WWE Reportedly Disappointed Internally With NXT 2.0
It has been four months since NXT was rebranded as NXT 2.0. The look of the show changed, and young rookies were given television time over veteran stars. However, ratings have fallen since the launch of the new concept.
In the four months before the rebrand, which includes two weeks where the show suffered a steep drop in the ratings with the show airing on SyFy due to the Olympics, WWE NXT averaged 669,000 viewers and a 0.16 rating in the 18-49 demographic. Since the rebrand, NXT 2.0 has averaged 639,000 viewers with a 0.15 in the 18-49 demographic, a drop of 4.5% in total viewers and a drop of 6.25% in the key demographic.
Last September, the first month of the rebrand, the show averaged 693,000 viewers with a 0.17 rating in the 18-49 demographic. In December, the show averaged 601,000 viewers with a 0.13 rating in 18-49 demographic, a drop of 13.3% in total viewers, and a drop of 23.5% in the key demo.
According to WrestleVotes, WWE is said to be disappointed with NXT in its first four months.
"Internally WWE is said to be disappointed w/ NXT 2.0 in its first 4 months," WrestleVotes tweeted. "Source said they thought more fans would gravitate towards the newer stars quicker than they have. Could it just be too much, too fast? Either way I don't expect any changes to the concept... just yet."
During the WWE Q3 2021 earnings call last November, WWE President Nick Khan commented on the revamp. Khan noted at the time that he felt the new concept was working.
"We think it's all starting the way that we wanted it to start. So we wanted a younger, fresher, in-ring approach. We think we have it," Khan responded. "You've already seen some talent from the new NXT elevated to the main roster. There's going to be more of that."
NXT this past Tuesday averaged 587,000 viewers with a 0.11 rating in the 18-49 demographic. The number was down 11% in total viewers and down 26.7% from the same week last year when the show aired on Wednesdays head-to-head with AEW Dynamite.