Tag: pro wrestling ratings

WWE SmackDown demo rating up despite World Series competition

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

Friday night’s WWE SmackDown episode averaged 1.147 million viewers on USA Network, a drop of three percent from the previous week. Despite that, this is the second-largest audience total the show has done under Nielsen’s new Big Data + Panel measurement system.

SmackDown topped the cable charts, and finished third overall on television, with a 0.29 rating in the 18-49 demo. That’s up 3.6 percent from last week and is the best rating the show has done in that category since September 26, which was under the previous system.

The show went head-to-head with game one of MLB’s World Series, which drew the second-highest ratings of the last seven years for a World Series opening game. Fox averaged 12.5 million viewers for the broadcast and did a 2.53 rating in 18-49 airing head-to-head with Smackdown. The baseball pre-game show finished second on the charts with 7.244 million viewers and a 1.30 rating.

As compared to the same week in 2024, under the old ratings measurement system, SmackDown’s overall viewership was down 19.1 percent while the 18-49 rating was down 32.6 percent.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership numbers and 18-49 demo ratings, as well as the 10-week average in both categories. This week’s show was down 8.6 percent in viewers and 12.1 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.

Note: numbers before October 1 are using the previous method of calculating ratings.

WWE NXT draws record low ratings for CW episode

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

Tuesday night’s WWE NXT — the go-home show for Halloween Havoc — averaged 525,000 viewers on The CW, down 23.9 percent from last week. It’s the lowest viewership the show has ever done on that network and the lowest overall for NXT since July 30, 2024.

In the 18-49 demo, NXT drew a 0.07 rating. That’s down 41.7 percent from last week and is also the lowest rating the show has done on The CW. Overall, it ties the lowest rating NXT has ever done on any station, matching the number it did on February 8, 2022 when the show aired on SyFy due to USA Network broadcasting the Winter Olympics.

It should be noted that these record lows come under Nielsen’s new “Big Data + Panel” measurement system, which was introduced at the start of October and has generally meant a steep decline from what wrestling shows had been doing previously.

NXT went head-to-head with opening night of the NBA season, which did the best numbers that league has drawn for its opener in the last 15 years. The first NBA game on new broadcast partner NBC averaged 5.096 million viewers and drew a 1.39 rating in the 18-49 demo.

As compared to the same week in 2024, which was with the old Nielsen panel-only system, NXT’s overall viewership was down 25.2 percent while the 18-49 rating was down 56.3 percent.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership numbers and 18-49 demo ratings for NXT, as well as the 10-week average in both categories. This week’s episode was down 21.2 percent in overall viewers and 50 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.

WWE SmackDown ratings up for Crown Jewel fallout episode

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

Last Friday’s WWE SmackDown episode averaged 1.180 million viewers on USA Network, up 15 percent from the previous week. It’s the best audience total the show has done since Nielsen switched to its new “Big Data + Panel” ratings system at the beginning of October.

SmackDown drew a 0.28 rating in the 18-49 demo. That’s up 27 percent from the October 10 episode and also marks the highest number for SmackDown since Nielsen made its switch to the new system.

On a night with heavy sports competition — including two MLB Championship Series games, as well as college football on both Fox and ESPN — SmackDown finished ninth on television in the key demo.

As compared to the same week in 2024, using the old measurement system, SmackDown’s overall viewership was down 14.2 percent while the 18-49 rating was down 33.3 percent.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership totals and 18-49 demo ratings for SmackDown, along with the 10-week average in both categories. This week’s show was down 8.5 percent in overall viewers and 20 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.

Note: Prior to October, ratings were calculated under the old panel-only method. Since the switch, wrestling ratings have generally been lower than they were previously.

AEW Dynamite ratings up for WrestleDream go-home show

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

Wednesday night’s episode of AEW Dynamite averaged 534,000 viewers on TBS, up 66.4% from last week’s Tuesday night airing and up 14.8% from the last Wednesday airing two weeks ago. AEW Collision, which immediately followed Dynamite, averaged 400,000 viewers. That’s down 25.2% from the last time it aired after Dynamite, although those numbers were calculated using Nielsen’s former ratings calculation method.

Dynamite averaged a 0.11 rating in the 18-49 demo. That’s up 57.1% from last Tuesday and up 22.2% from the previous Wednesday airing. Collision averaged the same rating, which was down 8.3% from the last time it followed Dynamite.

