Last week, AEW Dynamite experienced a significant drop in viewership and ratings due to the introduction of a new Nielsen TV ratings measurement system known as the “Big Data + Panel” method, which has been met with controversy and debate.
Dave Meltzer discussed on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio that this new Nielsen system will eventually incorporate HBO Max viewership data into AEW’s programming metrics sometime next year.
He noted that while including HBO Max viewership under this new ratings system might improve AEW’s appearance in the ratings, the overall decline in ratings across the board for all professional wrestling, particularly for WWE and AEW, is a concerning sign for the industry. Meltzer also pointed out that it is unusual for Nielsen to measure professional wrestling differently from other sports, although there are several factors to consider.
In January, AEW began simulcasting its main programming on Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platform, HBO Max. However, Warner Bros. Discovery has not released any viewership numbers for Dynamite and Collision on the platform.
Earlier in March, BJ Bethel of SEScoops reported that Dynamite had been averaging 500,000 viewers on HBO Max since its debut on the platform in January 2025. Recently, WBD confirmed to WrestleNomics that the new Nielsen TV ratings system for AEW programming does not include any viewership from HBO Max streaming.
