Browsing: Ratings

AEW/Lee South

With AEW WrestleDream 2025 taking place on a Saturday night, “AEW Collision” was once again moved from its regular timeslot and aired as a one-hour show after the conclusion of the October 15 episode of “AEW Dynamite.” In that hour, Daniel Garcia and Wheeler Yuta picked up a victory over Orange Cassidy and Kyle O’Reilly, Megan Bayne defeated Harley Cameron in dominant fashion, and the team of Brodido and Mark Briscoe secured a big victory over the Don Callis Family.

TV ratings for “Collision” have been varied over the past year due to being preempted several times, and now that Nielsen are using their new “Big Data + Panel” method, ratings across the board have been all over the place for professional wrestling. However, the one hour episode of “Collision” on October 15 held its own as the show averaged 400,000 viewers according to Wrestlenomics and The Programming Insider. This is both a 40% increase on the 286,000 viewers that the October 11 episode of “Collision” averaged, and 50% above the trailing four week average which currently stands at 267,000 viewers, with all of these figures not including the fans who streamed the show live on HBO MAX.

There was an even bigger increase in the 18-49 demographic as “Collision” posted a 0.11 number, an 83% increase on the 0.06 number posted after the October 11 episode, and the same number that the two-hour episode of “Dynamite” that aired immediately before posted as well. This meant that “Collision” was able to place in the top ten of the night’s prime time cable rankings, placing eighth behind three hours of FOX News, a brand new episode of “South Park,” college football on ESPN, and Major League Baseball on FS1. However, “Collision” did rank above “Dynamite,” which finished in ninth position for the evening.

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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.

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Image: AEW

During a Thursday media call, AEW head Tony Khan talked about the contract situation with Andrade El Idolo (somewhat) in addition to the new ratings system, injury updates to two stars, potentially two Blood & Guts matches, and more.

The full audio from the call can be found below.

Andrade

Asked about the Andrade contract situation, Khan didn’t directly answer the question, even when offered the chance to do so on a follow-up. Khan said he has a ton of respect for him, calling him an amazing wrestler and said he would echo his statements at Worlds End in December 2023. He felt he left on a high note then and still feels that way. He’s excited to see what’s next for him and that was all he could say about it.

Nielsen ratings changes

Khan was asked about the new “Big Data + Panel” ratings methodology by Nielsen & how it’s affected wrestling. He said it will be interesting to look at and thinks they are overall having a really good year and “some of the best results of anybody.” Khan said he’s a part of different sports leagues and is aware of the differences & trying to learn from them. They need to adapt to the changing environment, but they are still trying to figure everything out.

Two Blood & Guts matches

Asked about whether there will be two Blood & Guts matches this year, he thinks they are heading toward both the men and women doing just that. He didn’t directly say the Greensboro, North Carolina, show in November will host two such matches, but he certainly seemed to hint at it.

Kota Ibushi & Swerve Strickland

Asked about Ibushi following his injury last week, Khan said the injury was “devastating for many reasons.” He was planned for the WrestleDream card and they had to make changes accordingly. He is looking forward to having him back if & when he is able. He added that sitting with Kenny Omega and Ibushi together at the Daily’s Place office last week was a “dream come true.”

On Strickland, Khan says he hopes he can come back “relatively soon” and based on conversations he had as recently as today, “he’s on a good pace and sooner than later.”

WrestleDream card updates

Khan said he has “undeniably” changed things for Saturday, but expects WrestleDream to be “an excellent, excellent show.” He is making changes and “going to try some things.” Ibushi was one of the things that necessitated a change.

Future AEW training/developmental facility?

Asked about interest in an AEW developmental/training facility, Khan said he’s interested in that, but was surprised at yesterday’s Fightful report about Asheville, North Carolina, saying there was some truth but was only part of the story. He played it off as kayfabe, saying he would be interested if FTR, Adam Copeland and Christian Cage could all make amends. He confirmed there were talks about such a place, but those issues would need to be figured out first.

Other Notes:

• He also mentioned the wife of Lou Thesz is expected to be at WrestleDream as he wants to honor the spirit of wrestling in St. Louis. He said he would honor Antonio Inoki (for whom the event was initially done in tribute to) but didn’t specify how.

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WWE

Throughout the last two weeks, viewership for professional wrestling has significantly decreased after Nielsen introduced its new “Big Data + Panel” model, which aims to deliver more accurate information for cable and broadcast ratings going forward. Last week, “SmackDown” was heavily affected by the change, as the show drew one of its lowest viewership figures in history outside of a few pre-empted episodes that were televised on FS1. Therefore, with this past Friday’s show streaming internationally on Netflix before broadcasting on the USA Network due to WWE being in Perth, Australia, it was expected that the blue brand might reach an even lower number with many viewers knowing results ahead of time online. Luckily for WWE, “SmackDown” didn’t fall beneath the 1 million viewer threshold, but failed to improve its numbers following last week’s disappointing totals.

According to Wrestlenomics and Programming Insider, “SmackDown” averaged 1,025,000 viewers and posted an 0.22 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. When comparing both categories to the week prior, total viewership was nearly identical, while the 18-49 demo slightly decreased by 4%. Additionally, “SmackDown’s” numbers have continued to drop over the past year since moving to the USA Network, with total viewership declining by 31% and the 18-49 demo being down by a whopping 51% since October 2024. Despite being affected by Nielsen’s new system and airing earlier in the day internationally, “SmackDown” still managed to rank fifth on the night in the key demographic on cable.

“SmackDown” also faced stiff competition on Friday night, with the historic 15-inning MLB American League Division Series game between the Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners pulling in 8 million viewers, and the WNBA Finals ranking second on cable in the 18-49 demo. Moving forward, it remains to be seen if the “Big Data + Panel” measurement continues to negatively affect “SmackDown,” or if viewership will slowly improve with Survivor Series on the horizon.

