Backstage Update on TNT Airing AEW Collision in Two Parts

– As previously reported, TNT is trying something different with AEW Collision later this month during NCAA Basketball season. Next week’s AEW Collision that’s being taped in Omaha, Nebraska on March 18 will later be split into two separate one-hour shows and air on back-to-back nights on TNT on Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23. Rather than preempting AEW Collision that weekend, the show will air in two parts on back-to-back nights with a huge lead-in from NCAA Basketball. Dave Meltzer had more details on the “experiment” during today’s Wrestling Observer Radio.

Meltzer reported on the change, “The idea is to give them the benefit of two–rather than do a two-hour show with the second hour being from midnight to 1:00 am, which the ratings would fall, but they’re going to give them one hour each night, coming right after the tournament game, so in theory, they should get two big ratings”

Meltzer noted that TNT was very happy with the results of AEW Grand Slam Australia in Melbourne, Australia, which aired on TNT on Saturday, February 15 on TNT instead of Collision, which is why Collision is being split to air into two parts with NCAA Basketball as the two parts’ lead-ins. TNT reportedly considered Grand Slam Australia a “pretty huge success,” explaining why Collision is getting this huge opportunity during the college basketball tournament coverage.