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AEW Tailgate Brawl Sees 21.7% Viewership Drop

9/25/2025

39 7 Full Breakdown

Summary

AEW Viewership Decline

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Tailgate Brawl on September 23, 2025, drew 184,000 viewers, a 21.7% drop.
Its 18-49 rating was 0.04, the second-lowest in show history.
Competition from college football and an earlier time slot, with HBO Max streaming unavailable, drove the drop.
The episode featured an 8-Woman Tornado Tag Team Match as a pre-show for All Out 2025.

Summary

AEW Hosts Tailgate Brawl

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) will host the Saturday Tailgate Brawl on October 18, 2025, before the WrestleDream pay-per-view.
WrestleDream airs live at 8 p.m. ET, with a 7 p.m. pre-show.
October 1 marks 6-Year Anniversary of AEW Dynamite, and October 7 hosts Title Tuesday.
October 24 presents a 2021 throwback; HBO Max will add series and live sports.

History

Historical Context

The launch of WWE's Monday Night Raw in 1993 transformed professional wrestling, establishing a competitive landscape that often saw viewership exceed 5 million. Today, AEW faces similar challenges, experiencing a 21.7% drop in viewership due to competition from college football. This ongoing rivalry highlights the industry's evolution and the necessity for strategic programming to engage audiences in a crowded entertainment market.

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AEW Viewership Decline

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Tailgate Brawl on September 23, 2025, drew 184,000 viewers, a 21.7% drop.
Its 18-49 rating was 0.04, the second-lowest in show history.
Competition from college football and an earlier time slot, with HBO Max streaming unavailable, drove the drop.
The episode featured an 8-Woman Tornado Tag Team Match as a pre-show for All Out 2025.

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