Throughout the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, WWE and AEW have both tried to make television broadcasts work without fans in the audience. The one big difference is that AEW used a small audience of wrestlers to watch the show and act like fans, while WWE put its shows on in almost complete silence, with only the announcers there to make any noise outside of the action in the ring.

WWE finally changed that up last week and added fans to the audience in the form of NXT wrestlers and Performance Center trainees. However, by the end of the week, it was clear WWE had stolen AEW's idea but fell short in its execution with a product that was way worse.

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First off, AEW took wrestlers that were mid-card players and had them surround the ring. In an exclusive interview with Shawn Spears, he told CBR that AEW President Tony Khan instructed the wrestlers to go out and do what they wanted to further their characters while watching the action.

It was highly entertaining, with guys like Spears and MJF betting on matches, Billy Gunn and his son acting like the best of buddies, and Pineapple Pete becoming a star. Add in Dr. Britt Baker making a shoe a legitimate weapon, and the audience was part of the show. They cheered and booed the wrestlers that they liked, and they helped increase the enjoyment of the television presentations.

WWE did something different, but it never felt real. The NXT stars and trainers all cheered the babyfaces and booed the heels. It felt nothing like a real crowd watching the show. It was apparent WWE told them how to react to individual stars and specific situations. These "fans" wore WWE shirts and seemed to be acting the entire time, rather than doing anything to help them stand out as possible future stars.

Then, WWE did the unthinkable on Monday Night Raw, which made the entire situation seem second-rate. One criticism that AEW and WWE face during these shows is the safety of superstars during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. The announcers emphasized on Raw about the safety precautions taken. They said they tested everyone before allowing them to be part of the crowd during the episode. They also made sure to show everyone standing six feet apart, practicing social distancing. There was also a hockey-styled plexiglass barrier surrounding the ringside area.

WWE made sure fans knew the company was protecting its talent with social distancing and the plexiglass barrier. At the end of Monday Night Raw, WWE showed it was all just for show.

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Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley stood face-to-face at the end of Raw, and after McIntyre hit the Claymore on MVP, the two men began to brawl. The referee needed help breaking the two up. So, he called in the trainees and NXT recruits from the audience to help. After spending the entire episode pretending that WWE was protecting these people through social distancing and plexiglass, the referee called them into the ring as part of a pull-apart brawl.

By the end, over a dozen talents practicing social distancing were within inches of each other, physically pulling Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre apart. WWE never cared about social distancing or protecting anyone. They just wanted to say they were.

By the end of the week, these "fans" were in the audience for Monday Night Raw, NXT on Wednesday night, and Friday Night SmackDown. They were good boys and girls, cheering babyfaces and booing the heels. Never once did they seem like real fans watching a wrestling show, especially when they all charged the ring at the end of Raw.

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