Vice presidential debate crushes AEW and NXT in the ratings

The ratings and viewership data are in for this week’s (Oct. 7) NXT and AEW television shows.

Per Showbuzz Daily, Dynamite netted 753,000 viewers for a .31 rating point in the 18-49 demographic. NXT checked in with 639,000 viewers for a .16 rating point in the same 18-49 demo.

For AEW, this is a decrease of about 113,000 viewers from the prior week, and a decline from last week’s 0.33 demo rating. For NXT, viewership dropped by about 93,000 viewers from the prior week, and the demo rating was down from last week’s 0.19.

AEW fell from 12th to 19th place in the demo rating for the night, while NXT dropped from 50th to 56th place.

The 2020 vice presidential debate (and all the corresponding coverage) between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris dominated the ratings last night and crushed the competition, scoring north of 50 million total viewers. MLB playoff games were also a factor in keeping some fans away from pro wrestling. Both AEW and NXT knew this was coming, so this might be one week where the numbers get a shoulder shrug of acceptance, and both promotions simply look ahead to attracting a bigger audience next week.

Here’s a breakdown of AEW viewership and rating in the 18-49 demo over the last year:

• Oct. 9: 1.02 million / .46 on TNT, plus 122K from Tru TV simulcast for total viewership of approximately 1.14 million
• Oct. 16: 1.01 million / .44
• Oct 24: 963,000 / .45
• Oct 30: 759,000 / .34
• Nov. 6: 822,000 / .35
• Nov. 13: 957,000 / .43
• Nov. 20: 893,000 / .39
• Nov. 27: 663,000 / .26
• Dec. 4: 851,000 / .32
• Dec. 11: 778,000 / .28
• Dec. 18: 683,000 / .25
• Dec. 25: N/A
• Jan. 1: 967,000 / .36
• Jan. 8: 947,000 / .36
• Jan. 15: 940,000 / .38
• Jan. 22: 871,000 / .35
• Jan. 29: 828,000 / .34
• Feb. 5: 928,000 / .36
• Feb. 12: 817,000 / .30
• Feb. 19: 893,000 / .31
• Feb. 26: 865,000 / .30
• Mar. 4: 906,000 / .35
• Mar. 11: 766,000 / .26
• Mar. 18: 932,000 / .35
• Mar. 25: 819,000 / .34
• Apr. 1: 685,000 / .25
• Apr. 8: 692,000 / .26
• Apr. 15: 683,000 / .25
• Apr. 22: 731,000 / .25
• Apr. 29: 693,000 / .27
• May 6: 732,000 / .28
• May 13: 654,000 / .23
• May 20: 701,000 / .26
• May 27: 827,000 / .32
• June 3: 730,000 / .29
• June 10: 677,000 / .23
• June 17: 772,000 / .28
• June 24: 633,000 / .22
• July 1: 748,000 / .29
• July 8: 715,000 / .28
• July 15: 788,000 / .29
• July 22: 845,000 / .32
• July 29: 773,000 / .30
• Aug. 5: 901,000 / .36
• Aug. 12: 792,000 / .32
• Aug. 22: 755,000 / .31
• Aug. 27: 813,000 / .29
• Sept. 2: 928,000 / .36
• Sept. 9: 1.02 million /.37
• Sept. 16: 886,000 / .34
• Sept. 23: 835,000 /.32
• Sept. 30: 866,000 /.33
• Oct. 7: 753,000 / .31

Here’s a breakdown of NXT’s audience and ratings share of the same demographic:

• Oct. 9: 790,000 / .22
• Oct. 16: 712,000 / .20
• Oct. 24: 698,000 / .21
• Oct 30: 580,000 / .18
• Nov. 6: 813,000 / .30
• Nov. 13: 750,000 / .25
• Nov. 20: 916,000 / .30
• Nov. 27: 810,000 / .24
• Dec. 4: 845,000 / .29
• Dec. 11: 778,000 / .24
• Dec. 18: 795,000 / .27
• Dec. 25: 831,000 / .22
• Jan. 1: 548,000 / .15
• Jan. 8: 721,000 / .19
• Jan. 15: 700,000 / .21
• Jan. 22: 769,000 / .24
• Jan. 29: 712,000 / .22
• Feb. 5: 770,000 / .22
• Feb. 12: 757,000 / .24
• Feb. 19: 794,000 / .25
• Feb. 26: 717,000 / .23
• Mar. 4: 718,000 / .23
• Mar. 11: 697,000 / .21
• Mar. 18: 542,000 / .16
• Mar. 25: 669,000 / .20
• Apr. 1: 590,000 / .15
• Apr. 8: 693,000 / .19
• Apr. 15: 692,000 / .17
• Apr. 22: 665,000 / .18
• Apr. 29: 637,000 / .16
• May 6: 663,000 / .18
• May 13: 604,000 / .15
• May 20: 592,000 / .13
• May 27: 731,000 / .19
• June 3: 715,000 / .20
• June 10: 673,000 / .16
• June 17: 746,000 / .20
• June 24: 786,000 / .19
• July 1: 792,000 / .22
• July 8: 759,000 / .20
• July 15: 631,000 / .14
• July 22: 615,000 / .17
• July 29: 707,000 / .18
• Aug. 5: 753,000 / .20
• Aug. 12: 619,000 /.16
• Aug. 19: 853,000 / .24
• Aug. 26: 824,000 / .24
• Sept. 1: 849,000 / .26
• Sept. 8: 838,000 /.22
• Sept. 16: 689,000 /.18
• Sept. 23: 696,000 /.18
• Sept. 30: 732,000 /.19
• Oct. 7: 639,000 /.16

Total viewership for Wednesday night checked in at 1,392,000 pro wrestling fans.

Check out both our Dynamite live blog, review & video highlights, and our NXT live blog, review & video highlights, in case you missed any of the Wednesday Night War’s latest chapter.