An interesting trend among WWE’s viewers has been noticed this year.
The promotion’s TV audience are getting younger on average. The trend coincides with AEW’s audience getting older. Interestingly, until recently, AEW typically had a younger general audience than their competitors.
According to a recent study from Wrestlenomics, back in late 2021, prior to the numerous scandals that came out about Vince McMahon in 2022, AEW Rampage had the youngest viewing audience. The average age was 47. As 2022 wore on, though, the average age moved up to 53 which was also the norm for WWE RAW at the time.
Since Survivor Series last year, WWE SmackDown’s average audience age has started to lower from the mid-50s. The PLE was headlined by The Bloodline’s War Games victory over The Brawling Brutes, Drew McIntyre, and Kevin Owens. A key plotline in the match was Sami Zayn’s standing within The Bloodline.
Sami Zayn A Ratings Mover For WWE
In the 900+ days since he won the Universal Championship at Payback 2020, Roman Reigns finally took the, well, reigns of the company. His ‘Tribal Chief’ heel persona and heated feuds with the likes of Jey Uso, Edge, Brock Lesnar, and Drew McIntyre over the years have made him the top star he was long expected to become.
In Sami Zayn, it appears ‘The Head of the Table’ has found an unexpected box office draw to lock horns with. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer, Zayn’s booking is up in the air right now due to his proven drawing power in recent months.
The Bloodline’s angle with Sami Zayn has been at the forefront of WWE’s programming for some time now. It’s safe to say the shifts in audience numbers and age range are thanks predominantly to those involved in the storyline.
The long term plan for this year’s WrestleMania is seemingly still Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. That being said, it’s clear that the WWE have stumbled across another surprise potential top star in Sami Zayn as well as possibly Jey Uso, whose character work in The Bloodline has been met with universal acclaim.
Do you think Sami Zayn will continue to be a ratings mover for WWE past his Elimination Chamber showdown with Roman Reigns?
