Triple H Talks NXT to FS1 Rumors, Counterprogramming AEW

With All Elite Wrestling debuting with TNT on Wednesday nights on October 2nd, there's been talk in the wrestling world that WWE could start airing NXT on FS2 every Wednesday as well, head to head with the new AEW show.

The topic was broached this morning with Triple H during his SummerSlam media call. He was first asked whether a show on FS1 would mean a second NXT show being added in addition to the WWE Network programming.

"When you say [the potential of] two NXT shows, it's funny because in my mind, I immediately went, 'Well, there are two NXT shows, there's NXT: UK and NXT.' But there's always a changing landscape, there's always - the internal discussion here of where content goes is a constant," Hunter said. "We look at this kind of wheel of options of distribution that we have across all platforms, whether that be television or platforms like that, being a part of that world, or whether it be Facebook or something like that, or USA, or FOX. Then there's our digital presence which, as you know, a billion social media followers, #1 channel on YouTube for sports, I think #2 overall right now in the world for anything on YouTube. So digital and where you put things out in that matter [is important to us], and then our VOD/our network/our direct to consumer."

While he didn't confirm or deny the rumors, he did note that there are an abundance of ideas being tossed around right now as it relates to the future of NXT.

"There's a lot of exciting thoughts and ideas out there [for NXT] but we're constantly debating in the ebb and flow of where things go and land," Hunter explained. "And I think that there's a lot of thought that goes into all of it because they all affect each other, and you want to put the right amount of stuff on each one of those pieces of the wheel to make sure that you're getting the maximum out of all of them. So when it comes to NXT growing as a brand and everything else, there's a lot of options on the table."

Triple H then seemed to push-back on the idea that NXT on Wednesday nights would be "counterprogramming" an AEW television show due to the fact that NXT has aired on Wednesday nights for years. In fact, he alleged that it's actually AEW who is counterprogramming NXT.

"Contrary to what I've heard, because you hear people speculate and I've seen the conversations around FS1 or whatever it is with NXT and all that stuff, and then immediately, people come in with counterprogramming talk. We have content all over the place, and if people want to talk about counter-programming and bring that up in the conversation - like, Wednesday has been the home of NXT forever. Right?" Hunter asked. "That's where it's sat; it's been on our network on a Wednesday's time slot now forever.

"And when other people announce [their show] on Wednesday, you don't hear talk about counter-programming. You just hear, 'the announcement'. For us, everything is 'counterprogramming' and it's this and it's that - We plan things long in advance," Triple H continued. "We worry about doing our business and that's really what we worry about, so, [I've been giving] cryptic talk because there's a lot of thoughts and possibilities. And that's the great thing about it is that we can do just about anything, it is about what is best for WWE, and this business, and how does it affect the fans in the way that is the most meaningful to them."

While long time wrestling fans will always think of Monday nights as the time and place of the wrestling wars, it could be Wednesday nights that get interesting come this fall.

[H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription]