State of the Business: TV ratings, attendance and more

For the week ending May 23

Rankings for TV ratings

While TV viewership -- offset by changes in household coverage -- may be a reasonable indicator of fan engagement, the ranking of these programs are a more reliable indicator of a program’s media value.

Weekly primetime ranking: P18-49 among cable originals & broadcast
Moving 52-week median, smoothed. Preemptions excluded.

Ranking: Median weekly P18-49 primetime among cable originals & broadcast

Top 100 Primetime telecasts, sorted by P18-49: 7 days beginning Thu May 8, 2025 through Wed May 14, 2025

Data from Nielsen via Programming Insider

• 1.) 1.71 - NBA PLAYOFFS (Second Round Game 4: Boston Celtics at New York Knicks) | ESPN, Mon May 12

• 2.) 1.70 - NBA PLAYOFFS ON ABC (Second Round Game 3: Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden State Warriors) | ABC, Sat May 10

• 3.) 1.49 - NBA PLAYOFFS (Second Round Game 2: Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves) | TNT, Thu May 8

• 4.) 1.44 - NBA PLAYOFFS (Second Round Game 5: New York Knicks at Boston Celtics) | TNT, Wed May 14

• 5.) 1.21 - NBA PLAYOFFS (Second Round: Cavaliers/Pacers Gm4) | TNT, Sun May 11

• 6.) 1.18 - NBA PLAYOFFS (Conference Semifinals Game 3: Cleveland Cavaliers at Indiana Pacers) | ESPN, Fri May 9

• 7.) 1.05 - NBA PLAYOFFS (Second Round Game 5: Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers) | TNT, Tue May 13

• 8.) 0.83 - SURVIVOR | CBS, Wed May 14

• 9.) 0.62 - AMERICAN IDOL | ABC, Sun May 11

• 9.) 0.62 - SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (• 4.215 million viewers) | • 4.215 MILLION VIEWERS, Sat May 10

• 11.) 0.50 - TRACKER | CBS, Sun May 11

• 12.) 0.46 - NBA COUNTDOWN | ABC, Sat May 10

• 13.) 0.45 - NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS (Conference Semifinals Game 2: Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals) | ESPN, Thu May 8

• 14.) 0.43 - AMERICAN IDOL | ABC, Mon May 12

• 15.) 0.42 - LAW & ORDER: SVU | NBC, Thu May 8

• 16.) 0.41 - CHICAGO FIRE | NBC, Wed May 14

• 16.) 0.41 - WWE FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN (Backlash) | USA, Fri May 9

• 18.) 0.40 - 9-1-1 | ABC, Thu May 8

• 19.) 0.39 - BASEBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA (Chicago Cubs at New York Mets or San Francisco Giants at Minnesota Twins) | FOX, Sat May 10

• 20.) 0.38 - NBA PLAYOFFS (Pre-Game) | TNT, Thu May 8

• 21.) 0.37 - GHOSTS | CBS, Thu May 8

• 22.) 0.36 - GEORGIE & MANDY’S FIRST MARRIAGE | CBS, Thu May 8

• 23.) 0.35 - FBI | CBS, Tue May 13

• 23.) 0.35 - CHICAGO PD | NBC, Wed May 14

• 23.) 0.35 - NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS (Conference Semifinals Game 4: Winnipeg Jets at Dallas Stars) | ESPN, Tue May 13

• 26.) 0.34 - NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS (Conference Semifinals: Toronto/Florida Gm4) | TBS, Sun May 11

• 27.) 0.33 - WILL TRENT | ABC, Tue May 13

• 28.) 0.32 - CHICAGO MED | NBC, Wed May 14

• 28.) 0.32 - LAW & ORDER | NBC, Thu May 8

• 28.) 0.32 - NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS (Conference Semifinals Game 5: Florida Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs) | ESPN, Wed May 14

• 28.) 0.32 - NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS (Conference Semifinals Game 4: Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes) | TNT, Mon May 12

• 32.) 0.30 - ELSBETH | CBS, Thu May 8

• 33.) 0.29 - FBI: INTERNATIONAL | CBS, Tue May 13

• 33.) 0.29 - THE ROOKIE | ABC, Tue May 13

• 33.) 0.29 - THE AMAZING RACE | CBS, Wed May 14

• 33.) 0.29 - MLB SUNDAY NIGHT BASEBALL (Philadelphia Phillies at Cleveland Guardians) | ESPN, Sun May 11

• 37.) 0.28 - NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS (Conference Semifinals Game 3: Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers) | TNT, Fri May 9

• 38.) 0.26 - FBI: MOST WANTED | CBS, Tue May 13

• 38.) 0.26 - CELEBRITY WHEEL OF FORTUNE | ABC, Wed May 14

• 38.) 0.26 - NEXT LEVEL CHEF | FOX, Thu May 8

• 41.) 0.25 - SHARK TANK | ABC, Fri May 9

• 42.) 0.24 - WATSON | CBS, Sun May 11

• 42.) 0.24 - 20/20 (The American Pope: Leo XIV) | ABC, Fri May 9

• 42.) 0.24 - NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS (Conference Semifinals: Vegas/Edmonton Gm3) | TNT, Sat May 10

