WWE: Update on Minnesota as Potential WrestleMania 41 Location, Jim Ross on Vince McMahon Sex Trafficking Lawsuit Allegations, More on NXT March 5, 2024 Viewership

WWE

Mar 9, 2024

Update on Minnesota Being Potential Location for WrestleMania 41

As noted before, Minneapolis, Minnesota is currently one of the finalists and the frontrunner to be the official host for WWE’s WrestleMania 41 event in 2025.

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that the Minnesota House of Representative held a committee meeting this past Wednesday for the House Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee. Johnson reported that during the meeting, Minnesota Sports and Events CEO Wendy Blackshaw had stated to state representatives that they currently in the process of preparing to make an announcement regarding an upcoming event to be held in the state that will “provide an economic impact second only to the Super Bowl.”

“We do have a third event we are almost ready to announce. I had hoped that we would announce today, but we can’t quite yet. We hope to provide that news in the next few weeks and this event will provide an economic impact second to only the Super Bowl.”

Johnson speculated that this mystery event very likely could be WrestleMania 41 since it would fit with the timeline for when a WrestleMania event is usually officially announced by WWE.

Jim Ross Comments on Vince McMahon Sex Trafficking Lawsuit Allegations

A recent episode of the Grillin JR podcast featured co-host Jim Ross’ thoughts about the recent sex trafficking and sexual abuse lawsuit allegations against Vince McMahon.

“Lots of change afloat and personally, I’ll be glad when the winds have swept that change on through. I’m tired of it. It’s embarrassing in a lot of ways that it’s happened this way. It’s affected a lot of innocent people. That’s my take on it. I might be wrong but, it’s time to move on. It’s time to move on and cause some rest and peace for some people and it’s time to move on in my opinion, and I just never believed that Vince (McMahon) would allow his company to get this out of control and it has and I feel badly about that because I know how much the WWE meant to him. I’m sure it still does to some degree. So, anyway, it’s time. Let’s go. Let’s move on. Let’s rewind it and cast the hook in the water one more time and see if we can catch something more positive.
Well, it’ll affect it (Vince McMahon’s legacy in wrestling) to some degree but, it won’t be earth-shattering. It won’t be a big seismic, graphic change, because he’s still Vince McMahon and he’s still built this amazing company that many of us in different forms of pro wrestling are still celebrating, and still playing off of. I just think it’s time for all of us to move on and find happier days and build from there. But you’ll never be able to take away from what Vince built and how he’s helped a lot of people. I mean a lot of guys that are making a living in pro wrestling right now can look at it anyway they choose but if they’re being realistic, they look in the mirror and see Vince McMahon staring them right in the face because he was the catalyst that created a lot of this change and the incomes going up and all those things so, I just wish it was over. I just wish we were moved on and all these issues are settled and we have moved on to happier days, because I think that’s what the business and the world needs is happier days and still get that with the old WWE memories, at least I do. I’m very thankful I had the chance to work there. I’m even more thankful I have a chance to work for Tony Khan now at AEW. So, it’s all good man, it’s all good. We have to build on the positives and that’s what I’m trying to do at my stage of life and my health situation. It’s important for me to build on the positives and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Transcript h/t: PostWrestling.com

More on NXT Viewership for March 5, 2024

The March 5th episode of WWE NXT saw NXT gain a large increase in overall viewership but suffered a small decline in key demographic rankings. This week’s show was notable for being the Roadblock 2024 special.

NXT drew 654,000 viewers and a 0.16 key demographic rating on USA Network. NXT’s key demographic ranking was 15th place.

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

Dave Meltzer reported that the main reasons for NXT’s mixed results was due to the large increase from their Over 50 viewership group, which its percentage was not given, and the large increase from their female key demographic viewership, which its percentage was not given as well. This reportedly offset the stiff competition from news coverage of the Super Tuesday 2024 Presidential primaries and large decline from their male key demographic viewership group, which its percentage was not given.

In terms of notable head-to-head competition, the 2024 Presidential Primaries Super Tuesday drew 3,172,000 viewers and 3,233,000 viewers on FOX News, the 2024 Presidential Primaries Super Tuesday drew 923,000 viewers and 891,000 viewers on CNN, the NBA game of Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers drew 1,048,000 viewers on TNT, the College basketball game of Kansas State vs. Kansas drew 801,000 viewers on ESPN, the College basketball game of Alabama vs. Florida drew 747,000 viewers on ESPN, the College basketball game of Florida State vs. Pittsburgh drew 131,000 viewers on ESPN2, Vanderpump Rules drew 932,000 viewers on BRAVO, Watch What Happens Live drew 634,000 viewers on BRAVO, Curse of Oak Island drew 2,433,000 viewers on History Channel, and Love & Hip Hop Atlanta drew 416,000 viewers on MTV.

In terms of key demographic viewership, NXT had 211,000 viewers. Meltzer reported that NXT’s male/female viewership split 56.3% in favor of males.

In terms of peak viewership, NXT’s peak overall viewership reportedly was 698,000 viewers for the quarter hour featuring the Shawn Spears vs. Uriah Connors match & post-match angle with Ridge Holland. NXT’s peak key demographic viewership reportedly was 233,000 viewers for the quarter hour featuring a lot of promo segments. NXT’s overrun reportedly drew 643,000 overall viewers and 263,000 key demographic viewers for the ending of the Tony D’Angelo vs. Carmelo Hayes match and post-match brawl with Trick Williams.