More on AEW & NXT Week 154 Viewership – Sept. 20 & 21, 2022, AEW Rampage Week 58 – Sept. 16, 2022

More on WWE NXT Viewership for September 20th

The September 20th episode of WWE NXT saw NXT suffer a large decline in overall viewership but gained a small increase in key demographic rankings.

NXT drew 688,000 viewers and a 0.15 key demographic rating on USA Network. NXT’s key demographic ranking for that night was 7th place.

Detailed viewership and key demographic breakdowns were not available in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Dave Meltzer reported that the main reason for NXT’s mixed results this week was due to the large declines from their male key demographic viewership and younger key demographic viewership groups, which were down 17.4% and 20% respectively compared to last week’s show. This reportedly offset the large gains from their female key demographic viewership and older key demographic viewership groups, which were up 56.5% and 10% compared to last week’s show. Another reason for the mixed results reportedly was due to the large decline from their Over 50 demographic viewership group, which was down 4.8% compared to last week’s show.

In terms of head-to-head competition, the MLB game of Houston Astros vs. Tampa Bay Rays drew 249,000 viewers on TBS, the MLB game of St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Diego Padres drew 242,000 viewers on TBS, 7 Little Johnstons drew 748,000 viewers on TLC, Below Deck Down Under drew 566,000 viewers on Bravo, and Deadliest Catch drew 811,000 viewers on Discovery Channel.

In terms of key demographic viewership, NXT had 195,000 viewers. Meltzer reported that the male/female viewership split was 123,000 male viewers and 72,000 female viewers for a split of 63.1% in favor of males.

NXT’s overall viewership peak reportedly was 730,000 viewers for the Wendy Choo vs. Cora Jade match. NXT’s key demographic viewership peak reportedly was 213,000 viewers also during the Choo vs. Jade match.

In terms of yearly comparisons, NXT was down 7.8% in overall viewership and down 25% in key demographic viewership.

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More on AEW Dynamite Viewership for September 21st

The September 21st episode of AEW Dynamite saw AEW suffer a large decline in overall viewership and a small decline in key demographic ratings. This week’s show was notable for being the Dynamite Grand Slam 2022 special.

AEW drew 1,039,000 viewers and a 0.35 key demographic rating on TBS. AEW’s key demographic ranking for that night was 1st place.

Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the main reason for AEW’s declines this week was due to very stiff competition from the major television networks airing season premieres for their shows that night, which saw an increase of 52% in total viewership and 54% in key demographic viewership compared to last week. Another reason reportedly was due to the large declines from their younger male key demographic viewership, older key demographic viewership, and Over 50 demographic viewership groups, which were down 19.9%, 13.4%, and 8% respectively compared to last week’s show. This reportedly offset the large gains from their younger female key demographic viewership group, which was up 19.7% compared to last week’s show.

In terms of head-to-head competition, the MLB simulcast games of St. Louis vs. San Diego and Seattle vs. Oakland drew 170,000 viewers on MLB Network, the League Cup soccer game of Cincinnati FC vs. Chivas Guadalajara drew 111,000 viewers on TUDN, and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills drew 1,124,000 viewers on Bravo.

In terms of key demographic viewership, AEW had 458,000 viewers. AEW’s Males 18-34 was down 19.9%, Females 18-34 was up 19.7%, Males 35-49 was down 16.3%, and Females 35-49 was down 5.2%. Meltzer reported that the male/female viewership split was at 64.2% in favor of males.

In an interesting note, Meltzer reported that this week’s AEW show managed to top this past Monday’s WWE RAW show in overall 18-34 and Females 18-34. AEW also managed to tie the prior week’s WWE SmackDown show in Females 18-34.

In terms of the one million viewership milestone, all of AEW’s eight quarters drew one million or more viewers. AEW’s peak quarter hour viewership was at 1,081,000 viewers for their first quarter while their quarter low was at 1,009,000 viewers for their second quarter.

In terms of yearly comparisons, AEW was down 18.7% in overall viewership and down 27% in key demographic viewership.