The audience retention for Collision was 74.9% in total viewers as opposed to 80.9% the last time they did a 3 hour Wednesday block although the 18-49 retention was 100% as compared to 85.7% previously.

As compared to the same week in 2024, under the old ratings method, Dynamite’s total viewership was down 15.6% while the 18-49 rating was down 45%. Collision aired on it’s regular night and time last year so year over year comparisons aren’t relevant. This year’s numbers do not include viewership on HBO Max.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of overall viewership and 18-49 demo ratings for AEW Dynamite on TBS and AEW Collision as well as the 10 week average in both categories for both shows. This week’s Dynamite was down 6.3% in total viewers and 15.4% in 18-49 as compared to recent averages while Collision was up 44.1% in total viewers and 83.3% in 18-49, which shows the benefit of following Dynamite on Wednesdays.

WWE NXT draws best viewership since Nielsen change

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

Tuesday night’s WWE NXT episode averaged 690,000 viewers on The CW, up 10.4 percent from last week’s NXT vs. TNA Showdown special. It’s the best audience total reported for the show since Nielsen’s new Big Data + Panel measurement system went into effect.

In the 18-49 demo, NXT drew a 0.12 rating. That’s identical to last week and ties the second-lowest rating the show has done in that category so far this year. The top program for the night was “Dancing with the Stars” on ABC, with NXT also going head-to-head with game two of MLB’s National League Championship Series. That Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Milwaukee Brewers game averaged 5.04 million viewers on TBS and drew a 1.16 rating.

Compared to this week in 2024, NXT’s overall viewership was up eight percent while the 18-49 rating was down 33.3 percent. The new system has greatly reduced the 18-49 rating for most wrestling shows.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership numbers and 18-49 demo ratings for NXT. Prior to the September 30 show, numbers were still measured by the old panel-only system. This week’s show was up 2.8 percent in viewers but down 14.3 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.

NXT vs. TNA Showdown beats AEW Dynamite in ratings battle

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

WWE NXT scored a ratings victory over AEW Dynamite with the shows going head-to-head on Tuesday night.

The NXT vs. TNA Showdown special averaged 625,000 viewers on USA Network, an increase of 9.3 percent from last week. With Nielsen changing its ratings methodology, this is still the second-lowest reported audience total for NXT since July 15.

AEW Dynamite Title Tuesday, airing on TBS outside of the show’s normal night, averaged 321,000 viewers. That’s down 31 percent from last week and is the lowest reported audience in the history of the show.

In the 18-49 demo, the NXT episode drew a 0.12 rating. That’s up 20 percent from last week but ties the second-lowest number the show has done in that category so far in 2025.

Dynamite drew a 0.07 rating in the demo, which is a decrease of 22.2 percent from last week and is a record low number for the show.

It should be noted that starting two weeks ago — when Nielsen began using its “Big Panel + Data” measurement system to determine ratings — there have been nearly universal severe declines for both WWE and AEW wrestling programming.

As compared to the same week in 2024, NXT’s average viewership was down 28.5 percent while the 18-49 rating was down 50 percent. AEW’s viewership was down 2.4 percent while the 18-49 rating was down 30 percent. Both shows aired head-to-head during this week last year as well.

Here’s a look at the last 11 weeks of ratings data for both programs:

AEW Collision ratings down with earlier start time

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

Saturday night’s episode of AEW Collision averaged 226,000 viewers on TNT, down 16 percent from the previous week. This is the fourth-lowest audience total the show has done in 2024 so far.

In the 18-49 demo, Collision drew a 0.03 rating. That’s down 40 percent from last week and ties the lowest rating the show has ever done in that category. The rating placed Collision 19th on the daily cable charts in prime time.

For the second straight week, the ratings were calculated using Nielsen’s new “Panel + Big Data” system rather than the old panel-only model. The change has largely resulted in significantly lower numbers for wrestling than under the old panel-only measurements.

The show did air one hour earlier than usual on the East Coast and four hours earlier than usual on the West Coast. There was the usual heavy sports competition with college football games on several networks. Along with that, Collision went against the MLB playoffs and the UFC 320 prelims.

As compared to the same week in 2024, under the old ratings system, Collision’s overall viewership was down 8.9 percent while the 18-49 rating was down 40 percent. This year’s numbers do not include viewership from the HBO Max simulcast.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership numbers and 18-49 demo ratings for Collision. It’s important to note that prior to the September 27 episode, ratings were calculated under the old system. This week’s show was down 27 percent in overall viewers and 57.1 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.

