ve got stars that we have made in AEW, and I think that is the key to any good company.”
Sometimes, AEW has been accused of relying too much on former WWE talents. However, in recent months, its homegrown staples have taken up most of the airtime.
Since his return from injury, MJF has consistently been gifted time to perform in-ring promos. Will Ospreay is also being given the same courtesy. The storyline with The Young Bucks as EVPs has been a staple that has steadily bubbled away as long-term storytelling.
While the presence of John Moxley, Brian Danielson and Chris Jericho has helped establish the company, it’s the homegrown stars who are pushing the TV offering forward. AEW fans have watched those wrestlers develop. Even Swerve Strickland, who is the AEW champion, feels like a homegrown star despite his tenure with WWE.
AEW feels like it has begun to turn a corner after a difficult stretch earlier this year. It has its young and exciting core to thank for that. The homegrown stars are the driving force behind that resurgence. For a company that has grown exponentially over its first five years, having a strong stable of homegrown stars bodes very well for the future.