The entertainment press dives into the NXT/AEW ratings fight

The numbers Variety brings up in their article on the head-to-head battle for viewers and ratings between AEW Dynamite and WWE NXT are interesting, but they’re not really new information. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter covers them every week, and if you’re really into analyzing the data, you’ve probably read them there or elsewhere.

If you haven’t seen those numbers, though, Variety’s article uses Live+7 viewership, or how many people watched both live and within the first seven days after live broadcast via DVR. Through December 18, Dynamite averages 1.2 million per week. 654,000 of those were in the 18 – 49 demographic. The +7 adds 32% over from the Live+SameDay figures we report at Cageside each Thursday.

For NXT, the Live+7 average is 972,000, with 428,000 in the 18 – 49 demo. That’s 20% over the next day number.

While these numbers are fun for talking trash with your AEW or NXT loyalist friends, and interesting for more serious debates too, advertisers are mostly interested in the next day numbers (since DVR viewers fast forward through ads). And the 18 - 49 year old demo is valued more than the overall audience number.

Through Jan. 1, 2020 in Live+SameDay, that age range has watched AEW to the tune of 0.38 average rating and 906,000 viewers. NXT’s averaged a 0.26 rating and 809,000 viewers. And there’s no reason to believe either TNT or USA is unhappy with that.

Which is why I find the fact that a mainstream industry outlet like Variety is diving into the story is of a revelation than the story itself. Your mileage may vary.

See you tomorrow afternoon for new numbers!