Nielsen’s New ‘Big Data + Panel’ Model Drives Down Reported TV Audiences for WWE and AEW

Overview

• Under the revised methodology, recent estimates fell sharply, with WWE NXT sliding from about 737,000 viewers on September 16 to 572,000 on September 30 and AEW Dynamite dropping from roughly 667,000 on September 17 to 465,000 on October 1.
• A WBD spokesperson confirmed that live AEW views on HBO Max are excluded from Nielsen’s linear television numbers for Dynamite and Collision.
• A WBD source said the shift effectively ends reliance on fast national prelims by adding an extra day of processing, urged caution given the small sample so far, and noted competing MLB, college football, and NFL telecasts have fared well under the new system.
• USA Network contacts told Fightful they are monitoring the change and still see strong return on investment from WWE, while a WBD source dismissed cancellation chatter.
• Industry figures flagged potential implications for advertising and rights talks, including concerns for smaller promotions like TNA, though TNA president Carlos Silva said current negotiations have not raised the Nielsen change; separate analysis estimated wrestling’s TV viewership is down roughly 15% since the upgrade.