AEW Dynamite rebounds from record low ratings | Wrestling Observer Live

Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive discuss this week's Dynamite ratings, which were up from last week's historically low number.
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[@Scottoest]

Saying they "rebounded" from their worst rating to their SECOND worst rating is a hell of a spin, I'll give ya that. There was a time a few months ago Alvarez was telling people "not to panic... yet" about a rating in the low 700s. Now 680 is a rebound number.

[@MattAlbie]

I was going to say, they rebounded into what would be a DUMPSTER FIRE rating during the early 900k days.

[@ESWShockwave]

I remember “don’t panic” lmao

[@nateputerbaugh5709]

​@@MattAlbie It was a dumpster fire by their 775k average this year

[@christophersconiers4979]

they went from 900,000 consistently to now accepting 680k as good and a rebound i tell ya the more yal stay in denial the more the product will suffer because nobody is willing to accept the fact that they need a change in the creative department.

[@originooflavor]

The problem with what you're saying is when they were averaging 900k people were critical of the creative than so they listen to the critics and the ratings have gotten lower consistently

[@christophersconiers4979]

@@originooflavor ur making my point because they refuse to change the product is suffering and they are now settling for mediocrity the reason they are losing their audience is because they refuse to change the result of them not changing is not helping them only hurting them.

[@anthonylucero6650]

@@originooflavor You’re a mook😒

[@23wjosh]

Just goes to prove aew biggest draw is Sheldon

[@ELHijoDeKilldozer]

He's gonna main event Wembley 😂

[@_Amit_Sunil]

Sheldon Cooper is ALL ELITE

[@tinniemc]

Put the belt on him

[@TribalThief]

Imagine relying on another show to increase your ratings😂

[@kingslayer2999]

Sitcom Reruns aswell 😂

[@JT-fz2xy]

Even fightful blamed black panther for the low lead in

[@blakemyers643]

That's how Cable works are you stupid?

[@Voysh2Voysh69]

Big Bang Theory’s re-run TV rights is worth over $1 Billion…

[@JasonT666]

WCW had way better ratings than AEW

[@atomicbrain9401]

Sheldon is the head of AEW’s table. Acknowledge Sheldon!

[@waficabousanra4719]

👌👌👌👌👌

[@_meangreenjersey973]

☝️☝️

[@CSwizzy69]

This is a rebound? 680k is now a good number? I remember when that used to be record lows

[@MrRyanlennie2005]

Dude in 2019 the all time record low for Raw was 2.1m viewers and the show was horrible, now they hover around 1.5-1.7m and people say WWE is supposedly on fire.

[@blakemyers643]

Do you work for a cable network or warner brothers or any company that analyzes trends and ratings? If not then what the fuck do you know about what is or isn't a rebound

[@Voysh2Voysh69]

You should also take note that when AEW signed their TV deal, the cable networks were EXPECTING 500,000 viewers on average. AEW has always done better than that. AEW has “bottomed out” above that number. Ideally, AEW needs to restructure some things to get back closer to a million each week, but even at its lowest point, AEW is still delivering the ratings that TNT/TBS originally signed up for.

[@AbrahamG.99]

@@MrRyanlennie2005 WWE can sell 10k seats

[@CSwizzy69]

@@MrRyanlennie2005 Who's even talking about WWE

[@kenshiman90]

sheldon cooper remains aew's biggest draw

[@polsdofer]

Time to put the strap on him

[@shaincassesse3228]

Bazinga!!!

[@steven80406]

So all of those big bang theory jokes are actually correct 😂

[@SAM-ru4vx]

Take note that Sheldon was always annoying and the bad guy. Why is MJF trying to be a good guy? outside of New York he should always be rude, condescending, and hated by everyone.

[@QuynhNguyen-zw8uv]

Big Bang Theory to the rescue once again. Nice work Sheldon.

[@brentbowser2771]

Rebounding to their 3rd lowest number isn't back to normal...its still under 700 which yall panicked on a few weeks ago.

[@StuntmanMike11]

Rebound?? A 680K average thanks to BBT…

[@flyervoracek5954]

Count me as unimpressed when you still ran off 200,000 viewers throughout the show. In no way should Tony view this as acceptable.

