Wrestlenomics has reported that wrestling viewership has taken a noticeable dip since the rollout on Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel viewership method, with WWE SmackDown viewership seeing the largest drop with 14 percent and AEW Collision and Dynamite dropping by 6 and 9 percent respectively.
WWE NXT, which airs on a non-cable broadcast network, measured 9 percent lower in total viewership, with CW issuing the following statement to Wrestlenomics regarding the changes:
We’ve expressed to Nielsen our deep frustration with the way it handled the process, communication, and methodology behind its Big Data rollout.
The sudden and substantial discrepancy in WWE NXT viewership reported by Big Data, relative to long-established viewing patterns, is inexplicable and lacks credibility. Further, a comparison with data from all other measurement products (including others from Nielsen itself) exposes a fundamentally flawed methodology in Big Data.
We are disappointed by Nielsen’s lack of cooperation, transparency, and accountability with its network partners as we work to resolve this issue.
The report notes that NXT is still the network’s leading show in primetime under the new methodology.
The current method of collecting viewership data uses the traditional panel sample used for decades by Nielsen, combined with data from set-top boxes and smart TVs.