AEW Dark Matches Are Way More Important Than You Realize
Having just as long a history as the flagship show Dynamite, AEWDark has been a fundamental piece of the organization's puzzle since it first hit the internet in 2019. A continued weekly presence on the promotion's YouTube, having spawned an additional show in Dark: Elevation, both shows have proven themselves to be valuable assets to the company as a whole. Whilst the nature of being broadcast for free and containing a bevy of unsigned and enhancement talent has caused many to see the shows as throwaway content, Dark and Elevation are much more important than they may realize.
From grander goals of supporting the core tenets that AEW was built on, to benefiting things on a more individualistic basis, AEW's Dark shows are versatile pieces of programming. More than just additional content that AEW fans have the option to consume, Dark and Elevation have proven themselves to be vital tools in the AEW machine that help the company fire on all cylinders and contribute to producing stellar content for Dynamite, Rampage and pay-per-views.
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Dark Is Crucial In Supporting AEW's Ranking System
One of the selling points for AEW upon its inception in early 2019 was its promise of possessing more characteristics of a true sporting league compared to other major wrestling promotions. This was touted out mostly through the use of a ranking system based on wins and losses, used to decide top contenders and who would receive title shots in their respective divisions. Whilst this hasn't been the be-all and end-all of championship opportunities, with some title matches being spawned from battle royales, ladder matches and straight-up challenges, the ranking system has played a pivotal role in how AEW backs up the positioning of potential challengers.
Dark and Elevation allows AEW to build their challengers over time, giving them the necessary stats to make sense of receiving opportunities on Dynamite and Rampage. It isn't a perfect system, of course. The wrinkle of the ranking system being down to both the 'quantity and quality' of results allows some wiggle room for AEW, preventing the problem booking themselves into corners with certain acts who may wrestle less, like MJF for example, falling down the totem pole to a point of no return. It does, however, allow AEW to build to title matches that might not necessarily headline a pay-per-view, but are certainly worthy of TV time. People like The Acclaimed, The Gunn Club, Red Velvet, Anna Jay and more have had the chance to vie for a title thanks to racking up wins on Dark, making for a varied and engaging television product.
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AEW Dark Is Vital For Scouting And Developing Talent
Another aspect that makes Dark such a valuable asset is its role as a proto-developmental brand for AEW. Whilst a number of wrestling schools feed some of their talent into AEW, such as those run by QT Marshall, Thunder Rosa and Shawn Spears, the company does not have a developmental territory for their talent to gain extra seasoning. This is where Dark comes into play. The nature of the taped shows provides a lower-pressure environment for talent to learn how to compete for a television audience as well as those in the building. From performing for the cameras, the smaller details like facial expressions and body language to grander ideas like piecing a match together, Dark is the place where lesser experienced talent can get their reps in.
Many of the standout, upcoming stars of AEW owe much of their acclaim to the Dark system. Tay Conti has been singled out as one of the company's most improved stars as of late, and a big part of that is down to her appearances on Dark. Since joining the company, Conti has had almost three times the amount of matches on Dark than matches on TV or pay-per-view. Similar can be said for Dante Martin, for example. His matches on Dynamite may have garnered a lot of praise, but it's thanks to his matches on Dark that gave him the ability to amaze as he has done.
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On top of developing their own contracted talent, Dark also acts a scouting opportunity for AEW. With the tiered systems of AEW's contracts, some might not have a firm, permanent deal, but they have become regulars in the Dark system. Clearly, AEW likes to keep an eye on certain talents and see how they perform in front of their audiences. They wouldn't keep bringing back talents like Willow Nightingale if they weren't interested in seeing how they progress.
In addition to all of that, Dark and Elevation also help the live AEW experience. A couple bonus Dark matches make tickets to a Dynamite and Rampage taping a little more bang for their buck. Versatility is the name of the game with Dark, serving multiple purposes that might not be totally obvious on the surface. It might not be for the taste of all viewers, but it cannot be denied that Dark is a vital tool for AEW.