[@kylemiller6560]

Says the guy with like 11 thumbs up...

[@blakemyers643]

Every show dips as it goes on. WWE does it sports does it all the time. Learn basic shit

[@flyervoracek5954]

@@blakemyers643 no they do not.

[@rj5822]

AEW 🗑️

[@blakemyers643]

@@flyervoracek5954 yes they do you fucking mark.

[@MahdiRanger]

This is rebounding ladies and gents. 680... Just 2 momths ago the normal was 730k . 3 months ago the normal was 820. 6 months ago the normal was 865K. They dont see a problem. They actually are dropping quite fast in 2024. Needing big bang as a lead in is a problem!

[@blakemyers643]

Do you work for a cable network or warner brothers? Glad to know you are an expert on what is or isn't a good rating

[@Abalamski]

@@blakemyers643 ratings aside, the product is not retaining fans year over year

[@blakemyers643]

@@Abalamski what does? Only growing product in wrestling is NXT. Only thing in America that is not declining in ratings overall is the NFL. Find me a single other show besides the news and football that hasn't had year over year decline since streaming became the dominant form of entertainment

[@Abalamski]

​@@blakemyers643 the subject is not about other shows...its about aew not gaining new fans/losing fans. Idk why you feel so argumentative about this...this video even said they have problems lmao

[@LDavis-uz6xl]

​@@blakemyers643This is tv and entertainment and its not free. If a scripted tv show fell off this much, it'd be canceled in a minute. Tony better count his daddy's billions because they ain't getting an increase on their next deal.

[@shawnkavanagh2951]

Sheldon Cooper is All Elite

[@Abalamski]

lol moving the goal post every week. First it was the Kendrick Lamar concert...but now its because the big bang theory wasn't the lead in

[@jaimetorres9630]

They need to get back to the 800000 viewers for a rebound . 600000 is horrible.

[@LDavis-uz6xl]

Why can't Tony just acknowledge this isn't working? Even in VKM's worst creative days, he always knew it was time to switch it up. And WWE became an empire because of that foresight.

[@hiddensword9387]

On yesterdays ep Bryan predicted they would be around the ''norm'' of 780K, this is 100K less. I think he is just trying to hide how worrying the drop is. But as he said, it does seem the actual consistent audience is around 500K.

[@mikeawesome2733]

Exactly. 😂

[@WrestlingGames101]

Sheldon, Leonard, Raj and Howard are the real 4 pillars

[@keni95851]

Imagine admitting your show needs a good lead in because otherwise no one cares 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@megatinmand5524]

I've noticed that all you do is post hateful comments all day and night, have you considered seeing a professional about your mental illness? It could really help with whatever is troubling you

[@blakemyers643]

That's how Cable works genius

[@ELHijoDeKilldozer]

​@@blakemyers643AEW can't sell tickets either. Should we blame the lead in for that too?

[@blakemyers643]

@@ELHijoDeKilldozer sold out forbidden door.

[@waficabousanra4719]

​@@blakemyers643Are you the lawyer of aew I see you reply at all comments 😂

[@stu8758]

American's obsession with The Big Bang Theory fascinates me, it's garbage

[@keni95851]

And AEW needs that garbage to get a rating 🤣🤣🤣

[@Mark-eg2yd]

Agreed. Although I'd say the same about most American "comedy"

[@Mark-eg2yd]

Americans with poor taste - what's new 😂

[@RavenGlenn]

And if BBT is garbage, what is AEW?

[@UFCWWE69]

It’s funny if you’re deep into nerd culture which a majority of people are not which is kinda similar to aew 😂

[@JT-fz2xy]

Aew dies without Sheldon

[@AdrianBeegoatz]

It’s amazing how it’s only taken Alvarez 3 years to admit things that Cornette and other wrestling veteran podcasts have been saying for a loooong time.

[@mielyt125]

What a sentence

[@Hotdiggity11]

Goalposts have been moved. Almost 700k is the new gold standard until otherwise.

[@smathews731]

Remember when the gold was to get at least a million and a half? Then it was 900k?

[@armandogomez2677]

Until next month lol

[@house1406]

2 months ago this number was an anomaly because it aired live on west coast or smth like that now its a rebound 😃

[@RavenGlenn]

Right? It was that the show was at a different time. Then it was a different day. Then it was the NBA was on. Then it was the NHL was on. Then it was the WNBA was on. Soon it's going to be billiards, bowling, and curling is on.

[@OgKamoGaming]

Just got off the phone with Sheldon. He said, you're welcome. 🤣

[@ToddSmith23]

Sheldon Cooper, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap. Sheldon Cooper, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.

[@darosworldofgaming4400]

So your saying they depend on big bang theory to pull in a good first hour rating lmao

[@gromester1092]

Forbidden Door has become a Revolving Door. It’s the same people coming in and out.

[@killerk3431]

So is 700k the new Milly?

[@hopefulelectoftheng2819]

Yep

[@haloichigo1]

Always has been. Only the fed boys think 1 mil is the bench mark of success without understanding ratings are proportionate to how much a network purchased a show and for the price of AEW 700k and up is a success for the network.

[@AndrewVera23]

Is 1.8 the new 3 milly

[@VirgilZandig]

Cable TV subscribership is down 20% or so since AEW debuted, so I'd say 800k.

[@keni95851]

😂😂😂😂

[@toniyakovlev4403]

1.2 is fine.... Naah it's okay we are above 1.0... No need to panic 800k is completely normal... 700k is a great number!... 500k is a big drop but hey we are at 680 things are great again! These people are unbelievably delusional...

[@keni95851]

Actually 300k is the new normal😂

[@RahenGroup]

I wish he had the same energy when he was roasting NXT. Comparing a developmental brand to a flagship show is insane but the level of excuses for AEW is just weird The commentary for both companies is not balanced at all. They are baffled when NXT does great numbers with a "bad show" then call Dynamite a "great show" with declining numbers. This is why people accuse yall of getting paid by AEW

[@megatinmand5524]

"Bryan is paid by aew cause he wants his favorite NXT wrestler to get a bigger push" This is why people accuse you of being bots

[@shadow0444]

@@megatinmand5524 lmao these guys specially dave defend this trash product so much, its not illogical to think tony snowman khan is paying them. aew marks are like the people who defend the new disney/ star wars/marvel movies

[@jaybee4288]

I’ve been watching some WWE shorts of the new bloodline, Cody, Orton.. then I scrolled down to this thumbnail of Okada and the bucks.. and wow, the contrast is staggering. They just don’t look like stars. Great wrestlers but they look like civilians next to the WWE guys.

[@martaviouspaul7117]

You know what’s crazy Will Osprey said it himself that the rating aren’t good and it makes the talent feel bad but Dave and this guy will say otherwise and say oh the talent doesn’t care when they are speaking out about it

[@keni95851]

Does it hurt his wittle feewings?😢😢😢

[@kingslayer2999]

Forbidden Bore is going to Suck. 5 hours of matches with people nobody cares about.

[@AdrianBeegoatz]

Ospreay is a guy who is serious about his business and takes pride in the work he puts out. If there were more guys like Ospreay, and Swerve, and MJF, and Samoa Joe on the roster… And if there were LESS goofs like the Bucks and Jericho… then AEW might be in a better place. But Tony Khan keeps giving the goofs way too much of a spotlight that they are not worth 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@LongLiveRockAnRoll]

Is it really a rebound though? They were averaging over 800k a few months ago.

[@nicodimus2222]

This steady downward trend is what happens when you value nobodies like Matt, Nick, Jack, and Adam over bona fide stars like Cody and CM Punk (and being a weak leader that allows problems to fester instead of solving them.)

[@blakemyers643]

How's cm punks tricep doing?

[@suspirianknight]

@@blakemyers643It's more over than anyone in AEW.

[@blakemyers643]

@@suspirianknight lemme know when he actually wrestles eh

[@mikeawesome2733]

​@@blakemyers643good enough to draw 3x what dynamite does

[@blakemyers643]

@@mikeawesome2733 woah the biggest company in the world outdrew the other one???? Woooooowwwww crazy. Can't wait for him to get injured 3 months into his return again and watching you guys continue to fellate him.

[@dman9152]

Tony khan is a terrible booker, aew is only going to loose more viewers if they carry on like this.

[@Brookschef]

The lead in show is the only reason a show draws? I’m so confused. I couldn’t tell you what is on before raw or smackdown

[@rodericklittle9324]

WHAT DOES THE BLACK PANTHER GOTS TO DO WITH AN EPISODIC WRESTLING SHOW THATS AIRED IN ITS USUAL TIME SLOT????

[@blakemyers643]

Lead ins is a basic concept for cable how do you not get this. Do you have brain damage?

[@megatinmand5524]

Quite simply really, if a tv channel has less viewers then that tv channel has less viewers, not really rocket science

[@leeedwards9068]

I would LOVE to know the percentage of subscribers that ‘listen in a gym’ or ‘lift weights’, Bryan… Do you think it’s 1.5-2.25% ??

[@mattypaul87]

I had a feeling the ratings would go back up a bit, but that 508K needs to be a reminder of what can happen unless some changes are made to the product.

[@Bama20512]

Nothing is gonna change unless Tony gives up creative duties

[@JT-fz2xy]

It went up because of the big bang theory

[@pmcruz1112]

It's a reminder that Sheldon is more over than anyone in AEW

[@haloichigo1]

Exactly! I am a huge AEW fan but if the company lives or dies based on what airs before them then that is terrible. It needs to stand on its own.

[@radnyrandy]

Holy cow! just admit the show is not as strong or as fresh as it used to be. I looked forward to it every week dark, elevation, collision and rampage and now I find myself, watching only the reply of dynamite and fast forwarding many of the matches. They mean nothing with wrestlers that don’t have a good story or personality, eliminator matches with Orange, Yuta, Shibata, Mox, Perry and Bucks. Big Bang should not be something to brag about when it comes to AEW viewers

[@sbz88]

Mina Shirakawa being the highest rated quarter cause she's hot is hilarious 😂😂. She knows what she's doing and it's working.

[@haloichigo1]

I knew the ratings would be back up and the ratings are good for what the network is paying for, but as a fan this doesn't sit well with me. Dynamites success hinging on what airs before is troubling and yes in TV the lead in is heavily taken into account for program success but it shouldn't be this bad and they need to change things up because their average base is not really what they thought it was and they need to see what works. The wrestling is great, they just need the characters to draw people in and Toni Storm, Chris Jericho and MJF doing well shows what people like to see.

[@JoesMadness]

That's not a number to celebrate and when you look at the fact within 15 minutes they lost 140K viewers

[@shysgarage2405]

AEW now is straight trash compared to 2 years ago...

[@shadow0444]

instead of penny we will be hearing knock knock knock* Tony.. knock knock knock* Tony... knock knock knock* Tony...

[@ddm2k1143]

I hate when you guys try to recant stories and be totally wrong without any fact checking. The WCW ppv's in February was "SuperBrawl". SuperBrawl 1998 Sting defeated Hollywood Hogan to win the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship SuperBrawl 1999 Hollywood Hogan defeated Ric Flair for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. The story you told from "Who Killed WCW" was wrong it was the March PPVs "Uncensored" when Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair faced each other back to back in 1999 and 2000. It would've taken a simply google search that took two seconds. Good grief be better!!!!

[@martintraphagen3698]

Remember when Punk finally got AEW 1,000,000 viewers? Tony let the Lollipop Guild run off the biggest star in his company, and it's been a noticeably downward spiral ever since. I was a big supporter of AEW the first couple of years. Now it's become almost unwatchable

[@Jhoncena22]

The lead in artificially inflated the numbers like normal, they lost 200k through the show AND apparently now 680k is good? Usually it takes a full year for the goalpost of “the ratings are actually good” to move closer but we’ve gone from 900k to 800k to 700k to now above 650k as being considered “good” by the AEW cult within the last 8 months.

