#2 TV deal
If AEW want to compete with WWE, they need to get eyes on the product, so they need a huge TV deal. WWE have programming on the USA Network, which is available in 94.3 million households in the US. In October, SmackDown will move to FOX Sports, which means WWE is on a credible sports channel, and may attract new traditional sports fans.
AEW are rumoured to have a couple of TV deals on the table, including deals with Time Warner on channels like TBS and TNT. TBS is available in around 90 million homes, and TNT is available in around 89 million homes.
I believe this is one of the biggest factors in the success of AEW. If AEW could get a massive TV deal, it would launch them from the level of ROH and Impact straight to the level of WWE.
It's simple, the bigger the station, the bigger the audience. More people will stumble across AEW on TBS or TNT than will stumble across Impact on the Pursuit Channel. They may not compete with WWE in the ratings straight away, but if the product is good enough, it will attract an audience. They also don't need to go head-to-head with them on a Monday night.