NXT scores most decisive win demographically against AEW heading into the holiday break, more total viewers, better rating, more young men and women

NXT on USA scored its more decisive victory over AEW Dynamite on TNT last night (12/18), finishing ahead in both total viewership (among live and same-night-DVR viewers) and the 18-49 demographic that matters most to advertisers and TV networks. AEW had previously has a relatively consistent, and sometimes commanding, lead in the more narrow younger demographics categories.

NXT finished no. 27 in the Wednesday night cable ratings among 18-49 year olds, ahead of AEW at no. 30.

In total viewership, NXT drew 775,000 viewers and AEW drew 683,000 viewers, a difference of 92,000. NXT scored a bigger viewership win on Thanksgiving Eve last month (147,000), but the gap closed after a few days. Taking into account +3 and +5 day viewership totals is unfair for NXT, since many delayed views of NXT happen on WWE Network rather than DVR, whereas AEW can only be seen on delay on DVR.

Where AEW lost biggest is in the key demographics. NXT tied AEW among men 18-49 (0.31 to 0.31), the first time AEW hasn’t outdrawn them in that demo. NXT won the male 18-34 demo by a 0.23 to 0.18 margin; NXT won that demo only one other time (12/4). NXT also won the female 18-49 demo by a 0.22 to 0.16 margin.

In terms of the cable rating, NXT topped AEW by a 0.60 to 0.51 margin. NXT’s cable rating was the same as last week, and below the prior three weeks. AEW’s 0.51 was down form the 0.56 last week and 0.63 the prior week. It’s the second lowest yet.