AEW Rampage week three drops to lowest rating yet but only small drop compared to week one, lands no. 1 among all cables shows in 18-49 demo

Episode three of AEW Rampage last Friday (8/27) averaged 722,000 viewers, dropping below week one’s average viewership by 18,000 and week two’s average viewership by 407,000. That can be framed as a victory because often series premieres draw big curiosity numbers and drop off afterward (as occurred with Dynamite’s first-ever episode, which has yet to be surpassed.) It can also be framed as a negative, since the prior week the show averaged 1,129,000 viewers due to C.M. Punk’s AEW debut and they held onto none of those viewers compared to week one.

AEW Rampage was no. 1 on cable in the 18-49 demographic with a 0.34 rating, above the 0.31 of week one but well below the 0.53 of week two with Punk. So far, the addition of Punk to the roster seems to be resonating with the male 35-49 demographic, but not the 18-34 demographic. Week one in the younger male demo, Rampage drew a 0.25 rating, and this week it dropped to o.17, whereas in the broader 18-49 male demo, it drew 0.48 this week, above week one’s 0.42. Younger males tuning in for the premiere, but going out as usual on Fridays after that could also be a factor (although Punk is also making less of a difference among younger males on Wednesday nights, too).

The overall cable rating was 0.42, in line with week one’s 0.41 and below last week’s 0.53 bumped up by Punk.

Rampage was pre-taped this week, although there’s not compelling evidence that is a deterrent in and of itself on a statistically significant level; sometimes taped shows are less compelling because wrestling bookers tend to save bigger matches and big surprises that draw for live shows, so taped show tend to be less newsworthy and that is reflected in pre-show hype, but being pre-taped in and of itself isn’t something most viewers are even aware of or thinking about as a reason not to watch.

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