By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
CM Punk spoke with Connor Casey of Comicbook.com and was asked whether his run in AEW has been what he expected. “This run has been more than what I expected,” Punk said. “I had expectations. They were pretty high. So far, they’ve pretty much shattered all that, and that’s just based on analytics and numbers of how well we’re doing. I’ve long said that I’m there for the fans in the building.
“Nowadays everybody is still focused on ratings numbers when cable is absolutely — I canceled DirecTV months ago. I just, I couldn’t do it anymore. It’s too convoluted. It’s too expensive. Streaming services are, I feel like, are the future. So when people look at ratings and say that wrestling is dying, I say, ‘Well look at our buildings. We’re selling out and we’re doing our first million-dollar gate.’
“So I don’t attribute that just to me. I attribute that to the spirit of AEW and everybody behind the scenes that makes it all work and makes it all click. But the run, my run specifically, my stuff as a whole, I’ve never been happier in a wrestling ring. I’ve never, to me, been telling more fluid, better, reality-based stories. It’s been a real treat.” Read the full interview at Comicbook.com.
Powell’s POV: As much as the Nielsen ratings system feels flawed and dated in a lot of ways, it’s worth noting that they do incorporate some streaming numbers. Meanwhile, it’s good to see that Punk is pleased with his AEW run thus far. It’s been really fun to see him back in the ring again after the seven-year hiatus. Punk also spoke about his role on Mayans MC, auditioning for the lead role of Heels on Starz, and whether he wants to write another Marvel comic book.
Yellowstone has increased ratings on cable every season and last November they broke the all time record for viewers for a season premier of any show in cable TV history.
The NFL just had their most watched non Super Bowl game in 40 years this January.
Several other metrics support viewership going up, not down, for the top tier shows especially on cable. More people have cable right now than did during the Monday Night Wars.
The idea that the ratings aren’t good because people don’t have cable anymore is just another excuse for Phil to explain away why he has had no positive impact on AEW’s numbers at all, instead of him acknowledging the truth that most people know him as that fake wrestling guy who got dominated in UFC by two tomato cans so there’s no reason to take him seriously after nearly a decade away.
That last paragraph isn’t why somebody wouldn’t take CM Punk seriously. Hulk Hogan would get embarrassed in UFC; Chris Benoit would be defeated by the lesser UFC contenders, or easily dispatched by Kurt Angle in an amatuer wrestling match between the two. Being a good wrestler has nothing to do whether you can win a real organized fight. I’m saying this and I don’t even like UFC, never really have. (I do like heavyweight boxing)
The less than stellar ratings apply to all wrestling federations and not just AEW. Bobby Lashley doesn’t elevate WWE’s ratings just because he has won a few MMA fights. I made the point in another comment that WCW Thunder year 2000 had better ratings; clearly that is not a better show than either current WWE or AEW programming. It’s just not a boom period right now and that may never come back.
NFL ratings will fizzle eventually when the money and salaries for players who don’t justify it continue to ruin the balance of the game and the ability for those teams to build long-term.