AEW Dynamite quarter hour viewership breakdowns were:

• 1Q – 1,081,000 overall viewers and 476,000 key demo viewers (Bulk of the ROH World Championship match of Chris Jericho vs. Claudio Castagnoli (c))
• 2Q – 1,009,000 overall viewers and 457,000 key demo viewers (Ending of the ROH World Championship match, the Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson match hype video segment, and the start of the AEW World Championship match of The Acclaimed vs. Swerve In Our Glory (c))
• 3Q – 1,046,000 overall viewers and 485,000 key demo viewers (Bulk of the AEW World Tag Team Championship match and the FTR & Gunn Club backstage segment)
• 4Q – 1,022,000 overall viewers and 474,000 key demo viewers (MJF & Wheeler Yuta promo & brawl segment, The Baddies, Diamante, & Trina backstage segment, and the start of the AEW All-Atlantic Championship match of Orange Cassidy vs. PAC (c))
• 5Q – 1,013,000 overall viewers and 431,000 key demo viewers (Bulk of the AEW World Championship match)
• 6Q – 1,054,000 overall viewers and 446,000 key demo viewers (AEW Interim Women’s World Championship Four-way match of Dr. Britt Baker vs. Serena Deeb vs. Athena vs. Toni Storm and post-match brawl and Saraya AEW debut)
• 7Q – 1,026,000 overall viewers and 447,000 key demo viewers (Ending of the Saraya AEW debut segment, Darby Allin video promo segment, and the start of the AEW World Championship match of Danielson vs. Moxley)
• 8Q – 1,058,000 overall viewers and 450,000 key demo viewers (Bulk of the AEW World Championship match)

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More on AEW Rampage Viewership for September 16th

The September 16th episode of AEW Rampage saw AEW gain a large increase in overall viewership and a small increase in key demographic rankings.

AEW Rampage drew 470,000 viewers and a 0.14 key demographic rating on TNT. AEW’s key demographic ranking for that week’s show was 14th place.

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the main reason for AEW’s increases that week was due to the large gains from their older key demographic and Over 50 demographic viewership groups, which were up 14.3% and 20% compared to the prior week’s show. This reportedly offset the large decline in their younger key demographic viewership group, which was down 42.9% compared to the prior week’s show.

In terms of head-to-head competition, the College football game of Florida State vs. Louisville drew 2,753,000 viewers on ESPN, the MLB simulcast games of New York Yankees vs. Milwaukee and Oakland vs. Houston drew 278,000 viewers on MLB Network, On Patrol Live drew 821,000 viewers on REELZ Channel, and 90 Day Fiance First Look drew 653,000 viewers on TLC.

In terms of key demographic viewership, AEW had 176,000 viewers. Meltzer reported that the male/female viewership split was 104,000 male viewers and 72,000 female viewers. Meltzer also reported that the male/female viewership split was 59% in favor of males. Meltzer also reported that week’s Rampage show did not rank in the Top 10 youngest skewing sports show for the week while that week’s Dynamite was the sixth youngest English skewing sports show, behind four English Premiere League soccer games and one MLS soccer game.

In terms of yearly comparisons, AEW was down 26.8% in overall viewership and down 44.5% in key demographic viewership.

AEW Rampage quarter hour viewership breakdowns were:

• 1Q – 509,000 overall viewers and 192,000 key demo viewers (Matt Hardy vs. Darby Allin match and post-match brawl with Sting and Brody King)
• 2Q – 483,000 overall viewers and 188,000 key demo viewers (Eddie Kingston video promo segment, the Claudio Castagnoli & Chris Jericho promo segment, The Baddies & Diamante backstage segment, and the start of the Penelope Ford vs. Willow Nightingale match)
• 3Q – 457,000 overall viewers and 175,000 key demo viewers (Bulk of the Ford vs. Nightingale match, the Hangman Page, Dark Order, & RUSH backstage segment, the Danhausen vs. Ethan Page match, and the Ricky Starks video promo segment)
• 4Q – 431,000 overall viewers and 150,000 key demo viewers (ROH TV Championship match of Josh Woods vs. Samoa Joe (c))