NXT experienced a lift in its overall viewership this week and the first increase since the implementation of Nielsen’s new methodology.
The October 14 taped show from the Performance Center averaged 690,000 viewers, which was a 10% increase over last week’s Showdown event, airing head-to-head against AEW’s Title Tuesday. It was the largest audience for NXT since September 23 (panel only data) and its best performance since the reporting of the Big Data + Panel figures by Nielsen at the beginning of October.
The 18-49 demographic averaged 163,000 viewers (0.12) on CW, which was identical with the prior week, equaling its best result since September 23. Female viewers in the demo shot up from 36,000 last week to 60,000. Males dropped by 21% from 127,000 last week to 101,000, and would be the second-lowest male audience in the demo all year.
Adults 18-34 averaged a 0.05 rating and are down from a 0.07 last week.
It would appear that the overall viewership would suggest that NXT has stabilized under the new method, but looking at the younger audiences, the show is still feeling the effects of the new method, especially with males.
NXT ranked last among network programs in prime time on Tuesday and aired against Game 2 of the NLCS between the Dodgers and Brewers, which averaged 5,041,000 viewers and a 1.16 rating in the 18-49 demographic on TBS. The game was simulcast on truTV with 1,010,000 viewers and 0.20 in the demo.
The show was taped one week prior and featured a #1 contender’s battle royal in the main event for a shot at the NXT Women’s Championship.
Data: Programming Insider & Wrestlenomics
