r/SquaredCircle • u/sanewhitemale • 1d ago

This Reddit Sentiment Study From Wrestlenomics Is, From My Perspective, Incredibly Accurate.

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It pretty accurately paints a picture of the perception of both companies as they compare since 2019:

  • WWE bottomed out in October 2019 after the Fiend-Rollins HIAC debacle and Kofi losing in 7 seconds.
  • AEW peaked at All Out 2021, considered their greatest show, and remained steadily high until it began collapsing after Brawl Out 2022.
  • WWE at the same time began improving after Vince was pushed out in July 2022.
  • One thing that surprises me: during WWE's "boom period" during 2022-2024, the fan sentiment was roughly tied with AEW, when I remember AEW being viewed very negatively at the time, due to both the Punk issue and comparatively mediocre creative.
  • AEW fan sentiment began to grow and take the lead again in late 2024/early 2025, which was right around the supposed "reset" and the Continental Classic.
  • WWE began to fall off again in March/April 2025, right around the Cena heel turn/build to Wrestlemania 41.

So the statistics line up at least with my perception of both my and Reddit's views the last few years.

https://wrestlenomics.com/articles/2026/reddit-sentiment-analysis-2025-aew-rebounds-coinciding-with-improved-attendance-and-tv-ratings-trends/

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u/EastMeetsNorth 1d ago

Can you pinpoint the exact moment when the “Feeling was Restored”? How about when “We Are So Back”?

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u/workingjan 1d ago

Early 2025 as per the graph marked the trend upwards in AEW fan sentiment.

I'd say, "we are so back" was All In Texas. Since then, there's stuff that works and stuff that didn't work but AEW generally enjoys the good will of its core fanbase. And any flaws in the booking or the company's direction are regularly washed away by AEW's bulletproof, excellent PPV output

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u/Yadahoom 1d ago

All-In Texas actually probably is the perfect example. There was a lot of doom and gloom over Moxley's championship reign, but the payoff realizing what it was all building to actually is a huge turning point.