A new report from Fightful Select has provided insight into some of the production changes that have been seen on AEW television over the past year. The report details why the company temporarily moved away from using LED ring aprons and barricades, a decision that was reportedly made for reasons of both wrestler safety and audience reaction.
According to the report, the temporary switch back to standard, non-LED barricades and simpler ring aprons was an adjustment made due to concerns from the talent. “There were a number of wrestlers that got banged up on the barricades and aprons, which are harder and stick out more than the standard,” the report states. “Talent and staff told Fightful that they much prefer the standard barricades, but understand the visual need for LED boards.”
The LED boards have since returned to AEW programming, a move that coincided with the new media rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery that began this year. A member of the Fightful staff who was present at the recent Forbidden Door pay-per-view noted the difference in how the wrestlers were taking bumps into the new barricades, noting that they “suck to hit.” This firsthand account corroborates the safety concerns that were raised by the talent.
Over the last year, AEW has made a variety of changes to its production, including adjustments to pyro and lighting. The temporary removal of the LED boards was one of the most noticeable of these changes. The full report on the production changes can be found on Fightful Select.
