AEW is adjusting its programming schedule to avoid head-to-head competition with WWE’s WrestleMania 41, as Collision will air live on Thursday, April 17 at 8 p.m. ET for a special episode titled “Spring BreakThru.”
The shift from Collision’s usual Saturday timeslot comes just two days before WrestleMania 41 Night One, scheduled for Saturday, April 19. AEW is strategically avoiding direct conflict with WWE’s biggest annual event.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez discussed AEW’s broader scheduling strategy:
Bryan Alvarez: “I do know that Thursday, April 17, it appears that the Spring BreakThru episode of Collision will be airing live Thursday, April 17, at 8 Eastern. So they are not going to be taping it and airing it on Saturday—they’re airing it live on Thursday.”
Dave Meltzer: “Yeah, I think the same thing is going to happen on Memorial Day weekend. I don’t know this as fact, but I was told they are monitoring the situations when it comes to Saturdays with WWE major shows, in particular Saturday Night’s Main Event. TBS—and perhaps TNT—doesn’t want to go against a wrestling show on NBC, understandably so, or against pay-per-views like WrestleMania.”
Meltzer also noted AEW’s plans to run events in Detroit on both Wednesday and Thursday during Memorial Day weekend, further supporting the idea that more Collision tapings could shift to Thursdays if WWE programming continues to dominate Saturday nights.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that TNT’s broadcasting rights for the NBA expire this year, which could open the door for AEW to consider permanently shifting Collision to Thursday nights in 2025 and beyond.
AEW’s willingness to adapt its schedule reflects the intensifying competition in the pro wrestling landscape, particularly around premium event weekends. The Spring BreakThru edition of Collision may set a precedent for how AEW manages future scheduling conflicts with WWE.
