AEW Rampage scored one of its largest audiences in history after benefiting from a large lead-in audience from the NBA.
The April 14th episode averaged 639,000 viewers and approximately 274,000 (0.21) in the 18-49 demographic, which ranked seventh among cable originals on Friday. (Showbuzz Daily and Wrestlenomics)
It was the seventh-largest audience in the history of Rampage, only topped by the first six editions of the series in August and September of 2021. It was also Rampage’s largest audience in the 18-49 demographic since March 11, 2022.
The main factor for the swelling of the audience was the lead-in from the NBA play-in game between the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat that averaged 2,258,000 viewers and 0.76 in the demo – the ending of the game led to Rampage beginning eighteen minutes earlier than normal, at 9:42 p.m. ET and thus, airing against SmackDown until the top of the hour.
Compared to the previous week, Rampage’s audience grew by 27 percent with the 18-49 demo increasing by 25 percent, adults 18-34 moving up 40 percent, a 17 percent increase among adults 35-49, and a 23 percent uptick among adults 50+.
The 12-34 demographic saw massive increases with a 75 percent increase in males and a 60 percent growth among females.
While the NBA lead-in is the prime reason for the increase, it’s not as though Rampage didn’t have significant competition as the show aired against the game between Oklahoma City and Minnesota that averaged 2,511,000 and 0.95 in the demo on ESPN – and topped all of television on Friday night.
The taped episode of Rampage from Milwaukee included a main event pitting Jack Perry against Shawn Spears and IWGP tag champions Aussie Open defending against the Best Friends in the opening match.
