Thread 19229757

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer addressed the concerning viewership trends for every major wrestling show. With Garrett Gonzales by his side, Meltzer broke down how shows across the board are suffering—no matter the brand or night of the week. The drop isn’t just bad—it’s historic.

>“It’s not just AEW, you know. RAW had its second-lowest number ever this week, you know. SmackDown had its lowest ever. NXT’s down too—you know, and there’s no sports competition. Collision tied its lowest 18–49, and Dynamite was weak even without the World Series going on. That’s everything across the board, you know.”

Garrett asked the question on everyone’s mind—is the boom period over? Meltzer didn’t hesitate to give his verdict.

>“When you look at them, the change over a two-month period is unfathomable, you know. It’s ridiculous, you know. People have been going like, you know, ‘Is the boom over?’ And it’s like, you know, the peak is over without a doubt. you know.”

And it’s not just wrestling feeling the impact. Meltzer pointed out that UFC viewership is also dipping, showing a broader trend in how fans are tuning out across combat sports in general.

>“It’s not just wrestling either, you know. UFC’s down too, you know. We’re seeing a shift in how people are consuming everything right now, you know.”

>Meltzer made it clear this isn’t the end of wrestling by any means—but fans, networks, and executives might want to stop pretending this is still the growth era.

>“It’s not collapsing, you know, but it’s plateaued and started to dip. Business is still strong, but the growth period—that’s done.”

>>19229757 (OP)
>era with the most 5 star matches
>worst ratings of all time
Explain this

>>19229778
Work rate has never, and will never, be a draw.

zoomers dont watch tv

The greatest worker of all time retired and the business collapsed.

>>19229757 (OP)
Older generations are starting to die and the zoomers don't care about tv programs, it's over

>>19229960
That could change though. People thought movie theaters were dying, but Gen Alpha likes going to the movies more than zoomers. Eventually cable is going to be obsolete. I think this current batch of TV deals will be the last traditional cable TV deal that WWE signs. Wouldn't be surprised if SmackDown goes to Prime video or something. NXT might stay on CW but let you simulcast it on the app.

>>19229757 (OP)
>Wrestling Boom Period Officially Over

In Meltzer's little world maybe.

>MELTZER WON
what did he win?

>>19229757 (OP)
>Dave said

>>19229918
you mean the greatest worker of all time died on July 24th and the business collapsed

True. I was already kinda not keeping up with the shows anymore around wrestlepalooza and at this point I haven't watched a full show in at least 2 months

>>19229757 (OP)
The kikery involving moving wrestlemania 42 from new orleans to vegas and having saudi host wrestlemania 43 has a lot to do with it

>>19229778
>the downturn over the past two months
How many 5 star matches have there been over the past two months?

>>19230151
It has literally nothing to do with it

>>19230164
so its just a coincidence then that there was widespread disdain for these moves then the ratings fell off a cliff?

>>19230168
There is not a single soul that stopped watching because they moved WrestleMania to a different city, and they've been going to Saudi Arabia for a very long time.

you know

>>19229757 (OP)
hogan's death cursed the business

Hasn't he been talking about how
great AEW was doing for the past few years?

>>19229757 (OP)
> Dynamite getting less than 2k people in the building every week
> Smackdown with 6k people weeks in a row
> Raw also below the 10k they were hitting every week a year ago
> TNA doesn't even have TV taping scheduled until December
Thank fuck, I'm almost free

>>19229757 (OP)
how can the boomers not accept that no one has fucking cable tv. muh national television is all streaming. and a shit load of wrestling viewer watch illegal streams

>>19229794
it is only a draw to wrestling fans. it doesnt have to be popular. it’s a niche product that survive off of the hardcores. and it should cater to it’s fanbase

>you know
>you know
>you know

>>19230190
>not a single soul that stopped watching because they moved WrestleMania to Saudi Arabia
kek what a soulless company

>>19229778
No 5 star match has ever sold one ticket, sold one ppv or made people tune into a show . “Work rate” doesn’t draw pro wrestling/sports entertainment

>>19230269
imagine if they kept in the uh's, um's and stuttering

AEW has been declining since Punk left, and WWE's metrics started to go bad after this year's SummerSlam

g r i m

>>19229757 (OP)
>you know
>you know
>it's like
>you know
>you know
>you know
>you know

what is this retards problem

>>19230250
TNA has a live episode and a PLE next week

>>19230251
I fully expect WWE to leave cable totally when their current deal with USA is up.

>>19229757 (OP)
as a true journalist that elderly faggot should have pointed out the way the ratings are tabulated changed during the last 2 months and thats the reason for the ratings hitting new lows. none of the wwe shows are as low as the aew shows so hes being disingenuous

>>19229757 (OP)
Joshi is white hot.

>>19230367
Smackdown went from nearly 2 million viewers every week to under a million in less than a year. To pretend this isn't as bad as AEW's much slower decline is denying how much TKO's practices are pushing fans away.

>>19230380
no the fuck it isnt

>>19230416
smackdown switched networks and the ratings changed. again two big factors which you are leaving out. the live shows are still packed. im not saying the shows are entertaining but the big drop in ratings especially recently is more due to the way the ratings are tabulated

>Meltzer says

Lmao. Nah Im good.

>>19229757 (OP)
Dave is a boomer who doesn't have access to digital metrics, TV ratings are a thing of the past

>>19229757 (OP)
Cena's failed heel run killed it

Raw against football is going to be rough once Cena's run wraps up

>>19229757 (OP)
AEW never had a boom period. They started at 1.4 milly. Punk coming in coincided with the end of covid and fans returning. Punk actually barely moved the needle at all. Collision flopping BEFORE Punk got fired is proof of that. AEW was never good and it never will be

>>19230024
I'm done with Sergio

>>19229757 (OP)
jej

>>19231471
>MELTZER WON
what did he win?

WWE is always slow this time of year, if the ratings are still low after the rumble then it's time to stick a fork in them

>>19230203
you know

>>19229757 (OP)
>MELTZER WON
Many are saying this.

>>19229794
That part.

>>19229757 (OP)
this is fake, you added one too many "you know"s. he just got done saying it was the world series and halloween's fault on wednesday WON

>>19229757 (OP)
Dave is trying to hide AEW's failure by saying ALL of prowrestling is dying. I'd argue that TNA has been doing better than ever, NXT has been killing it on CW, and the indie scene is finally making a comeback.

Tony and his co owners need to learn that you can't save AEW by ignoring their own problems.

>>19229778
I wish someone actually asked this to Meltzer. His brain would short circuit trying to find a cope

>>19231606
Tweet it to him

>>19229757 (OP)
AEW hasn't been in a
>boom period
for a long while now where the fuck has this guy been? and I hope TKO eats shit too and has to cut ticket prices over 50% to even get half full arenas

>>19231991
>muh ticket prices
I hope none of you sickos go to more than 1 wrestling show every 6.5 years

>>19229757 (OP)
High T elder Gen Xer vs. Low T elder millennial, coke head faggot.

I will fuck your Milf Wife Triple H

>>19231599
>TNA doing better than ever
>zero TV since their last PPV with only one episode currently scheduled before the next PPV
>all contracts are extremely short, some literally just on a month to month basis

>>19230159
AEW's ratings have been falling for 2-3 years now.

>>19231599
>tna and nxt are doing great!!1!
>indies are SO BACK
You marks don't even realize how you make it sound.