Vince McMahon On AEW Ratings Rebounding While RAW And SmackDown Drop, Paul Heyman, Triple H

WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon commented on AEW vs. WWE NXT, Paul Heyman being dismissed from his creative job, and Triple H working creative during WWE's Second Quarter 2020 earnings call with investors from this evening.

Vince took the loaded call from Brandon Ross of Lightshed Partners. Ross asked Vince why he thinks WWE NXT and AEW Dynamite have bounced back from the initial COVID-19 shock better than RAW and SmackDown have, if Triple H could help in an elevated creative role on RAW and SmackDown given his NXT success, why why he fired Paul Heyman from the RAW Executive Director job and if firing Heyman means that Vince has abandoned the strategy he spoke about during the Q1 call in January, where he indicated that they had to be patient with the plan to get over new talents on the main roster.

"That was a lot," Vince first responded to the question. He took the NXT - AEW question and said they are looking to make RAW and SmackDown have a more youthful feel. "I think some of those are new. It's something that's new, and what have you, and it's up to us to make RAW and SmackDown feel more youthful. That is where we're going."

Vince then commented on the strategy that he firs talked about during the Q1 call in April, where he said they are working on building new main roster Superstars, and that it will take some time to get them over. He did not directly answer if Heyman's creative dismissal means a change in direction when it comes to getting over new stars.

"As far as continuing on, acting on what's new and building and characters, you always have to build new characters. Constantly," Vince said.

Regarding Triple H possibly taking on an "elevated role" with the RAW and SmackDown creative teams, based off his success on the NXT brand, Vince noted that he already helps out.

"As far as Paul Levesque helping out on RAW and SmackDown, that happens," Vince said. "It's 'all hands on deck' in terms of all that we do."

Finally, Vince commented on Heyman's work in creative. While he will remain with the company as an on-air talent, Heyman was released from his role as RAW Executive Director on June 11 of this year, one year after he was hired for the role. Vince briefly spoke on Heyman but said he did a good job.

"As far as Paul Heyman's concerned, he did a very good job in terms of creativity," Vince said.

Triple H On If AEW Is Taking WWE's Market Share

At the latest WWE stockholder's meeting, Triple H addressed the current state of NXT.

On the topic of AEW and ratings, Triple H talked about the internal focus WWE has on their product. When asked if AEW is taking some of WWE's market share, he said they are focused on the development of their stars and talent and reiterates their long-term approach.

"To me, there's a moment in time when you begin something and it's very exciting and it's fresh and there's some interest in it, certainly, but it's a big world," Triple H stated. "We continue to be focused on our product, continue to be focused on the development of our stars and our performers and as Vince said earlier, we have a very long track record of doing this incredibly successfully for many, many, many years, and we will continue to do so."


credit Wrestling Inc. for the transcription

More Watch NXT Great American Bash Night 2, AEW Fyter Fest Wins Key Demo

NXT beat out All Elite Wrestling Dynamite in viewership for the third week in a row as more people watched the second night of NXT Great American Bash than AEW Fyter Fest.

AEW Dynamite drew 715,000 viewers overall (which is down from last week’s 748,000) and came in at No. 7 for the night. That’s slightly down from No. 6 last week.

Per Showbuzz Daily, NXT was slightly down from last week with 759,000 viewers (down from 792,000) and came in at No.24 with a .20 rating in the 18-49 demographic. That’s lower than AEW’s .28 for the night.

WWE NXT Great American Bash Beats AEW Dynamite Fyter Fest In Total Viewers

Week 38 of the Wednesday Night War saw the Great American Bash edition of WWE NXT beat the Fyter Fest edition of AEW Dynamite in total viewership for the second week in a row, but Dynamite won in the ratings for the key demographic once again. This is how last week's numbers went.

Wednesday's NXT drew 792,000 viewers (+1% from last week) on the USA Network, topping the 748,000 viewers (+18%) scored by Dynamite on TNT by 6%, according to Showbuzz Daily.

