More on AEW & NXT Week 116 Viewership – Dec. 21 & 22, 2021, AEW Rampage Week 19

More on WWE NXT Viewership for December 21st

The December 21st episode of WWE NXT saw NXT gain a small increase in overall viewership but also suffered a sizable drop in key demographic ratings and key demographic ranking.

NXT drew 591,000 viewers and a 0.11 key demographic rating on USA Network. NXT’s key demographic ranking for that night was 46th 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 mixed results this week was due to very stiff sports competition, especially from the NFL airing games that night due to COVID-19 related issues. Meltzer reported that due to the bulk for overall viewership gains were from NXT’s over 50 demographic group, this week’s show skewed at a median age of 64, which was both the oldest in NXT history and the oldest for a major promotion televised wrestling show in history. This week’s show reportedly had the lowest ever Males 35-49 viewership, one of the lowest ever Females 35-49 viewership, and tied for the lowest ever overall 18-49 viewership in NXT history since the move to USA Network.

In terms of head-to-head competition, the NFL game of Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Football Team drew 14,899,000 viewers on FOX, the College football Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl game of UTSA Roadrunners vs. San Diego State Aztecs drew 1,154,000 viewers on ESPN, and the NBA game of Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers drew 1,457,000 viewers on TNT.

In terms of key demographic viewers, NXT had 148,000 viewers. NXT’s Males 18-34 was up 2.9%, Females 18-34 was down 53.8%, Males 35-49 was down 25%, and Females 35-49 was up 18.8% compared to last week’s show.

In terms of yearly comparisons, NXT was down 15.3% in overall viewership and down 44.4% in key demographic viewership.

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More on AEW Dynamite Viewership for December 22nd

The December 22nd episode of AEW Dynamite saw AEW gain a large increases in overall viewership and key demographic ratings and a small increase in key demographic ranking. This week’s show was notable for being the Holiday Bash themed special.

AEW drew 1,020,000 viewers and a 0.37 key demographic rating on TNT. 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 this week was due to weaker than usual competition from major entertainment shows and lack of NBA games due to COVID-19 relates issues. Meltzer reported that this week’s overall viewership was AEW’s highest since their October 6th episode, overall key demographic viewership was the highest since their November 17th episode, and the first time they surpassed one million viewers since their October 6th episode.

In terms of head-to-head competition, the College football Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl game of Missouri Tigers vs. Army Black Knights drew 2,569,000 viewers on ESPN, The Challenge drew 451,000 viewers on MTV, and Real Housewives of Orange County drew 822,000 viewers on Bravo.

In terms of key demographic viewership, AEW had 480,000 viewers. AEW’s Males 18-34 was up 18.1%, Females 18-34 was down 23.5%, Males 35-49 was up 29.6%, and Females 35-49 was up 30.8% compared to last week’s show.

In an interesting note, Meltzer reported that this week’s show managed to top Monday’s WWE RAW show in overall Males 18-49, Males 18-34, and Males 35-49 demographic viewership groups. Meltzer reported that for overall Males 18-49, AEW had 356,000 viewers compared to 293,000 viewers for RAW.

In terms of the million viewership milestone, seven out of AEW’s eight quarter hours averaged one million or more viewers. AEW’s peak viewership was at 1,053,000 viewers for its second quarter and their lowest was at 999,000 viewers for its fourth quarter.

In terms of yearly comparisons, AEW was up 31.6% in overall viewership and up 15.4% in key demographic viewership.

AEW started off with around 1,015,000 viewers and their biggest gain of the night was the first half of the MJF & FTR vs. Sting, CM Punk, & Darby Allin match which gained 41,000 viewers. AEW’s biggest decline of the night was the Adam Page & Bryan Danielson promo segment, the Pinnacle backstage promo segment, and the Wardlow vs. Captain Shawn Dean match which lost 46,000 viewers.

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More on AEW Rampage Viewership for December 17th

The December 17th episode of AEW Rampage saw AEW gain a large increase in overall viewership, key demographic ratings, and key demographic ranking.

AEW Rampage drew 571,000 viewers and a 0.23 key demographic rating on TNT. AEW’s key demographic ranking for that week’s show was 7th place.

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the main reasons for AEW’s increases that week was due to their higher than usual younger demographic and overall females key demographic viewership, which was up 60% in Teenagers, up 83.1% in overall 18-34, and up 56.1% in overall Females 18-49 groups compared to the prior week’s show.

In terms of head-of-head competition, the NBA game of Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves drew 1,604,000 viewers on ESPN and the College football Tailgreeter Cure Bowl game of Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers drew 1,267,000 viewers on ESPN 2.

In terms of key demographic viewership, AEW had 306,000 viewers. AEW’s Males 18-34 was up 85.3%, Females 18-34 was up 80%, Males 35-49 was up 2.2%, and Females 35-49 was up 41.5% compared to the prior week’s show. Meltzer reported that week’s Rampage show was the youngest skewing sports show for the week while that week’s Dynamite was the ninth youngest.

AEW Rampage started off with around 610,000 viewers and had around 571,000 viewers for their second quarter, around 555,000 viewers for their third quarter, and around 549,000 viewers for their main event quarter featuring the Eddie Kingston, Lucha Brothers, Santana, & Ortiz vs. 2point0, Daniel Garcia, & The Acclaimed match.