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As if AEW’s “All Out” PPV weren’t enough proof, the ratings for Dynamite’s latest episode are there and the numbers look good.
According to Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics, the post-All Out episode of Dynamite drew a nighttime audience of 1.319 million viewers and 681,000 viewers in the 18 to 49 age range.
Not only is the total viewership the second highest the show has ever attracted, but the 681,000 viewers for the top 18-49 age group on WWE’s latest edition of Monday Night Raw, which drew 678. 000 viewers in the same category.
As mentioned in the graph, Dynamite also scored 0.53 in the 18-49 age bracket – a major boost to last week’s 0.38 rating.
It’s worth mentioning that the Monday Night Raw episode was Labor Day – a holiday that normally attracts low ratings for WWE’s flagship show.
However, this remains historic – as this is the first time Dynamite has beaten Raw in this key demographic.
The Wednesday edition of Dynamite was the first episode of AEW after their popular PPV, All Out. All Out featured the debut of former WWE Superstars Adam Cole and Daniel Bryan.
The PPV also featured former WWE Superstar CM Punk’s first game in over seven years.
Cole’s debut as a heel with “The Elite” and Bryan’s debut as a babyface rival to “The Elite” stable after the main event of AEW’s recent PPV have drawn high comparisons. In fact, he’s compared to the beginnings of Scott Hall and Kevin Nash – the Outsiders and eventual founding members of the NWO – in 1996, when WCW overtook WWE in the Monday Night Leaderboard War.
The defections of Hall and Nash from WWE to WCW would eventually lead to Monday Night Nitro defeating Monday Night Raw for two consecutive years in the Rankings War from June 1996 to April 1998.
While it remains to be seen if AEW can continue this momentum, it’s clear wrestling-watchers feel the same.
WWE Legend and Hall of Fame member Mick Foley posted a video shortly after AEW’s All Out PPV and said his former employer had a problem – and that’s AEW.
“Hello, this is ‘The Hardcore Legend’ Mick Foley. I’d like to call this video ‘WWE – We’ve Got a Problem’ because I think it does and the problem is WWE is no longer. the place where talent can aspire, ”Foley began.
“Partly because AEW does a great job attracting great talent, proven talent, developing other talent, creating storylines, but part of it is a problem of your own initiative,” Foley continued. “I think young talent sees the way developing characters are cut or left out, or in the case of Karrion Kross, greatly watered down and even made a joke when they debut on the main roster. If it is not broke, do not fix it.
Foley goes on to say that if you’re a wrestler looking to make an impact in the business, AEW – not WWE – is the way to go.
“If I was an aspiring talent now, a big league talent with a big decision to make, I’m not sure I trust the creators of WWE to do the right thing with my career,” Foley said. “You did wonders with me back then… it was another time, another place. If that was today, I’m not sure I would trust the Powers to be with my career in their hands, and until that changes, WWE – you’ve got a problem.
So much of the hype around increasing AEW ratings, so much the WWE ratings are not only consistent – they’ve gone up a bit.
WWE’s most recent Friday Night Smackdown – which airs on the FOX broadcast network, a big advantage over Dynamite’s cable partner TNT – had 2.220 million viewers and 805,000 viewers in the installment. from 18 to 49 years old.
While the total viewership is down slightly from the audience for the previous week’s post-Summerslam episode of 2.250 million viewers, viewership for the key demographic rose 5.37% per compared to 764,000 viewers.
This week’s episode of Smackdown will feature the return of Brock Lesnar, who is set to continue WWE’s momentum for his Friday night show.
While WWE won’t be closing its doors anytime soon, AEW has momentum – and it shows clearly in the ratings.
Discussions from the wrestling community have recently focused on AEW. It will be interesting to see how WWE reacts now that AEW finally matches the flagship cable show of the dominant wrestling brand in the Odds War.
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