• 42.) 0.24 - UFC PPV PRELIMS | ESPN, Sat May 10

• 46.) 0.23 - THE PRICE IS RIGHT AT NIGHT | CBS, Mon May 12

• 46.) 0.23 - FOUND | NBC, Thu May 8

• 48.) 0.21 - THE VOICE | NBC, Tue May 13

• 48.) 0.21 - THE VOICE | NBC, Mon May 12

• 48.) 0.21 - GREY’S ANATOMY | ABC, Thu May 8

• 51.) 0.20 - THE VOICE | NBC, Tue May 13

• 51.) 0.20 - FAMILY GUY | FOX, Sun May 11

• 53.) 0.19 - GUTFELD! | FOX NEWS, Tue May 13

• 53.) 0.19 - DATELINE | NBC, Fri May 9

• 53.) 0.19 - JEOPARDY! MASTERS | ABC, Wed May 14

• 53.) 0.19 - DOCTOR ODYSSEY | ABC, Thu May 8

• 53.) 0.19 - THE $100000 PYRAMID | ABC, Sun May 11

• 58.) 0.18 - JESSE WATTERS PRIMETIME | FOX NEWS, Mon May 12

• 58.) 0.18 - GUTFELD! | FOX NEWS, Thu May 8

• 58.) 0.18 - HANNITY | FOX NEWS, Thu May 8

• 58.) 0.18 - NCIS | CBS, Mon May 12

• 58.) 0.18 - ELSBETH | CBS, Thu May 8

• 58.) 0.18 - FARMER WANTS A WIFE | FOX, Thu May 8

• 58.) 0.18 - 1000-LB. SISTERS | TLC, Tue May 13

• 65.) 0.17 - JESSE WATTERS PRIMETIME | FOX NEWS, Tue May 13

• 65.) 0.17 - GUTFELD! | FOX NEWS, Mon May 12

• 65.) 0.17 - 48 HOURS | CBS, Sat May 10

• 65.) 0.17 - THE SIMPSONS | FOX, Sun May 11

• 65.) 0.17 - AEW DYNAMITE | TBS, Wed May 14

• 65.) 0.17 - NBA PLAYOFFS (Second Round) | TRUTV, Tue May 13

• 71.) 0.16 - JESSE WATTERS PRIMETIME | FOX NEWS, Thu May 8

• 71.) 0.16 - HANNITY | FOX NEWS, Tue May 13

• 71.) 0.16 - SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE | NBC, Sat May 10

• 71.) 0.16 - REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA (1610 Meditation And Mediation) | BRAVO, Sun May 11

• 71.) 0.16 - NBA PLAYOFFS (Second Round) | TRUTV, Wed May 14

• 76.) 0.15 - JESSE WATTERS PRIMETIME | FOX NEWS, Wed May 14

• 76.) 0.15 - GUTFELD! | FOX NEWS, Wed May 14

• 76.) 0.15 - S.W.A.T. | CBS, Fri May 9

• 76.) 0.15 - JOAN RIVERS: A DEAD FUNNY ALL-STAR TRIBUTE | NBC, Tue May 13

• 76.) 0.15 - DATELINE | NBC, Sun May 11

• 76.) 0.15 - BAD ROMANCE | ABC, Fri May 9

• 76.) 0.15 - WWE NXT | CW, Tue May 13

• 76.) 0.15 - THE GREAT NORTH | FOX, Sun May 11

• 76.) 0.15 - KRAPOPOLIS | FOX, Sun May 11

• 76.) 0.15 - NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS | TRUTV, Sun May 11

• 86.) 0.14 - THE EQUALIZER | CBS, Sun May 11

• 86.) 0.14 - NCIS: ORIGINS | CBS, Mon May 12

• 86.) 0.14 - THE CURSE OF OAK ISLAND | HISTORY, Tue May 13

• 86.) 0.14 - AMERICA’S MOST WANTED | FOX, Mon May 12

• 86.) 0.14 - SISTER WIVES | TLC, Sun May 11

• 86.) 0.14 - THE LAST OF US (14: Episode 14) | HBO, Sun May 11

• 86.) 0.14 - NBA PLAYOFFS (Second Round) | TRUTV, Thu May 8

• 93.) 0.13 - HOLLYWOOD SQUARES | CBS, Fri May 9

• 93.) 0.13 - HANNITY | FOX NEWS, Mon May 12

• 93.) 0.13 - CELEBRITY JEOPARDY! | ABC, Wed May 14

• 93.) 0.13 - PARADISE | ABC, Mon May 12

• 93.) 0.13 - UFC PPV PRELIMS | ESPN2, Sat May 10

• 98.) 0.12 - FIRE COUNTRY | CBS, Fri May 9

• 98.) 0.12 - GROSSE POINTE GARDEN SOCIETY | NBC, Fri May 9

• 98.) 0.12 - YES CHEF | NBC, Mon May 12

TV ratings, year-over-year-comparisons

Annual averages through May 14 in each year

Total viewership (P2+), live+same-day viewership. Preemptions excluded.

