AEW Dynamite Ratings Report For 10/29/25: World Series Dominates Wednesday Night TV
AEW Dynamite faced its toughest opponent yet this past Wednesday night — not another wrestling show, but the MLB World Series, and the numbers reflected just how steep the competition was.
According to Nielsen, AEW Dynamite averaged 459,000 total viewers on TBS, down 3.8% from last week, marking the lowest Wednesday night audience in the show’s history.
The episode drew a 0.08 rating in the key 18–49 demographic, tying last week’s figure and setting another record low for a Wednesday broadcast. The only lower-rated episode occurred during last year’s rare Tuesday head-to-head with WWE NXT, which pulled a 0.07.
⚾ Head-to-Head with the World Series
The drop isn’t entirely surprising. Dynamite went head-to-head with Game 5 of the MLB World Series, which dominated television with 14.6 million viewers and a massive 3.02 rating in the 18–49 demo on FOX.
Despite the competition, AEW Dynamite still managed to rank seventh on all of cable for the night — an impressive feat considering it also went up against the NBA on ESPN, which averaged 1.28 million viewers and a 0.38 rating in the same demo.
Year-Over-Year & New Ratings System Impact
Compared to the same week in 2024, under Nielsen’s older measurement model, AEW’s viewership is down 26.9%, while the 18–49 demo has dropped 57.9%.
However, it’s important to note that these figures do not include AEW’s streaming audience via HBO Max, which Nielsen currently does not track in its linear TV numbers. Additionally, Nielsen’s switch to the new Big Data + Panel hybrid system this year has had a negative impact across most pro wrestling shows, lowering reported numbers despite stable overall audience interest.
Over the past 11 weeks, Dynamite’s numbers have fluctuated between 459,000 and 815,000, averaging closer to 530,000 viewers before this latest dip — meaning this week’s show was down roughly 13.5% from its recent average and 33% in the 18–49 demo.
🗣️ Wrestling.news | Backstage Take
AEW was always going to take a hit against the World Series, that’s the nature of prime-time competition — but this week’s record low highlights the company’s ongoing struggle to rebuild consistent viewership on Wednesdays.
The move to feature crossover matches, international partnerships, and multi-brand storytelling may be paying dividends for hardcore fans, but casual viewers seem less hooked than in the show’s early years.
Still, the fact that Dynamite held a top-10 spot on cable despite historic competition is a reminder: AEW’s fanbase may be smaller right now, but it’s fiercely loyal. The real test will come next week when baseball’s done and the spotlight returns to the squared circle.
