Why Bully Ray Wishes AEW Wouldn't Assume The Audience Knows Everything

The eternal rivalry between Eddie Kingston and Claudio Castagnoli has been heated back up in recent weeks with Kingston's return to AEW television. While it's fun to see a storyline call back on moments from wrestling's past, there are some that feel the history between the two should be explained for those who may not already know. Speaking on "Busted Open Radio," co-host Bully Ray expressed his thoughts on AEW's tendency to under-explain, and the effect that can have on a show's more casual audience.

"You have to remind the fanbase, and spoon-feed them," Bully said. "One of the things that I think AEW takes for granted is that their audience knows everything at every time. Great. Assume your audience doesn't know, so just in case there are people that don't know, or — even better — just in case you have new viewers, you can bring them up to speed." Bully pointed out that recapping events from previous weeks is something that WWE does better than any other promotion, and it's something AEW should work to improve at.

"This is where AEW has another issue," Bully continued. "They only cater to their fanbase. That fanbase ain't going nowhere. That fanbase is loyal. They will stick by Tony, AEW, and the boys and girls until that company goes on for another hundred years or ends tomorrow. But, in catering to them, assume ... somebody tuned in tonight who's never seen your show. That's why I need this very broad-stroke explanation from Eddie."

Bully suggested that AEW should do a sit-down segment featuring Kingston, Castagnoli, and commentator Jim Ross, explaining the history and animosity between the two. By doing so, Bully believes AEW would be able to capture more viewers over time by getting them invested in the promotion's ongoing storylines.