AEW ranked #6 in the Cable Top 150 for the 18-49 demo, while NXT ranked #13. AEW ranked #61 in viewership, while NXT ranked #60 in viewership.

Last week's Dynamite episode drew 633,000 viewers and ranked #17 in the Cable Top 150, and #66 in viewership. Last week's NXT episode drew 786,000 viewers and ranked #26 in the Cable Top 150, and #63 in viewership.

AEW drew a 0.29 rating (+32% from last week) in the 18-49 demographic while NXT drew a 0.22 (+16%) in the same demo this week. Last week's AEW show drew a 0.22 rating while the NXT episode drew a 0.19 in that demographic.

This is the second-highest NXT viewership of 2020, the best since the February 19 episode, which was the first episode after the "Takeover: Portland" event. That episode drew 794,000 viewers. It was the best number that NXT has garnered in the demo since they started running empty arena shows in March. For AEW, it was the most viewers for an episode of Dynamite since the June 3rd episode.

NXT Beats AEW Dynamite In Viewership, Dynamite Garners Lowest Numbers In Show Histor

Week 37 of the Wednesday Night War saw WWE NXT beat AEW Dynamite in viewership, but Dynamite won in the ratings for the key demographic.

NXT drew 786,000 viewers (+5.4% from last week) on the USA Network, topping the 633,000 viewers (-18%) garnered by Dynamite on TNT by 24%, according to Showbuzz Daily.

AEW ranked #17 in the Cable Top 150 for the 18-49 demographic, while NXT ranked #26. AEW ranked #66 in viewership, while NXT ranked #63 in viewership.

Last week's Dynamite episode drew 772,000 viewers and ranked #8 in the Cable Top 150, and #62 in viewership. Last week's NXT episode drew 746,000 viewers and ranked #25 in the Cable Top 150, and #65 in viewership.

Dynamite still beat NXT in the 18-49 demo, although by the smallest margin so far this year. Dynamite drew a 0.22 rating (-21%) in the 18-49 demographic, topping the 0.19 rating (-5%) garnered by NXT in the same demo by 15.8% this week. Last week's AEW show drew a 0.28 rating while the NXT episode drew a 0.20 in that demographic.

This is the lowest AEW viewership in the history of the show, and their lowest rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is the second-highest NXT viewership of the year, next to the February 19 episode, which drew 794,000 viewers. This week's NXT 18-49 demographic is in the higher range of what NXT has been drawing in the coronavirus era.

MTV's Challenge topped the night in the 18-49 demographic on the Cable Top 150, with a 0.55 rating, with just 941,000 viewers. Hannity on FOX News topped the night on cable in viewership with 4.374 million viewers, ranking #3 on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.34 rating in the key demo.

Based on overnight numbers, Chicago Med on NBC topped the night on network TV in viewership, with an average of 3.855 million viewers. Taking The Stage, Game On!, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, MasterChef and Ultimate Tag all tied for the night in the 18-49 demographic.

AEW Dynamite Tops WWE NXT Despite 12% Drop In Viewership

WWE NXT in viewership and ratings once again.

Wednesday's Dynamite episode drew 730,000 viewers (-12% from last week) on TNT, barely topping the 715,000 viewers (-2%) garnered by the "Takeover: In Your House" go-home edition of NXT on the USA Network by 2%, according to Showbuzz Daily.

AEW ranked #27 in the Cable Top 150, while NXT ranked #45. AEW ranked #71 in viewership, while NXT ranked #72 in viewership.

Last week's Dynamite go-home episode drew 827,000 viewers and ranked #4 in the Cable Top 150, and #62 in viewership. Last week's NXT episode drew 731,000 viewers and ranked #24 in the Cable Top 150, and #66 in viewership.

AEW drew a 0.29 rating (-9%) in the 18-49 demographic while NXT drew a 0.20 (+5%) in the same demo this week. Last week's AEW show drew a 0.32 rating while the NXT episode drew a 0.19 in that demographic.

AEW Dynamite Draws Lowest Viewership In Show History, However Still Beats WWE NXT

Week 31 of the Wednesday Night War saw AEW Dynamite top WWE NXT in viewership and ratings once again.