New Nielsen ratings method does not include HBO Max streaming data

Posted on by Josh Nason

According to a new report from Wrestlenomics, the new method Nielsen is using for ratings does not include any data from HBO Max.

Citing a WBD spokesperson, it was stated that when it comes to WBD shows like AEW Dynamite or AEW Collision, “linear viewership information reported by Nielsen (still) does not include HBO Max streaming viewership.” It’s unclear if that would change in the future.

Wrestlenomics also noted the news above doesn’t mean other streaming services like Peacock or Paramount Plus are also not being counted. It’s unknown as of now if they are.

Nielsen recently transitioned to their new “Big Data + Panel” methodology. From our Dave Meltzer’s piece this past Sunday:

“Nielsen now combines data from its traditional panel homes with information from internet-connected smart TVs, set-top boxes, and other devices. The updated methodology also accounts for viewing in public settings like bars and restaurants, which was a significant factor that was previously difficult to measure. Formerly, most of the data came from 40,000 to 45,000 Nielsen homes. Now there is data coming from more than 45 million homes and 75 million devices and will provide far more data.”

This became newsworthy in the wrestling space last week as wrestling ratings took a big hit, including Dynamite and NXT, in the new system in a way that didn’t affect other types of TV shows quite so much. It’s unclear why it affected wrestling so much and if it will continue to do so as time progresses.

AEW Dynamite ratings down against MLB playoffs

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

Wednesday night’s episode of AEW Dynamite averaged 465,000 viewers on TBS, down 27.1% from the viewership total reported last week. It’s the lowest audience the show has ever done on a Wednesday night and the third lowest of all time. The previous lows were shows that aired on a Tuesday last year and a Saturday in 2021.

Dynamite averaged a 0.09 rating in the 18-49 demo. That’s down 35.7% from last week’s reported number and is the lowest rating the show has done in that category in the show’s history, regardless of day or time slot. The show still finished 6th on cable.

Dynamite aired head to head with Game 2 of MLB’s wildcard series between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees on ESPN which averaged 6.757 million viewers and a 1.56 rating in the 18-49 demo.

As compared to the same week in 2024, the overall viewership for the show was down 31.6% while the 18-49 rating was down 55%. This year’s numbers do not include people who watched on HBO Max.

It’s important to note that this is the first week where Nielsen is using the Big Data + Panel system of reporting TV ratings which has resulted in numbers much lower that most wrestling shows had previously done.

Updated WWE NXT ratings for No Mercy go-home show

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

Update —

There has been a correction to Tuesday’s WWE NXT ratings. The show actually averaged 707,000 viewers overall and drew a 0.17 rating in the 18-49 demo.

The viewership is down four percent from the previous week’s Homecoming special, but the 18-49 demo rating remained steady.

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Tuesday night’s WWE NXT episode averaged 617,000 viewers on The CW, down 16.3 percent from last week’s Homecoming special. This marks the lowest audience total for the show since August 26.

In the 18-49 demo, NXT drew a 0.12 rating. That’s down 29.4 percent from last week and ties the lowest rating the show has done in that category in 2025. NXT tied for last place on network television with most of those stations airing new programming for the first time this fall season.

The show also went head-to-head with a WNBA playoff game on cable that averaged 1.464 million viewers on ESPN and drew a 0.27 rating in the 18-49 demo. An MLB game on TBS also aired head-to-head with a 0.15 demo rating and 454,000 viewers.

As compared to the same week in 2024, which was the final week the show aired on USA Network, NXT’s overall viewership was down 0.5 percent while the 18-49 rating was down 36.8 percent.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership numbers and 18-49 demo ratings for NXT, as well as the 10-week average in both categories. This week’s episode was down 9.4 percent in viewers and 20 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.

AEW Collision ratings down for All Out pre-show

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

Saturday afternoon’s Tailgate Brawl special edition of AEW Collision, which served as the All Out pre-show, averaged 184,000 viewers on TNT, down 65.6 percent from the episode that aired after Dynamite on Wednesday. It’s the third-lowest audience the show has ever done and the lowest overall since November 30, 2024.

The broadcast drew a 0.04 rating in the 18-49 demo. That’s down 66.7 percent from Wednesday and ties the second-lowest rating the show has ever done, only beating a 0.03 rating on that same November 30th episode from last year.

