AEW Collision felt the full force of WWE's Royal Rumble weekend, experiencing a significant drop in viewership for its February 1st episode. According to Wrestlenomics, the Saturday night show on TNT drew just 197,000 viewers on cable television, accompanied by a meager 0.04 rating in the coveted 18-49 demographic. These numbers represent new lows for AEW's Saturday night offering in its regular timeslot, painting a concerning picture as it went head-to-head with one of WWE's biggest annual events.
This viewership figure marks a stark contrast to the previous week's episode on January 27th, which pulled in 250,000 viewers and a 0.07 rating in the 18-49 demo. The near 21% drop in viewership and over 40% decrease in the key demographic highlights the undeniable impact of the Royal Rumble on wrestling fans' viewing habits.
While AEW Collision also simulcasts on the streaming service Max, those viewership numbers are not currently available, leaving a portion of the show's total audience unaccounted for.
However, the cable TV figures alone are enough to illustrate the challenge AEW faces when directly pitted against major WWE events.
The February 1st episode of Collision featured a solid card, aiming to deliver exciting in-ring action. The show was headlined by a triple threat match for the TNT Championship, where Daniel Garcia successfully defended his title against the challenges of Lee Moriarty and Kyle O'Reilly.
Fans also witnessed a brutal Street Fight between FTR and the Death Riders, promising a hard-hitting and chaotic encounter. Furthermore, Samoa Joe and HOOK teamed up to take on the intriguing duo of Nick Wayne and Kip Sabian, adding another layer of intrigue to the show.
Beyond these marquee matchups, Collision also showcased other segments, including The Outrunners facing The Learning Tree, a women's match between Harley Cameron and Taya Valkyrie, and an open challenge issued by Max Caster. Despite this varied and arguably strong lineup, the lure of the Royal Rumble proved too strong for a significant portion of the wrestling audience.
The drop in viewership serves as a stark reminder of the wrestling landscape's competitive nature. While AEW has carved out a dedicated fanbase, head-to-head competition with WWE, particularly during major events like the Royal Rumble, presents a formidable obstacle. Moving forward, AEW will need to strategically navigate these scheduling conflicts to maintain and grow its audience for Collision and its other programming. The question now becomes how AEW will adapt and rebound from this viewership setback, especially as they continue to build momentum towards future pay-per-view events.