Wednesday's Dynamite episode drew 654,000 viewers (-11% from last week) on TNT, topping the 604,000 viewers (-9%) garnered by NXT on the USA Network by 8.3%, according to Showbuzz Daily.

AEW ranked #15 in the Cable Top 150, while NXT ranked #46. AEW ranked #65 in viewership, while NXT ranked #67 in viewership.

This is the lowest AEW viewership in the history of the show, and the fourth-lowest NXT viewership since the show came to USA. NXT is also tied for their lowest rating in the 18-49 demo in history.

Last week's Dynamite episode drew 732,000 viewers and ranked #12 in the Cable Top 150, and #66 in viewership. Last week's NXT episode drew 663,000 viewers and ranked #33 in the Cable Top 150, and #68 in viewership.

AEW drew a 0.23 rating in the 18-49 demographic while NXT drew a 0.15 in the same demo this week. For both shows, it was their lowest rating in the demo in history, although NXT has garnered that rating in the demo two other times. Last week's AEW show drew a 0.28 rating while the NXT episode drew a 0.18 in that demographic.

AEW Dynamite & NXT Viewership Both Rise With Eventful Shows

AEW Dynamite drew 732,000 viewers overall (which is up from last week’s 693,000) and came in at No. 12 for the night. That’s up from No. 16 last week.

Per Showbuzz Daily, NXT was up from last week with 663,000 viewers (up from 637,000) and came in at No. 33 with a .18 rating in the 18-49 demographic. That’s lower than AEW’s .28 for the night.

NXT YEAR-TO-DATE RANKINGS

Feb. 19 – 794,000 – 2020 High

March 18 – 542,000 – 2020 Low

May 6 – 663,000 – This Week

AEW DYNAMITE YEAR-TO-DATE RANKINGS

Jan. 1 – 967,000 – 2020 High

April 15 – 683,000 – 2020 Low

May 6 – 732,000 – This Week

AEW Fined $10,000 By The Maryland State Athletic Commission For Jon Moxley Vs. Kenny Omega Match

AEW has been fined $10,000 by the Maryland State Athletic Commission over the "Unsanctioned Lights Out match" between current AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and current AEW World Tag Team Champion Kenny Omega.

The order, seen below, notes that AEW was the promoter for a pro wrestling match between Omega and Moxley at the AEW Full Gear pay-per-view from the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland on November 9, 2019, a match that saw the licensed talents suffer lacerations that caused blood to be introduced into the ring. The commission determined that administrative charges against AEW were appropriate for alleged violations of Maryland law pertaining to pro wrestling contests and related regulations.

The filing mentions how Moxley and Omega used "foreign objects including a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire, a broom with bristles wrapped in barbed wire, and a tool similar to an ice pick." It also states Moxley "used the baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire to strike" Omega three times across his back and cause lacerations from which Omega bled. It also details how Omega used the broom to cause Moxley to bleed from his head, shoulder and back.

The Commission alleges that AEW violated multiple regulations, including the Conduct of Wrestling Contest and Responsibility of Promoter. AEW agreed to pay a civil penalty to the Commission in the amount of $10,000 within 30 days of the order.

It was also noted that while the Commission acknowledges that AEW took precautions to reduce the potential for injury to both competitors by using materials to simulate injury and merely give the appearance of bleeding, blood was still introduced into the ring in other instances during the match, through deliberate and repeated actions of the two wrestlers, as scripted by AEW.

WWE NXT Beats AEW Dynamite In Viewership For Second Week In A Row, AEW Draws Record Low

Week 28 of the Wednesday Night War saw WWE NXT top AEW Dynamite in viewership, for the second week in a row.

Wednesday's Dynamite episode drew 683,000 viewers on TNT, while NXT drew 692,000 viewers on the USA Network, according to Showbuzz Daily.

AEW ranked #29 in the Cable Top 150, while NXT ranked #58. AEW ranked #74 in viewership, while NXT ranked #72 in viewership.

