While the pro wrestling business has largely been business as usual over the last few months, that has not been the case when it comes to television viewership and ratings. If anything, there's been a minor panic in some circles, as a new change in how Nielsen measures viewership has seen the ratings for "AEW Dynamite," "AEW Collision," "WWE NXT," and "WWE SmackDown" all drop in a way ratings for other television programs haven't.
On Saturday's "Wrestling Observer Radio," Dave Meltzer was discussing the ratings issues, and how promotions and networks could be complaining about the changes to Nielsen in private. What Meltzer doesn't expect, however, is for any public complaints, as he feels that would then put a spotlight on the ratings that no one wants right now.
"I think...with AEW and WWE themselves, I think in both cases, they don't want to call attention to that fact...in a public way," Meltzer said. "It's like, I think they want actually less written about it than is, because...the numbers for both, like, do you really...Privately are they going to go through channels and go 'What the hell is going on?' They have to be. They have to be. But publicly I don't think...they don't even want that out. Aside from wrestling fans, people aren't really aware of the wrestling drop.
"And I don't think that WWE wants anything that makes them look less popular, when there's a perception that they're very hot, and they are. And AEW even more, because AEW is...they already have the perception issue in a lot of ways. This would only make it worse, if they were to call attention and complain. Plus, they'd kind of be viewed as crybabies if they complained. If WWE complained, I don't know that they would be viewed as crybabies, but it would call attention to their numbers, so I don't think that they would want to publicly do anything."
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Wrestling Observer Radio" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription
