More on AEW & NXT Week 118 Viewership – Jan. 4 & 5, 2022, AEW Rampage Week 21

Jan 8, 2022

More on WWE NXT Viewership for January 4th

The January 4th episode of WWE NXT saw NXT gain a slight increase in overall viewership but also suffered a small decline in key demographic rankings. This week’s episode was notable for being the New Year’s Evil 2022 themed special.

NXT drew 685,000 viewers and a 0.16 key demographic rating on USA Network. NXT’s key demographic ranking for that night was 24th place.

Detailed demographic and quarter-hours breakdowns were not available in this week’s issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the main reason for NXT’s overall viewership increase was due to the gains from their younger key demographic viewership, especially with their Females 18-34 group which was up 53.6% compared to last week’s show. Meltzer reported that this was enough to offset the declines in NXT’s overall male key demographic and older key demographic viewership groups, which was down 12.9% for the latter compared to last week’s show.

In terms of head-to-head competition, the College football TaxAct Texas Bowl game of LSU Tigers vs. Kansas State Wildcats drew 2,364,000 viewers on ESPN, the College basketball game of Kentucky Wildcats vs. LSU Tigers drew 1,484,000 viewers on ESPN, and Curse of Oak Island drew 2,241,000 viewers on History Channel.

In terms of key demographic viewership, NXT had 206,000 viewers. NXT’s Males 18-34 was down 4.4%, Females 18-34 was up 53.6%, Males 35-49 was down 23.1%, and Females 35-49 was up 22.6% compared to last week’s show.

In terms of yearly comparisons, NXT was up 6.9% in overall viewership and up 1% in key demographic viewership. Meltzer reported that NXT’s overall 18-34 viewership was up 130.6% compared to the same week last year.

More on AEW Dynamite Viewership for January 5th

The January 5th episode of AEW Dynamite saw AEW gain a small increase in overall viewership and key demographic rankings and a large increase in key demographic ratings. This week’s show was notable for being AEW’s debut episode on TBS.

AEW drew 1,010,000 viewers and a 0.43 key demographic rating on TBS. AEW’s key demographic ranking for that night was 2nd place.

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the main reason for AEW’s increases that week was due to a combination of the large gains from AEW’s younger key demographic viewership groups, stronger lead-in programming on TBS, and the return of their prime time slot for their West Coast market. Meltzer reported that AEW’s overall 18-34 key demographic rating of 0.34 was the fourth highest in Dynamite history. Meltzer also reported that AEW’s 18-34 rating was the largest for a wrestling television show since the November 26, 2021 episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown.

In terms of head-to-head competition, the NBA game of Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks drew 1,691,000 viewers on ESPN.

In terms of key demographic viewership, AEW had 558,000 viewers. AEW’s Males 18-34 was up 56.1%, Females 18-34 was up 120%, Males 35-49 was down 4.2%, and Females 35-49 was down 20.4% compared to last week’s show.

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, Males 35-49, and Females 18-34. AEW also tied RAW in Males 18-34.

In terms of the million viewership milestone, six out of AEW’s eight quarter hours averaged over one million viewers. AEW’s peak was at 1,101,000 viewers for their first quarter. AEW’s low point was at 939,000 viewers for their seventh quarter.

In terms of yearly comparisons, AEW was up 52.6% in overall viewership and up 69.6% in key demographic viewership. Meltzer reported that AEW’s overall 18-34 viewership was up 230% compared to the same week last year.

AEW Dynamite started off with around 1,101,000 viewers and their biggest gain of the night was the ending of the TBS Championship tournament Finals match of Jade Cargill vs. Ruby Soho, the Serena Deeb sit-down interview segment, and the start of the Malakai Black vs. Brian Pillman Jr. match which gained 31,000 viewers. AEW’s biggest decline of the night was the ending of the Black vs. Pillman Jr. match, the Soho, Britt Baker, Riho, & Jamie Hayter backstage segment, and the introductions for the AEW World Tag Team match which lost 109,000 viewers.

More on AEW Rampage Viewership for December 31

The December 31st episode of AEW Rampage saw AEW suffer large declines in overall viewership and key demographic ratings but also a small increase in key demographic rankings.

AEW Rampage drew 453,000 viewers and a 0.19 key demographic rating on TNT. AEW’s key demographic ranking for that week’s show was 21st place.

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the main reason for AEW’s large declines that week was due to the New Year’s Eve holiday and stiff competition from both sports and New Year’s Eve festivities programming.

In terms of head-to-head competition, the College Football Playoffs Semi-Finals Capitol One Bowl game of Georgia Bulldogs vs. Michigan Wolverines drew 16,506,000 viewers on ESPN and the NBA game of Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers drew 381,000 viewers on NBA TV.

In terms of key demographic viewership, AEW had 246,000 viewers. AEW’s Males 18-34 was down 6.3%, Females 18-34 was down 17.8%, Males 35-49 was down 20.7%, and Females 35-49 was down 32.8% compared to the prior week’s show. Meltzer reported that week’s Rampage show was the youngest skewing sports show for the week. That week’s Dynamite show was the fifth youngest, behind Rampage, two English Premier League games, and one NBA game.

AEW Rampage started off with around 490,000 viewers and had around 432,000 viewers for their second quarter, around 432,000 viewers for their third quarter, and around 459,000 viewers for their main event quarter featuring the TNT Championship match of Ethan Page vs. Cody Rhodes (c).