Last week's Dynamite episode drew 692,000 viewers and ranked #32 in the Cable Top 150, and #73 in viewership. Last week's NXT episode drew 693,000 viewers and ranked #51 in the Cable Top 150, and #79 in viewership.

This is the lowest Dynamite viewership of 2020. This is also the lowest non-holiday AEW viewership in history, tied with the December 18 episode. The lowest Dynamite viewership overall is the Thanksgiving week show on November 27, which drew 663,000 viewers.

AEW drew a 0.25 rating in the 18-49 demographic while NXT drew a 0.17 in the same demo this week. Last week's AEW show drew a 0.26 rating while the NXT episode drew a 0.19 in that demographic.

AEW's 0.25 rating is tied with the December 18 and April 1 episodes for the lowest ever.

WWE NXT Barely Tops AEW Dynamite In Viewership

Week 27 of the Wednesday Night War saw WWE NXT finally top AEW Dynamite in viewership, but by just 1,000 viewers.

Wednesday's NXT episode drew 693,000 viewers on USA (+17%), topping the 692,000 (+1%) viewers garnered by Dynamite on TNT by just 0.1%, according to Showbuzz Daily.

AEW ranked #32 in the Cable Top 150 in the 18-49 demo, while NXT ranked #51. AEW ranked #79 in total viewership, while NXT ranked #73.
Last week's Dynamite episode drew 685,000 viewers and ranked #37 in the Cable Top 150, and #73 in total viewership. Last week's NXT episode drew 590,000 viewers and ranked #74 in the Cable Top 150, and #79 in viewership.

This is the second-lowest Dynamite viewership of 2020, going back to last week. This is also the third-lowest AEW viewership in history.
AEW drew a 0.26 rating (+1%) in the 18-49 demographic while NXT drew a 0.19 (+27%) in the same demo this week. Last week's AEW show drew a 0.25 rating while the NXT episode drew a 0.15 in that demographic.

AEW's 0.26 rating is tied with the November 27 and March 11 episodes for the second-lowest ever.

Matt Hardy Believes He Would Have Had A Better Opportunity In WWE If Triple H Was In Charge

Matt Hardy shocked many fans during AEW Dynamite when he made his AEW debut siding with The Elite against The Inner Circle. Hardy appeared on the latest episode of Talk Is Jericho where the two talked about how Vince McMahon views older talent in WWE.

"Yeah, it's definitely frustrating. I mean, I think everyone goes there being optimistic that you can break through or maybe achieve something different, but it's definitely frustrating. And then once again, once your a little older, you probably experienced some of this as well, like I was not a star on your level, you know, you did stuff as a singles competitor world champion several times over, but once you get to a certain age, Vince's like well, this guy's kind of old," Hardy said. "Even for himself, at his age, he doesn't even want to be on TV because you're old. Nobody wants to see an old person. It's just like if you're a talent and you get to a certain age, it's kind of like, I don't know."

Hardy said that he told everyone that he was going to leave, and it was reported before that Hardy did not want to re-sign with WWE due to how he was being used creatively. He said that even Triple H had tried to contact him to try to stay after his contract had expired. Hardy believes that if Triple H were in charge, then there would have been more opportunities for him creatively.

"What a weird day, and it was like I'm very honest and open with everyone. I told everyone from Vince all the way down what I wanted and what I expected if I was going to stay around. Once we were on the same page, and I said, okay, well, thank you guys very much," Hardy said. "I'll just go my own way, and even days after I left, I talked to to Triple H. It's just like he was cool, and I feel like if if Triple H would have been the guy that was solely in power, I would have probably had a much better opportunity of kind of getting to do what I wanted creatively, but it is what it is."

Record Number Of Fans Switch To WWE NXT After AEW Dynamite For Charlotte Flair Vs. Bianca Belair End

A large number of fans made the switch after AEW Dynamite on TNT to WWE NXT on the USA Network to catch the end of the Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair main event last Wednesday night.  

