A new report has lifted the lid on the reaction within USA Network to the numerous changes in recent WWE programming.
Following the retirement of Vince McMahon WWE has undergone numerous changes, both in terms of management and on television.
While Stephanie McMahon is now Chairwoman and co-CEO alongside Nick Khan, Triple H has assumed creative control of the company.
As a result numerous once released Superstars have returned and the WWE’s output feels vastly different to how it did just a few months ago. The first episode of Monday Night Raw in the “Triple H era” pulled in 2.2 million viewers which was a huge increase on the average for the year.
While the numbers have since dipped slightly, the most recent edition of the show drew 2,107,000 viewers.
A new report from Fightful Select has given an insight into how the changes have been received within USA Network who broadcast Raw.
One long-time employee who has worked on the WWE project explained that the figures were more in-line with what was expected when they extended their deal with the company. However, they did concede that the pandemic changed “everything.” It was never imagined that Raw would be drawing less than two million viewers on consistent basis, which it had been throughout 2022.
A source within Universal said that they hadn’t been expecting the changes to be so drastic, but the new-found buzz around the show “can’t be argued with.”
When asked about the content of the show, a USA Network source said that it felt more natural and had become “appointment viewing.” This has led to more talk about the show within the company than there had been previously.
A long-time USA Network employee added that many were happy to see the creative changes made by Triple H. WWE are now said to be in a strong position when it comes time to renew their current TV deal.