The strong unopposed number for WWE NXT has many people wondering if it would be better for the brand if it aired on Tuesday nights. It’s clear that they take a hit by going up against AEW Dynamite and a move to Tuesday will give them a better opportunity to grow their fanbase.
Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that there was an internal discussion a few months ago weighing the pros and cons of asking USA to move the show.
Meltzer noted that Vince McMahon decided against it at the time because he felt that it would give the impression that they were backing away from the fight with AEW. Another issue is that leaving Wednesday night would only help AEW gain more viewers and they would do numbers in key demos that would be close to Raw and SmackDown.
Remember, the numbers for AEW are important for several reasons. The numbers are what helped them get their new TNT deal in January. When it comes time for networks to bid on wrestling in a couple of years, they may look at AEW’s numbers and see that they can get them for less money with similar key demo numbers. For that reason, WWE doesn’t want AEW to grow too much.
Meltzer noted that the internal discussion in WWE was before AEW started winning for weeks among women 18-34 and the week AEW won the 18-34 overall even with opposition.
WrestleVotes reported this week that talks regarding NXT moving are ongoing but there is no decision imminent. The next couple of weeks could have an impact on the decision to move the show.