[@dogred431]

Rebounded you say? Rebounded?REBOUNDED? These ratings are horrible. Stop kidding yourselves and actually start pushing AEW to do better. Constantly making excuses, like blaming Juneteenth when they showed a majorly successful Marvel film before Dynamite, for what's supposed to be the most progressive and intelligent wrestling audience, and the ratings tanked. If you need Big Bang Theory as a run in to spike a return to a still weak rating, you are doing something very wrong. The rating is going to be artificial as long as BBT is the run in. Dynamite can't stand alone. Dynamite has utter stunk for about 18 months. It's boring, lame, indie garbage at the moment. But they will do nothing to improve as long as people keep denying the problem. They were supposed to be the ones to bring wrestling back, proper sports based stuff, what the lapsed fans always wanted. Instead it's just treading water and doing nothing new or exciting.

[@ReiHost]

Bryan has been doing better in his objectivity but it's a shame he hasn't learned the basics of trend analytics yet. Reception very rarely goes down in a continuous motion, "A slow and steady decline" as Bryan stated, when charted as narrowly as we watch each episode's ratings. Instead, audience typically goes down and then back up to a new, lower plateau before the process repeats. The old 800 plumments to turns into 750, then comes back--but only to a 780 where it hovers. Little by little the average dips more and more, so a 750 turns into a 730 and the recovery only obtains 760. When examined over a longer period, the line graph looks like a smooth decline, but as we zoom in or conduct in-the-moment review, we see the exact pattern AEW is exhibiting: That of a failing television product.

[@psyopticprodigy2427]

Except that first 1/4 means nothing because the BBT has been padding the AEW number for years. There's a reason why a lot of people who talk about it ignore the lead in and over run to get a true AEW number. Last week was just proof that this show is tanking. I would love it to be good (first year of AEW was actually great, not Tony "great") but with Tony as booker the truth is simple. He's not a good booker.

[@jonl13]

Kendrick Lamar concert was free online (and I think televised? Or at least on Amazon Video free) Wednesday night June 19th. That’s a big hit to the main demo of AEW considering he’s prob the most popular rap artist in the world currently. Week later views go right back to what they were on June 12th and the weeks prior. Sometimes people watch other shit besides wrestling: whether another sport, a presidential debate, or a major concert televised for free.

[@kadmiss1750]

Man. When you are celebrating below 700k ratings. You are on some industrial strength copium.

[@BirdGang6]

If Tony Khan let someone like Danielson, CD or Chris Hero book the show then I guarantee Dynamite would not struggle as much as it is. That’s the main problem for me. Tony doesn’t have enough experience to be booking multiple shows. It would be like having me book Dynamite. I’m a very passionate wrestling fan who feels like he knows a little about the business, but I sure as shit don’t understand how to book a national wrestling product. Worry about more boss things and let one of your insanely experienced and talented minds book the shows.

[@josephcooke4678]

They open the show with 846,000 viewers and only did an average of 680, 000. At this point they would be better off just showing Big bang theory around the clock

[@ronnyermedina7107]

This is the exact thing that Cornette and other podcasters had always been saying. BBT is the reason why they always lose 200K weekly; that first quarter is false always. You could put whatever you want in that first quarter when the BBT is over and will be the highest quarter always. The only reason why people watch that show is because of the ladies and that's it because the show is bad and it's clear to anyone with eyes and brains that no one wants wrestling with awful stories. There's no excuse in the end. Their fans should knew that the show is on the same time slot and yet they don't watch it. It's bad. It's so bad.

[@datpuertorican2495]

Imagine telling friends about the ratings for a pretend fighting show. Now imagine having friends in the first place because you're just a smelly nerd.

[@donnieingram6493]

The reason they had such a low rating last week was because of the Kendrick Lamar concert period. I was watching Kendrick and completely forgot it was even a Dynamite night.

[@stalfos3452]

Amazing how reliant they are in The Big Bang Theory 😂 imagine Raw being reliant of Murder, She wrote back in the 90's! 😅😅😅

[@josephcooke4678]

The quarter hours show you that people don't like watching the overly choreographed matches they don't even look like there's a struggle going on they just look phony. Most people are into the entertainment part, the segments. And Mina shirakawa

[@johnburnscrystaljack]

How long before they realize they gotta stop putting guys like Pac and Gates of Agony in main events and instead actually give Toni Storm what she deserves

[@tkthetank]

I wonder how many times Bryan blamed TNA’s low ratings on THE SHOW THAT AIRED BEFORE IT.

