AEW Rampage returned to its normal time on TBS this past Friday going against coverage of the NBA playoffs on ABC & ESPN.
The April 22nd edition of the show taped in Pittsburgh averaged 518,000 viewers and approximately 248,000 (0.19) in the 18-49 demographic, per Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics Radio and Showbuzz Daily.
WWE Smackdown, Friday on Fox, 8-10p:
1,952,000 viewers
P18-49: 0.47
Lowest in both since Jul 2.AEW Rampage on TNT, 10-11p:
518,000 viewers
P18-49: 0.19
Within range of recent months.📊 https://t.co/1SscdBCpr8 pic.twitter.com/T2V1cHoBIk
— Brandon Thurston (@BrandonThurston) April 25, 2022
The overall viewership was up 7.5 percent while the demo fell 14 percent from last week’s episode that aired at 7 p.m. ET. Compared with two weeks ago in the regular time, viewership was down 14 percent while 18-49 dropped 24 percent.
The key was the NBA playoffs with ESPN dominating cable on Friday and occupying the top six slots between game coverage and its studio programming.
On cable, Rampage aired against the final twenty minutes of the Miami vs. Atlanta game (2,524,000 viewers and 0.90 in 18-49) and the first forty minutes of Phoenix vs. New Orleans (3,174,000, 1.16 in 18-49 and 1.67 in men 18-49)
There was also a game between Chicago and Milwaukee on ABC that averaged 1,932,000 viewers and 0.45 in 18-49.
AEW finished #14 among cable originals.
Rampage’s rating in every key demo dropped from last Friday’s earlier episode except for 50+, which grew from 0.15 to 0.21 and led to Rampage’s overall viewership increasing.
The show returned to its taped format and presented a lineup that included Jade Cargill defending the TBS championship against Marina Shafir and Adam Cole taking on Tomohiro Ishii.
Due to TNT’s coverage of the NBA playoffs, it could lead to Rampage being bumped around in the schedule over the next few weeks while also facing its toughest competition of the year.
