AEW Talent Reportedly Frustrated With Length Of Pay-Per-Views

The runtime of AEW pay-per-views has once again sparked internal debate following Double or Nothing on May 25, 2025. The show, held in Glendale, Arizona, ran over five hours and featured the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament finals with major victories by โ€œHangmanโ€ Adam Page and Mercedes Monรฉ.

According to Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Live, the extended length of AEW’s premium events has become a major sticking point backstage.

โ€œYesterday, I spent the whole day talking to all sorts of people in AEW,โ€ Alvarez said. โ€œI will say with one exceptionโ€ฆ every single person was like, โ€˜These shows are too long. We all know it. They should end before midnight on the East Coast.โ€™โ€

While AEW President Tony Khan was not among those Alvarez spoke with, he noted that nearly everyone else shared the same sentiment.

โ€œEvery single person in the company that I talked to, except Tony because I didnโ€™t talk to him โ€“ because of course he doesnโ€™t think theyโ€™re too long โ€“ every single person there is like, โ€˜Theyโ€™re too long. He just does it. We canโ€™t stop it. Thereโ€™s nothing that can be done,โ€™โ€ Alvarez revealed.

He concluded, โ€œThe shows are too long. Everybody knows it except Tony and a small handful of the sickos that would watch the show if it were nine hours long.โ€

With talent morale otherwise reported to be high following Double or Nothing, it appears the only cloud hanging over AEWโ€™s strong momentum is the question of how long is too long when it comes to show length.