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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:

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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 piecethis 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.

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Image credit:
(Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images)

MLB viewership numbers are off to a strong start this postseason, as the Wild Card Series recorded its highest ratings since adopting the best-of-three format in 2022.

According to ESPN (which aired all 11 games), the average Wild Card game drew 4.6 million viewers, which was good for 64% a year-over-year increase. Game 3 of the Red Sox-Yankees series drew 7.4 million viewers, with a 15-minute peak of 8.4 million.

ESPN set multiple #MLB Wild Card Series viewership records ðŸ‘

âš¾ï¸ Avg. audience across 11 games: 4.6M viewers, up 64% from ‘24
âš¾ï¸ Red Sox–Yankees Game 3: 7.4M viewers: largest ESPN MLB audience since ‘21
âš¾ï¸ Viewership among fans under 35 up 89%

More: pic.twitter.com/yiwANJ17Yk

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) October 6, 2025

Those numbers represent dramatic increases for the Wild Card round. The average rating this postseason is better than any previous Wild Card game of the best-of-three era, while the viewership for the New York vs. Boston finale was 3.38 million more than the previous record for a Wild Card series game under the current format.

Here are a few numbers to help put the increase in perspective:

• More people watched the Yankees’ Wild Card clincher this year than Game 7 of the Rangers-Astros ALCS in 2023 (6.77 million).

• The 4.6 million average viewership for this year’s wild card round is almost equal to the 4.66 million the 2022 NLCS drew on Fox (Nielsen ratings have been adjusted in recent years to include out-of-home viewing, which may account for some of the increase).

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

SHOW SUMMARY:In this week’s Flagship Flashback episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast from ten years ago (10-6-2015), PWTorch editor Wade Keller was joined by Jason Powell from ProWrestling.net and the Pro Wrestling Boom podcast. They discussed with live callers the previous nightâ€s Raw including Brock Lesnarâ€s early appearance, third hour ratings crash, New Day in main event spot with John Cena, Summer-RuRu drama, NXT Takeover, and more.

Then, in the previously VIP-exclusive Aftershow, they reflect on live show callers, react to breaking news on the TNA World Title and the Total Divas cast, plus answer email topics on WWE charity, who could spark Raw, and much more.

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A recent ratings development made WWE think twice about its future plans.

Last fall, Nielsen Media Research launched the Big Data + Panel methodology, which means a combination of granular datasets (or big data) with a smaller demographic panel. This was done to create a more comprehensive measurement of TV and cross-platform audience. With the new methodology, Nielsen is measuring the minutes of viewing across streaming applications, set-top boxes, and smart TVs across 45 million households and 75 million devices. The move will have an immediate impact on wrestling shows, since the ratings measurements are based on how many people are watching the show, specifically the key demographic. Meanwhile, TNA President Carlos Silva has since stated that his company is gunning for a new television deal, but the recent move from Nielsen could change everything for the Nashville-based promotion.

In a new report from Fightful Select, a WWE production source claimed that the new Nielsen TV ratings measurement system might not work in TNA’s favor. However, Silva made it clear that the development hasn’t been brought up as they will have an upcoming important call which centers around the new TV deal negotiations. WWE production sources have also reportedly expressed concern about the matter.

Carlos Silva also stated that they have an important call this week for an upcoming TV deal.

Full, extensive report on https://t.co/jy8u4a8usI! https://t.co/UkWc74MXvr

— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) October 5, 2025

TNA star Joe Hendry Competed At A WWE NXT Event Ahead Of ShowDown

NXT had a non-televised event last Saturday in Gainesville, Florida, as their Showdown in TNA is just a week away. Joe Hendry was the lone representative of TNA in the aforementioned show.

In the main event, Hendry defeated DarkState’s Cutler James.

JOE HENDRY APPEARED AT TONIGHTâ€S NXT LIVE EVENT AND DEFEATED DARKSTATEâ€S CUTLER JAMES. #NXTGainesville

📸 @rivalinpic.twitter.com/DkAnmdy51s

— ðƒð«ðšð•ðžð§ (@WrestlingCovers) October 5, 2025

The Prestigious One is currently not a member of Team TNA in the men’s team, as he wasn’t selected by team captain Mike Santana. He will be appearing on the show in a special new role.

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TNA is currently eyeing a $10 million media deal for a weekly live show and negotiations are still underway. However, it seems WWE is concerned that the new Nielsen ratings might negatively impact the negotiations.

According to Fightful Select, a WWE production source shared concern that the recent Nielsen TV ratings changes could end up being used against TNA during their efforts to secure a new television deal.

However, TNAâ€s Carlos Silva clarified that this issue hasnâ€t come up in their talks so far. He added that the company has an important call scheduled this week to keep progress moving on a potential new deal.

“One WWE production source expressed concern that the new numbers and data from the Nielsen TV ratings changes could be used to negotiate against TNA as they try to land a new television deal.

TNAâ€s Carlos Silva said that such a thing hasnâ€t even been brought up to TNA during negotiations and that they have an important call this week to keep wheels on their possible upcoming deal is going.â€

This comes after Carlos Silva already noted that there have been major discussions in recent months that have helped move things forward when it comes to a TNA television deal.

Despite concerns about how the Nielsen rating changes might affect wrestling shows overall, Carlos Silvaâ€s remarks makes it clear that TNA remains confident in its standing and expects to secure a strong and stable TV deal as it moves toward 2026. So weâ€ll have to see where TNA ends up eventually.

What do you think about WWEâ€s concern over the Nielsen ratings changes? Do you believe this could truly impact TNAâ€s chances at a major television deal, or is the company strong enough to overcome it? Sound off in the comments.

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