The closing segment of the Revolution go-home edition of Dynamite, which was the Jon Moxley vs. Chris Jericho weigh-ins, drew higher than the Flair vs. Belair match, but more than 227,000 viewers switched from TNT to the USA Network after Dynamitewent off the air, to catch the end of Flair vs. Belair in the overrun, according to Wrestling Observer Radio.

This was the largest switch from TNT to the USA Network since the Wednesday Night War began.

While more than 227,000 fans tuned in forthe final 5 minutes of Flair vs. Belair in the NXT overrun, there was reportedly a "giant switch" back to TNT for the AEW "Countdown to Revolution" special when Miz & Mrs. came on the USA Network.

Dynamite ended up drawing 865,000 viewers on TNT, topping the 717,000 viewers garnered by NXT on the USA Network by 21%. You can click here for last week's Dynamite vs. NXT viewership report, and you can click here for the report on the Countdown vs. Miz & Mrs. viewership.

AEW Dynamite Scores Big Over WWE NXT In Viewership

Wednesday's episode of AEW Dynamite on TNT scored 928,000 viewers against NXT on USA Network's 770,000 viewers, according to Showbuzz Daily.

Dynamite was highlighted by 10 lashes to the back of Cody Rhodes by MJF whilst NXT featured the return of Charlotte Flair and Velveteen Dream.

AEW ranked #11 in the Cable Top 150, while NXT ranked #34. AEW ranked #31 in viewership, while NXT ranked #35 in viewership.

In terms of key demos, AEW drew a 0.36 rating in the 18-49 demo while NXT drew a 0.22 in the same demo. AEW was up in all demos apart from the over 50s.

AEW Dynamite Viewership Remains Strong, Beats WWE NXT Again

The Wednesday Night War has returned with a bang with AEW Dynamite winning the night once more against WWE NXT.

Wednesday's AEW Dynamite on TNT drew 947,000 viewers, well ahead of NXT's 721,000 viewers on the USA Network, according to Showbuzz Daily.

Last week's Dynamite episode drew 967,000 viewers with viewership remaining steady for this week's Anniversary Edition. NXT last week was a taped special and drew 548,000 viewers

AEW drew a 0.36 rating in the all-important 18-49 demographic, again beating the 0.19 that NXT drew in the same demo.

AEW ranked #6 in the Cable Top 150, while NXT ranked #55.

Source: Showbuzz Daily

WWE NXT Tops AEW Dynamite In Viewership And Key Demographic This Week

After last week's tie, Week 12 of the Wednesday Night Wars saw WWE NXT top AEW Dynamite in viewership and the key demographic.

Wednesday's NXT drew 795,000 viewers on the USA Network, beating the 683,000 viewers garnered by Dynamite on TNT by 16%, according to Showbuzz Daily.

This is the second-lowest AEW viewership since the show began airing back in October. The November 27 episode drew 663,000 viewers.

NXT opened with a strong commercial-free opener this week, which saw NXT Champion Adam Cole retain over Finn Balor, and closed just as strong as Rhea Ripley defeated Shayna Baszler in the main event to become the new NXT Women's Champion.

NXT beat AEW in the prime 18-49 demo for the first time ever by 8%. AEW drew a 0.25 rating in the 18-49 demographic while NXT drew a 0.27 in the same demo this week. It was the lowest rating for Dynamite in the demo yet. Last week's AEW episode drew a 0.28 in that demographic while NXT drew a 0.24.

AEW ranked #30 in the Cable Top 150 for the prime 18-49 demo, while NXT ranked slightly above it at #27. AEW ranked #43 in overall viewership, while NXT ranked #37 in viewership.

Last week's Dynamite episode drew 778,000 viewers and ranked #11 in the Cable Top 150, and #34 in viewership. Last week's NXT episode drew 778,000 viewers and ranked #21 in the Cable Top 150, and #34 in viewership.

WWE NXT Tops AEW Dynamite In Viewership, Dynamite Garners Their Lowest Audience Yet

WWE NXT, which featured the fallout from the WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view, which saw Team NXT dominate Team RAW and Team SmackDown, topped AEW Dynamite in viewership for the second week in a row.