Annual averages through May 14 in each year
P18-49, live+same-day viewership. Preemptions excluded.

Year-over-year: Total viewership (P2+), live+same-day
Preemptions are excluded. To account for potential seasonality, the latest data for the current year is compared only to data as of the same day of the prior year (rather than comparing the partial current year to the full prior year).

Year-over-year: P18-49, live+same-day

What's the rate of cord-cutting?

The pay TV universe was down about -5% year-over-year in Q3 (July to September 2024), at about 70,700,000 subscribers, down from about 74,600,000 the year prior.

How fast are cable customers cutting the cord? U.S. subscribers to pay TV by carrier.

*Estimate | **Partial estimate. Frontier reports residential subscribers but not commercial subscribers.

This is an estimate by me based on data reported by publicly-traded pay TV carriers (Charter, Comcast, Altice, Cable One, Cogeco, Dish, Verizon, Frontier, Hulu Live TV, Sling and Fubo), as well as estimates for carriers that don't publicly report customers. Notably, this estimate factors in an assumption that YouTube TV is an outlier as one of the few carriers with a growing customer base, and that the service is continuing to gain subscribers at a trajectory consistent with Google’s occasional disclosures about YouTube TV’s number of subscribers. I estimate that YouTube TV now has about 9.5 million subscribers, or 13% of the pay TV universe in the U.S.

Live event attendance

Data source: WrestleTix estimates of tickets distributed

Events this week

Estimated tickets distributed trends for WWE and AEW weekly live events

Note: All four charts have the same vertical axis bounds. Unlike the other three, Collision’s horizontal axis starts with its debut in June 2023. The other three start in July 2021 following the end of touring restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Market-to-market performance over time

WWE: "Was attendance higher or lower than the last time in this city (with the same event type)?"

AEW: "Was attendance higher or lower than the last time in this city (with the same event type)?"

Attendances this week >=500 in the Cagematch.net database

• Fri May 16: 11,883 - WWE Friday Night SmackDown (Greensboro, North Carolina, USA - Greensboro Coliseum)

• Mon May 19: 9,812 - WWE Monday Night RAW (Greenville, South Carolina, USA - Bon Secours Wellness Arena)

• Tue May 20: 5,000 - CMLL Martes De Glamour (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico - Arena Coliseo Guadalajara)

• Wed May 21: 3,120 - AEW Dynamite (Rio Rancho, New Mexico, USA - Rio Rancho Events Center)

• Sun May 18: 3,000 - Panther Promotion / CMLL (Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico - Arena Coliseo Reynosa)

• Sun May 18: 2,280 - AJPW Champion Carnival 2025 (Tokyo, Japan - Ota City General Gymnasium)

• Sat May 17: 1,857 - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior 32 (Tokyo, Japan - Yoyogi National Gymnasium #2)

• Sun May 18: 1,562 - NOAH Star Navigation 2025 (Tokyo, Japan - Korakuen Hall)

• Sun May 18: 1,231 - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior 32 (Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan - Esforta Arena Hachioji)

• Wed May 21: 1,176 - Stardom Nighter In Korakuen (Tokyo, Japan - Korakuen Hall)

• Thu May 22: 967 - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior 32 (Osaka, Japan - EDION Arena Osaka #2)

• Fri May 16: 915 - Dradition Soul Of Dragon (Tokyo, Japan - Korakuen Hall)

• Tue May 20: 842 - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior 32 (Takasaki, Gunma, Japan - G Messe Gunma)

• Sat May 17: 500 - Limitless Warzone (Westbrook, Maine, USA - Westbrook Armory)

High-performing YouTube highlights

These were selected from WWE and AEW's official YouTube channels, based on being in the top 10 percentile for the channel (WWE or AEW) or the show category (e.g., Raw, Dynamite, etc.) for the trailing 365 days, and having been published within the trailing seven days. Re-release archival matches and full show highlights were excluded (but not full segments).

World Wrestling Entertainment

John Cena vs. Randy Orton | Undisputed WWE Championship Match: Backlash 2025 highlights
Views: 3.065M

FULL SEGMENT: CM Punk, Sami Zayn and Jey Uso fight Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker: Raw, May 12, 2025
Views: 1.921M

John Cena shockingly assaults R-Truth at Backlash Post-Show: Backlash 2025 Post-Show highlights
Views: 884k

All Elite Wrestling

BEDLAM! Jon Moxley & Samoa Joe go to WAR in a STEEL CAGE! | AEW Dynamite, 5/14/25
Views: 713k

HE'S IN?! The Hurt Syndicate give MJF three thumbs up -- here's his reaction! | AEW Dynamite 5/14/25
Views: 397k

Merchandise

Items that have appeared most frequently in online shops' top sellers listings in the last 7 days.

WWEShop apparel items listed highly on 'Top Sellers' page

ShopAEW apparel items listed highly on 'Top Sellers' page