Why doesn't AEW try to emulate this era? It's proof you can build around smaller guys having yummy star rating matches while not alienating casuals like AEW seems bent on doing. Sure the star power in AEW isn't anywhere near as high as 2002 SD, but there have been very few rosters as star-studded before or since, and AEW still has guys like Swerve Strickland that always do well in ratings, so it's not like they don't have people to build around.