[@linsithebe7080]

Cody leaves and finished his story Bucks show the CM Punk footage Edge gets hurt Mone is barely used Matches go too long with no star power Just reasons I stopped watching this show in the last 6 months easy

[@ranveerphukan]

So now they're celebrating a "rebound" of less than 700k average?? Sheesh the bar has dropped rapidly!

[@Lyricaldeamin]

So what you’re basically saying is they usually get viewerships from people watching the big bang that fall asleep and let the channel roll over and don’t even intentionally wanna watch AEW how pathetic

[@julianboyd243]

"the show was bad bc people didn't watch the show before" Cool but needing a lead in is why aew sucks. Raw smackdown nxt don't need that.

[@frale_2392]

The good news is that TNT doesn't care if your product performs bad or not? I don't know chief I don't see it as good news...

[@Wahidkhalid]

lol blaming black panther is crazy work

[@MHardcore]

Kendrick Lamar did AEW like he did Drake. He took more viewers than Big Bang Theory.

[@dashohebein]

I would suggest showing more Big Bang Theory instead of AEW then. You guys cant be serious. No one is telling Tony Kham rhe truth and so thos will get worse and worse and worse if they dont change they way of booking and presentation. I was watching AEW since 2019 and i just cant do it anymore. So sad to see this becoming the biggest broken promise in wrestling history.

[@Aj6711]

AEW getting exposed without Big Bang they wouldn’t be over 600k

[@lucasbelhumeur4440]

AEW finally got back their biggest draw Sheldon.

[@mrrobert9176]

Bryan being unable to read quarter hour ratings and their actual meanings is insane to me. The guy has been covering wrestling since the 90’s

[@josephcooke4678]

If your show is any good, you don't need another show to get you viewers you should be bringing viewers to that station.

[@nateputerbaugh5709]

And by "rebounds" they mean "went back to what was their previous embarrassment of a number

[@lilbonez209408]

So what your saying is big bang theory is on and Aew only getting ratings because people get on there phone and forget to change the channel

[@spencerh1428]

So they are dependent on reruns as a lead in vs a marvel movie? Either way they are not generating viewers or interest and the number they get is just messing with a lead in.

[@ShootItALBY]

All this just proves Big Bang are AEW’s feeding tube

[@MBeats27]

Can people watch great wrestling without worrying about the ratings

[@billymcdowall9850]

Well tony better thank god that Sheldon coopers injury wasn't a long one

[@bird2684]

So they can just air Big Bang Theory for 3 hours and get more viewers why sign an extension to keep AEW?

[@dissconnect5588]

it was the kendrick concert jesus dude that shit was everwhere it did huge numbers

[@johncarr450]

My favorite is RAW's lead into Silk Stalkings,

[@DannyBZ9]

The Big Bang Theory rebounded by being shown again Wednesday!!

[@deyampert3738]

This crap isn’t even worth talking about! 😂

[@bbballal]

I wonder what would happen if the went from Sheldon to the women... 🤔

[@dynamic283]

Sheldon is the biggest draw in the AEW ladies and gentlemen

[@mz5865]

People are suspiciously desperate for AEW to fail.

[@gormhatre]

So the big bang theory is the biggest draw for AEW ? What ?

[@Shumpdos]

Funny how 680 is now a REBOUND!!!!

[@josephcooke4678]

They're dying and it said that Tony is unwilling to adjust.

[@MaStErChIeF2217]

Sheldon Cooper for AEW World Champion!!!

[@KezAH-GT]

Not as bad as WCW at its worst it will still pulling in the millions

[@francisconavarro9629]

Bbt audience is the same as aew… that explains A LOT

[@ToddSmith23]

How dare you say there are issues with dynamite

[@beverlysaylor1115]

In other words… Sheldon Cooper is all elite

[@PierceTravels]

How can a rating be rebounded if wrestling is worked?

[@jilujoilujiut2165]

Ratings are still horrible , take out the first 15 mins and give us the real rating without the big bang lead in . Bout 630k on avg . Great rating ... o wait .... nm ... Just cry me a river

[@alphatoddio]

Real glass cry me a river😅

[@skydonkey900]

Make Sheldon Cooper AEW champion!

[@Saddler1944]

Make David Arquette his manager.