Saturday night used to be the "death slot" for television. For decades, networks assumed everyone was out at the movies or hitting the bars, leaving nothing but reruns and infomercials for the homebodies. Then Tony Khan decided to drop a two-hour wrestling clinic right in the middle of it. If you're looking for the AEW Collision start time, you probably already know that the schedule can be a total nightmare to track depending on what else is happening in the world of sports.
Normally, the show kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on TNT.
But "normally" is a heavy word in pro wrestling. If there is a playoff game, a late-season baseball matchup, or a random pro-ball game that runs long, that 8 p.m. slot becomes more of a suggestion than a rule. It’s frustrating. You sit down with your snacks, flip to TNT, and see a movie that’s still got forty minutes left. Or worse, you realize the show started an hour early because of a "special start time" you missed on Twitter.
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The Standard AEW Collision Start Time and the TNT Shuffle
For the vast majority of the year, you can bet on the 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT window. This puts Collision directly against some of the biggest competition in the industry. It’s the same time slot where WWE often runs its Premium Live Events (PLEs). Honestly, it’s a bold move. AEW is basically telling fans they have to choose between a developmental brand, a major stadium show, or the Saturday night grit of Collision.
West Coast fans usually get the short end of the stick. Unless you have a satellite feed or a specific cable provider that offers the East Coast feed, you’re often watching on a tape delay at 8 p.m. PT. That means by the time the main event starts for you, the results have been plastered all over Reddit and Instagram for three hours. If you want to avoid spoilers, you basically have to throw your phone into a lake around 5 p.m. local time.
Why does it fluctuate so much? Look at the calendar. TNT is the home of the NBA and the NHL. When the playoffs roll around, wrestling takes a backseat. It’s just business. During those months, the AEW Collision start time might shift to a "Special Afternoon Edition" at 4 p.m. ET, or it might be pushed back to 10 p.m. ET, right after a double-header.
When the Schedule Goes Off the Rails
Let’s talk about the dreaded "pre-empted" status.
There have been weekends where Collision didn't even air on Saturday. Occasionally, AEW will run a "Title Tuesday" or a special Friday night "Collision" if the Saturday lineup is too crowded with college football. College football is the real giant here. From September to December, Saturday nights are dominated by the SEC, the Big Ten, and the hunt for the playoffs. AEW knows they can’t win a head-to-head fight with a top-five rivalry game.
So, they pivot.
You’ll see the show move around the schedule like a chess piece. Sometimes they’ll even tape the show on a Thursday or Friday and air it in a weird window. Fans have to be detectives. You’ve got to check the official AEW social media accounts—specifically the ones run by Tony Khan or the AEW on TV account—at least 24 hours in advance. They aren't always great about updating the digital cable guides until the last minute.
International Viewing Times
If you aren't in the United States, the math gets even weirder.
- United Kingdom: Fans are usually waking up at 1 a.m. on Sunday morning to catch it live on FITE (now TrillerTV).
- Canada: TSN usually carries it, but their scheduling is even more erratic than TNT’s because they prioritize curling, hockey, and CFL football.
- Australia: You're looking at a Sunday morning/midday affair, which is actually a pretty great way to spend a Sunday lunch.
Why the Start Time Matters for Ratings
Wrestling nerds love to talk about the "demo." The 18-49 age bracket is the holy grail for advertisers. When the AEW Collision start time shifts, the ratings usually take a hit. It’s a simple matter of habit. People are creatures of routine. If they expect a show at 8:00 and it’s not there, they turn on Netflix and never come back.
But Collision has developed a "hardcore" audience. These are the folks who will follow the show to a 11:30 p.m. slot if they have to. It’s a different vibe than Dynamite. Dynamite is the flagship, the spectacle, the "go-go-go" show. Collision was built around a more old-school, technical wrestling philosophy. It’s the show where you’re more likely to see a twenty-minute technical masterpiece that starts with a five-minute headlock.
Because of that, the fans are more loyal. They'll hunt for the start time because they don't want to miss the specific style of wrestling that Collision provides.
The Logistics of Attending Live
If you’re actually going to the arena, the AEW Collision start time printed on your ticket is usually when the "dark matches" or Ring of Honor (ROH) tapings begin.
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Do not show up at 8 p.m.
If you show up at 8 p.m., you’ve already missed three or four matches. AEW almost always tapes ROH content before and after the live Collision broadcast. Usually, the "doors open" time is around 6:00 p.m. local time, with matches starting at 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. This gives the crowd time to get energized before the cameras go live on TNT.
There is nothing worse than being stuck in the security line while you hear the opening pyro and the "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" theme song echoing through the concourse. Get there early. Grab your merch. Get your overpriced stadium nachos. Be in your seat at least thirty minutes before the televised start time.
Dealing with Overruns
Does AEW Collision have an overrun? Rarely.
Unlike Dynamite, which often bleeds five to seven minutes into the next time slot on Wednesday nights, Collision is usually a hard out. TNT has a very strict schedule on Saturday nights, often leading directly into a movie or a scheduled replay. If the main event is running long, you might see the "Total Fan" credits start rolling while the wrestlers are still in the ring.
It adds a sense of urgency. When the commentators say, "We are desperately running out of time," they usually mean it. There’s no "extra time" being granted by the network most weeks.
How to Stay Updated Without Losing Your Mind
If you want to ensure you never miss the AEW Collision start time, you need a system. Relying on your DVR to "auto-record" is a recipe for disaster. If the show moves by an hour, your DVR might miss the first half or record an hour of a basketball post-game show instead.
- Check the AEW Graphics: On the Wednesday Dynamite before a Saturday Collision, they always post a graphic for the upcoming show. Read the small print at the bottom. That’s where they hide the "Special Time" warnings.
- Use the TNT App: The app usually has the most up-to-date schedule because it’s linked directly to the network’s digital broadcast flip.
- Follow the Beat Reporters: Guys like Sean Ross Sapp at Fightful or the crew at PWInsider are usually the first to report if a sports delay is going to push the wrestling start time back.
Wrestling is a chaotic business. The schedule is just a part of that chaos. Whether it's a "Battle of the Belts" special following immediately after or a West Coast delay, being a fan requires a bit of effort.
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Actionable Steps for the Next Show
Don't get caught off guard by a sudden shift in the schedule. To make sure you're ready for the next episode:
- Sync your calendar: If you use a digital calendar, add a recurring event for Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, but set a "check" reminder for Friday evening.
- Verify the TNT schedule: Visit the TNT Drama website's "Schedule" tab on Saturday morning. This is the source of truth for any last-minute NBA-related shifts.
- Adjust your DVR manually: Instead of "Record Series," set a manual recording for a 3-hour block starting at 8 p.m. ET. This covers you if there’s a small overrun or a slight delay in the broadcast start.
- Check the local listings if you're traveling: If you’re in a hotel or a different time zone, "8 p.m." might mean something entirely different. Always check the local channel guide the moment you check in.
The AEW Collision start time is the gateway to some of the best technical wrestling on television. It's worth the five minutes of prep work to make sure you're actually there when the bell rings. Missing the first ten minutes of a Bryan Danielson or FTR match because the NBA playoffs ran long is a mistake you only make once. Stay diligent, check the scrolls, and enjoy the show.