WWE News: Impact Wrestling viewership takes huge hit opposite WWE show
What’s the story?
This week’s Impact Wrestling episode reportedly took a huge hit going head-to-head with WWE’s Tribute To The Troops event.
The Impact Wrestling episode drew only 161,000 viewers. On the other hand, WWE Tribute to the Troops was watched by 1.401 million people. The Impact Wrestling episode around the same date one year ago drew significantly more viewers as compared to this week’s show.
In case you didn’t know…
Impact Wrestling went through a highly-publicized change of ownership as longtime owner Dixie Carter sold off the company to Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
The promotion has been facing considerable financial issues as of late, and despite being backed by parent company Anthem, Impact Wrestling is struggling on both the ratings front as well as with the departure of several big-name talents.
The heart of the matter
This year’s WWE Tribute To The Troops event aired on December 14th on the USA Network and went head-on against Impact Wrestling’s weekly episode -- both airing on 8/7pm central -- WWE’s TTTT on the USA Network while Impact aired on Pop TV.
While Tribute To The Troops received a viewership of 1.401 million, this week’s episode of Impact Wrestling, which aired on the same date, garnered only 161,000 viewers.
Furthermore, one ought to note that the Impact Wrestling episode which aired one-year ago --December 15th, 2016 -- (Total Nonstop Deletion) did 329,000 viewers. Last year’s episode featured the Broken Hardys competing for Impact with a gimmick which was wildly popular in 2016.
What’s next?
Impact Wrestling will close out the show with ‘Best of Impact Wrestling’-- a 2-part series which will air on December 21st and 28th respectively on the usual 8/7pm central time-slot on Pop TV and highlight the best segments that transpired in Impact Wrestling over the 2017 calendar year.
Author’s take
Impact Wrestling has fallen upon hard times as of late, while the WWE continues to increase its dominance in the world of sports-entertainment globally.
WWE Tribute To The Troops 2017 was a great event, and as for Impact Wrestling, they really need to step up and deliver on their promise to usher in a new era for TNA fans. Bring back the TNA glory days, Anthem. You folks have several talented stars on your roster.
All Anthem needs to do is believe in its top stars such as Eli Drake and Johnny Impact and accord them complete creative freedom to let them perform to their full potential.
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