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If you've been keeping up with AEW over the past few months, you may have noticed that there is a steady controversy building around Tony Khan's booking of the women's division.
To some, the division has fallen off in a major way ever since Jamie Hayter suffered an injury in April that had kept her out of action ever since, save a three-minute squash versus Toni Storm at Double Or Nothing to turn back over the title. Sure, there's still Britt Baker, Saraya, and Willow, who are all capable of getting eyes on the product and producing interesting angles, but outside of the emergence of Skye Blue as a legit fan favorite, there just hasn't been much that connects with the crowd, ergo why it hasn't been booked hard.
And yet, in the opinion of others, the reason nothing is getting over with the audience is that it isn't being given a chance to shine, leading some to question just how many female matches will make it onto the biggest show in the promotion's history, All In.
Asked what she would like to do on All In if afforded a chance to choose for herself by a fan on Twitter, Saraya let it be known that she thinks AEW should really lean into setting up multiple female storylines heading into the show, as she believes there's plenty of time to add a few quality matches to the show.
“Well. It’s a big show, gonna be a longer one too,” Saraya wrote. “Putting my opinion about me to the side and thinking of the division as a whole. I think the women deserve an opportunity, and with ample time we could have multiple matches and really utilize the weeks between now and until then to start telling a couple different stories leading up to what’s gonna be the biggest wrestling event in history.”
On paper, Saraya is dead on; AEW has plenty of time to set up multiple storylines for All In and could really leave fans of female wrestling with a satisfied feeling when the show comes to a close. Will Tony Khan actually lean into that idea? That, friends, is the 88,000 tickets sold question.
Well. It’s a big show, gonna be a longer one too. Putting my opinion about me to the side and thinking of the division as a whole. I think the women deserve an opportunity and with ample time we could have multiple matches and really utilize the weeks between now and until then… https://t.co/FhNGS9LZyd
— SARAYA (@Saraya) August 1, 2023
Britt Baker weighs in on the AEW “Book The Women's Division Better” sign.
On the final episode of AEW Dynamite of the month of July, one brave fan decided to make and display a sign that read “Book The Women's Division Better” throughout the show, especially during the match between Dr. Britt Baker DMD and Taya Valkyrie; a match fans gave a 2.42 rating on Cagematch.
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Discussing the sign in question in a special interview with Scott Fishman for TV Insider, Baker noted that she can see “both sides” of the conversation but, in general, hopes fans can be kinder towards the Superstars they love and maybe don't love quite as much.
“I see both sides to that because I completely agree. The absolute best matches that come out of professional wrestling come out of storylines you are so invested in. There are weeks and months that tell this beautiful story. It’s something we haven’t been able to invest as much time in the women’s division lately. Again, there are many factors. Injuries, this and that. I definitely want to get to the point where we can get some solid storytelling with the women,” Britt Baker said.
“At the same time the fans who hold signs that say to book the women’s division better, that’s great. Then when I go on Twitter it doesn’t echo that. I don’t see the same support. It’s I hate these two wrestlers. This match was too long. This match was too short. If all you see about women’s wrestling is all negative online, it doesn’t add up to what they are preaching. If you want the women to be booked better, support the women.
“You don’t have to like every wrestler and every match. You also don’t have to get on Twitter and preach from the mountaintops how much you hated things. Some stuff, keep to yourself. I can’t tell you how many times I go to a restaurant and I don’t like how my steak is cooked. I don’t need to talk to the chef and take 30 pictures of the steak to tell them I don’t like how this steak is cooked. There is too much invested in the negativity that it does so much harm. I hope people realize one day how much harm it does to not only the individuals and mental health, but to the industry as a whole.”
Would the world be better if folks could be kinder online? Most definitely, the discourse online has been rough for any professional athlete, let alone female wrestlers who don't get a consistent chance to shine. Still, TK has a chance to really help out his performers by booking them in compelling storylines, even if the additional on-screen time may produce more negative reactions before fans come around.
