{"id":359872,"date":"2026-07-02T18:05:30","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T12:35:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=359872"},"modified":"2026-07-02T18:05:30","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T12:35:30","slug":"aew-helped-save-dark-side-of-the-ring-from-being-a-one-season-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/02\/aew-helped-save-dark-side-of-the-ring-from-being-a-one-season-show\/","title":{"rendered":"AEW Helped Save Dark Side Of The Ring From Being A One-Season Show"},"content":{"rendered":"
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VICE TV\u2019s Dark Side of the Ring<\/em> has proven to be successful with wrestling fans, and people who benefit from the show have AEW to thank for its continuation.<\/p>\n

The show sees several topics explored in its seasons, from Chris Benoit to the death of Owen Hart to the Montreal Screwjob and more.<\/p>\n

While talking to\u00a0POST Wrestling<\/a><\/em>, the show\u2019s co-creator Evan Husney shared how the appearance of AEW helped the show get a second season. He said,<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s funny going back to 2019 because\u2026 there wasn\u2019t a number of belief that a show like ours could work on cable TV at that cut-off date because, yeah, wrestling\u2026 there wasn\u2019t a number of faith in that and it actually\u2026 our show was going to be shelved for a really very long time. That was a really possibility that was about to occur in 2019. And we were very disheartened by that because we had put a lot work into the primary season and we thought we hit it out of the park.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI believe it was that first AEW show where\u2026 I believe we used the metrics of their All In show. Like people flew in. That is an affluent\u2026 because there was a number of negative stereotypes about wrestling watchers on cable\u2014that they’d no money, they were worthless to advertisers. That was one other stigma we needed to fight against.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The success of AEW and its 2018 predecessor All In helped persuade decision-makers that a show catered to wrestling fans was financially viable. He said,<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s the other. Look how much money persons are spending going to those shows, you understand? And so all of that helped us get to where we’re and to now understand how popular and prevalent still wrestling is on all sorts of various media now. I believe it only helps one another. I believe all of us form of help one another in some weird way.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The success of the 2018 All In pay-per-view event led to the launch of AEW in 2019, giving WWE its most direct competition for viewers for the reason that fall of WCW in 2001.<\/p>\n