Wednesday's AEW Dynamite on TNT drew 663,000 viewers while NXT drew 810,000 viewers on the USA Network, according to Showbuzz Daily, so NXT topped Dynamite by 22%. The numbers are just now coming out due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

This is the lowest AEW viewership since the show launched on October 4. The previous low was 789,000 viewers on October 30.

AEW ranked #15 in the Cable Top 150 for the 18-49 demo, while NXT ranked #19. AEW ranked #38 in total viewership, while NXTranked #29.

Last week's Dynamite episode drew 893,000 viewers and ranked #8 in the Cable Top 150, and #36 in viewership, so the audience was down 26%. Last week's NXT episode drew 916,000 viewers and ranked #14 in the Cable Top 150, and #35 in viewership so it was down 11.6% from last week.
AEW drew a 0.26 rating in the 18-49 demographic while NXT drew a 0.24 in the same demo this week, so Dynamite topped NXT by only 8% whereas it had been by double and triple digits in prior weeks. Last week's AEW episode drew a 0.39 in that demographic while NXT drew a 0.30.

AEW Being Investigated By The Maryland State Athletic Commission

The Maryland State Athletic Commission is reportedly investigating AEW over the "Unsanctioned Lights Out" Jon Moxley vs. Kenny Omega match that took place at AEW Full Gear on November 9.

Former WCW announcer Chris Cruise recently contacted the commission regarding the Omega vs. Moxley match and asked about their rules on blading, and allowing matches to continue if a performer is bleeding either intentionally or unintentionally, and if there was a commission doctor at the show, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

After repeated requests, Cruise was told that the commission prohibits wrestlers from deliberately lacerating themselves or their opponents, or introducing human or animal blood into the match. The commission also said they were at Full Gear and they had a doctor assigned to the show. They also stated that they were conducting a formal investigation into the match and because of that investigation, they were unable to comment on questions about the match.

Cruise was recently on the  Wrestling with History podcast and talked about why he doesn't see AEW succeeding.

"AEW has millions of dollars from the son of a billionaire and is not setting the world on fire and will not succeed," Cruise said. "It may last a long time, but will never be profitable. Somebody once said 'if you want to be a millionaire, start with a billion dollars and buy an airline.' It's the same thing with a pro wrestling organization; it's just going to bleed you dry. Not everything is guaranteed to last forever. It's my convention that wrestling has seen better days."

NXT Beats AEW Dynamite In Viewership

The ratings for this week’s Wednesday Night War between WWE NXT and AEW Dynamite have taken a turn.

NXT on USA Network drew 916,000 viewers and AEW Dynamite on TNT drew 893,000 viewers, according to Showbuzz Daily. This is the first time NXT has beaten AEW in viewership since they went head to head 8 weeks ago.

WWE put a lot of effort into hyping this week's NXT with the anticipated invasion of both Raw and SmackDown so an increase was expected.

The good news for AEW is they won the 18-49 demographic for the night with a .39 rating (down from 5th place) and NXT came in at No. 14 (up from 22nd) with a .30 rating.

AEW Dynamite Viewership Increases With Full Gear Fallout, WWE NXT Viewership Drops

AEW Dynamite has topped WWE NXT in viewership for the seventh week in a row.

Wednesday's post-Full Gear edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT drew 957,000 viewers while NXT drew 750,000 viewers on the USA Network, according to Showbuzz Daily. Despite both shows being neck-in-neck last week, Dynamite outscored NXT by 27.6% this week.

AEW ranked #5 in the Cable Top 150 for the 18-49 demo, while NXT ranked #22. AEW ranked #37 in total viewership, while NXT ranked #41 in viewership.

Last week's Dynamite episode drew 822,000 viewers and ranked #8 in the Cable Top 150, and #31 in viewership. Last week's NXT episode drew 813,000 viewers and ranked #12 in the Cable Top 150, and #32 in viewership.

AEW drew a 0.43 rating in the 18-49 demographic, topping NXT's 0.25 rating in the same demo by 72%. Last week's AEW episode drew a 0.35 in that demographic while NXT drew a 0.30.