Pwinsider is reporting that AEW Dynamite’s decrease in viewership is attributed to the show airing live coast-to-coast on TBS without delay on the West Coast feed.
The absence of the time delay has contributed to the drop in the audience. AEW officials were aware of the potential decrease in viewership due to the change in broadcast schedule.
In a surprising turn of events, AEW VP of Talent Development, Pat Buck, was absent backstage during the latest episode of Dynamite. The reason for his absence, which has sparked much speculation, remains unknown.
Action News Jax is reporting that AEW has found itself amid a heated controversy over the use of seat fillers at its recent shows. The matter quickly gained traction on social media and has raised significant concerns.
The City of Jacksonville has even requested the Military Affairs and Veterans Department hire approximately 50 people per night to fill seats at AEW TV events at Daily’s Place.
With a capacity of about 5,500 people, the venue saw 2,459 people in attendance for Dynamite this week. AEW will also hold Rampage and Collision at the venue tomorrow (April 27), with approximately 325 tickets still available.
Seat fillers are not uncommon in the wrestling industry. Previous events by AEW, WWE, and WCW have used seat fillers to fill gaps in significant camera angles.
WWE reportedly had around 100 seat fillers for both nights of WrestleMania 40. The seat fillers were required to wear Philadelphia Eagles gear.
It is worth noting that the seat filler tickets at the Daily’s Place show this week were made available to military members. One veteran, Travis Akers, shared an account of receiving an email to attend the show as a seat filler.
I see some posts mocking @AEW for using seat fillers on Wednesday night’s #AEWDynamite at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville. I was one of the veterans who received the email from the City requesting fillers. It was a request for only 50 and to simply fill seats ringside if the ticket…
— Travis Akers (@travisakers) April 25, 2024
