AEW & NXT Ratings Details: Highest And Lowest Rated Segments, AEW's Big Lead In

By Raj Giri

As previously reported, both AEW Dynamite and WWE NXT scored strong ratings. AEW aired in an unfamiliar timeslot on Saturday night against NXT Takeover on the WWE Network, while NXT aired in its usual spot unopposed.

AEW Dynamite drew an average of 755,000 viewers, down 4.7% from the previous week's 792,000 viewers in its normal timeslot. NXT averaged 853,000 viewers on the USA Network without competition from AEW, which was the best audience for the show this year.

While NXT beat Dynamite for the week in total viewers, Dynamite still topped NXT by 29% in the 18-49 demo, scoring a 0.31 rating compared to the 0.24 garnered by NXT. For NXT, the 0.24 rating was tied with two other shows, the January 22nd and February 12th episodes, to be the second-best rating in that demo this year, behind the February 19th episode that scored a 0.25.

Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics released the quarter hour ratings for both shows. Thurston noted that while AEW didn't have specific viewership expectations for Saturday's airing, he was told before the numbers came out that they'd be very happy with an audience over 700,000.

Dynamite benefited with the NBA playoff game lead-in, which averaged 1,601,000 and a 0.62 rating in the 18-49 demo. With the strong lead-in, Dynamite averaged 1.002 million viewers in the first quarter and 575,000 viewers in 18-49. The audience dropped 43% in the second quarter, while the 18-49 audience fell 28%. Without the first quarter, Dynamite averaged 720,000 viewers for the remaining seven.

For Dynamite, after the big drop from the first quarter to the second, the audience rose for the third quarter (finish of the Luchasaurus, Jungle Boy, QT Marshall & Dustin Rhodes vs. The Blade, The Butcher, Fenix & Pentagon Jr. match and the start of the Chris Jericho – Orange Cassidy segment), which was the high for the show in both total viewers and 18-49 if you exclude the first quarter. After that, the show fell each quarter until the main event match between Cody and Brodie Lee, which averaged 738,000 viewers to be the 4th highest rated quarter in total viewers, but was the second lowest rated in 18-49 with 356,000 viewers.

The low point of Dynamite in both total viewers and the 18-49 demo was the seventh quarter, which featured the Ivelisse & Diamante vs. Brandi Rhodes & Allie in the finals of the AEW Women's Tag Team Cup Tournament.

NXT had a strong open with 921,000 viewers for the Johnny Gargano vs. Ridge Holland match, which was the high for the show in total viewers. In the 18-49 demo, the fourth quarter garnered the best audience with the finish of the Legado del Fantasma vs. Breezango & Isaiah "Swerve" Scott match as well as the start of the Pat McAfee – Undisputed Era segment.

The low point of NXT in both total viewers and the 18-49 demo was the Mercedes Martinez & Aliyah vs. Rhea Ripley & Shotzi Blackheart match in the sixth quarter.

Below are the quarter hour breakdowns from both shows.

AEW Dynamite:

Q1: 1,002,000 viewers, 575,000 in 18-49 – FTR vs. Private Party
Q2: 724,000 viewers (-278,000), 416,000 in 18-49 (-159,000) – Jon Moxley promo, MJF promo, Luchasaurus, Jungle Boy, QT Marshall & Dustin Rhodes vs. The Blade, The Butcher, Fenix & Pentagon Jr. start
Q3: 791,000 viewers (+67,000), 444,000 in 18-49 (+28,000) – 8 man tag finish, Britt Baker – Penelope Ford segment, Chris Jericho challenges Orange Cassidy start
Q4: 767,000 (-24,000), 423,000 in 18-49 (-21,000) – Chris Jericho challenges Orange Cassidy finish, Dark Order vs. The Young Bucks & Kenny Omega start
Q5: 712,000 (-55,000), 386,000 in 18-49 (-37,000) – The Young Bucks & Kenny Omega finish, FTR – Hangman page promo
Q6: 666,000 (-46,000), 361,000 in 18-49 (-25,000) – Darby Allin vs. Will Hobbs, Matt Hardy attacks Sammy Guevara, Thunderosa promo
Q7: 640,000 (-26,000), 288,000 in 18-49 (-73,000) – Ivelisse & Diamante vs. Brandi Rhodes & Allie
Q8: 738,000 (+98,000), 356,000 in 18-49 (+68,000) – Brodie Lee vs. Cody TNT Championship match

WWE NXT:

Q1: 921,000 viewers, 306,000 in 18-49 – Johnny Gargano vs. Ridge Holland start
Q2: 871,000 viewers (-50,000), 318,000 in 18-49 (+12,000) – Gargano vs. Holland finish, Dakota Kai vs. Jessi Kamea, Tegan Nox promo
Q3: 848,000 viewers (-23,000), 325,000 in 18-49 (+7,000) – Legado del Fantasma vs. Breezango and Isaiah "Swerve" Scott start
Q4: 873,000 (+25,000), 340,000 in 18-49 (+15,000) – Legado del Fantasma vs. Breezango and Isaiah "Swerve" Scott finish, Undisputed Era – Pat McAfee promo start
Q5: 847,000 (-26,000), 324,000 in 18-49 (-16,000) – Undisputed Era – Pat McAfee promo finish, Mercedes Martinez & Aliyah vs. Rhea Ripley & Shotzi Blackheart start
Q6: 779,000 (-68,000), 279,000 in 18-49 (-45,000) – Martinez & Aliyah vs. Ripley & Blackheart finish
Q7: 842,000 (+63,000), 289,000 in 18-49 (+10,000) – Karrion Kross vs. Keith Lee preview, Finn Balor vs. The Velveteen Dream start
Q8: 863,000 (+21,000), 309,000 in 18-49 (+20,000) – Finn Balor vs. The Velveteen Dream finish

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