The length of AEW pay-per-views is once again drawing criticism behind the scenes, with AEW Double or Nothing on May 25, 2025, reigniting the conversation. The show, held in Glendale, Arizona, ran over six hours and included the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament finals, highlighted by wins from “Hangman” Adam Page and Mercedes Moné.
On a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Live at F4WOnline.com, Bryan Alvarez shared that the marathon runtime has become a growing concern within the company.
“Yesterday, I spent the whole day talking to all sorts of people in AEW,” Alvarez said. “I will say with one exception… every single person was like, ‘These shows are too long. We all know it. They should end before midnight on the East Coast.’”
Although Alvarez did not speak directly with AEW President Tony Khan, he emphasized that nearly everyone else he heard from backstage voiced the same opinion.
“Every single person in the company that I talked to, except Tony because I didn’t talk to him – because of course he doesn’t think they’re too long – every single person there is like, ‘They’re too long. He just does it. We can’t stop it. There’s nothing that can be done,’” he added.
Alvarez didn’t hold back in his conclusion: “The 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.”
Despite the lengthy runtime, backstage morale following Double or Nothing is reportedly in good shape. Still, the ongoing debate over event duration could pose a challenge for AEW as it looks to balance creative freedom with fan and talent fatigue.