The show had major competition with college football on several cable and network TV stations and also aired outside of its normal time slot, along with going head-to-head with its own Zero Hour that aired on YouTube.

As compared to the same week in 2024, when the show aired in its regular time slot, Collision’s overall viewership was down 47 percent while the 18-49 rating was down 66.7 percent.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership numbers and 18-49 demo ratings for Collision, as well as the 10-week average in both categories. This weekend’s show was down 44.4 percent in viewers and 42.9 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages

WWE SmackDown viewership slightly up for Wrestlepalooza go-home show

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

Friday night’s episode of WWE SmackDown averaged 1.342 million viewers on the USA Network, up 2% from the previous week. It’s the second largest audience for the show since August 15th.

SmackDown topped all cable with a 0.37 rating in the 18-49 demo. That’s the exact same rating the show did last week in that category and ties the second best the show has done since the August 8th episode.

There was stronger than usual sports competition on the night. A college football game on FOX aired head to head and topped all television with a 0.58 18-49 rating and 2.657 million viewers overall. Also airing opposite SmackDown was another CFB game on ESPN as well as a WNBA playoff game on ESPN2.

As compared to the same week in 2024, the overall viewership was down 10.2% while the 18-49 rating was down 17.8%.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of overall viewership and 18-49 demo ratings for WWE SmackDown on the USA Network as well as the 10 week average in both categories. This week’s show was down 7.4% in overall viewers and 9.8% in 18-49 as compared to recent averages.

AEW Collision ratings down for September 13 episode

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

Saturday night’s AEW Collision episode averaged 235,000 viewers on TNT, down 21.7 percent from the previous week. This is the second-lowest audience total the show has done since February 1.

In the 18-49 demo, Collision drew a 0.05 rating. That’s down 28.6 percent from last week and is also the second-lowest rating the show has done in that category since the February 1 episode. It’s the third-lowest rating of the year for Collision.

The show went head-to-head with college football games across many networks as well as the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford boxing special on Netflix, although the actual fight aired after Collision was over.

As compared to the same week in 2024, Collision’s overall viewership was down 12.3 percent while the 18-49 rating was down 37.5 percent. This year’s numbers do not include people watching on the HBO Max simulcast.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership numbers and 18-49 demo ratings for Collision, along with the 10-week average in both categories. This week’s show was down 21 percent in viewers and 28.6 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.

WWE SmackDown viewership, 18-49 rating down

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

Friday night’s episode of WWE SmackDown averaged 1.316 million viewers on the USA Network, down 15.7% from the previous week. It’s the third lowest audience for the show since July 4th.

SmackDown averaged a 0.37 rating in the 18-49 demo. That’s down 27.5% from last week but was the second highest rating the show has done in that category since August 8th.

The show finished second on all television in the key demo, trailing only a college football game on ESPN that aired head to head that averaged a 0.60 18-49 rating and 2.609 million viewers overall.

As compared to the same week in 2024, which was the debut episode on USA after moving from FOX, the overall viewership was down 23.6% while the 18-49 rating was down 32.7%.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of overall viewership and 18-49 demo ratings for WWE SmackDown on the USA Network as well as the 10 week average in both categories. This week’s show was down 8.1% in overall viewers and 9.8% in 18-49 as compared to recent averages.

WWE NXT ratings for September 9 episode

Posted on by Paul Fontaine

Tuesday night’s WWE NXT episode averaged 654,000 viewers on The CW, down 0.2 percent from last week. It’s the second-lowest audience total for the show since July 15.

NXT drew a 0.14 rating in the 18-49 demo. That’s identical to last week and ties the second-lowest rating the show has done since the July 15 episode.

The show finished ninth out of 10 network TV programs airing in prime time in the key demo, beating only a repeat episode of CBS’ NCIS Origins. The only significant sports competition was a WNBA game on ESPN that aired head-to-head and averaged 1.034 million viewers and drew a 0.14 rating in 18-49.

As compared to the same week in 2024, when the show still aired on USA Network, NXT’s overall viewership was up 4.1 percent while the 18-49 rating was down 26.3 percent, so the audience continues to skew much older on network TV than broadcast.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of viewership numbers and 18-49 demo ratings for NXT, as well as the 10-week average in both categories. This week’s show was down three percent in viewers and 6.7 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.