Nielsen’s New “Big Data + Panel” Ratings System Reportedly Does Not Include HBO MAX for AEW Shows Ratings

As noted before, Nielsen Media Research recently launched a new television ratings measurement system called “Big Data + Panel.” This new ratings system has resulted in a currently negative impact for the wrestling television industry with WWE and AEW’s shows over the past two weeks generating year-low to near year-low ratings numbers.

Wrestlenomics’ Brandon Thurston reported that in an email response, a Warner Bros Discovery spokesperson stated that AEW’s live simulcasts on HBO MAX are currently not included in Nielsen’s ratings and viewership numbers for Dynamite or Collision shows for their new ratings measurement system.

This spokesperson reportedly stated “nothing has changed in terms of what is baked into their numbers from the WBD side of things. AEW’s Dynamite and Collision linear viewership information reported by Nielsen (still) does not include HBO Max streaming viewership.”

Thurston reported that it is currently not known if other streaming services like Peacock and Paramount+ are also not being currently counted for ratings and viewership for shows for Paramount or NBCUniversal.

Thurston reported that Nielsen’s new ratings measurement system “blends traditional panel households that opt in to providing data, along with much broader data collected from set-top boxes and smart TVs.” This current new methodology reportedly has resulted in lower audience measurements for AEW and WWE programs as a result.