Vince McMahon wanted NXT to target younger viewers.
While TV shows want a high number of viewers for their audience in general, the 18-49 demographic is just as important, if not more than overall viewers. This is because advertisers want to target this age range the most as they are the most likely to purchase what is being sold to them.
NXT has had a turbulent relationship with TV audiences since moving from the WWE Network to a live broadcast, which was only amplified during the Wednesday Night Wars when the WWE brand went head to head with AEW Dynamite. During the 2.0 era of the third brand, reports surfaced that the average age that watched the show was 60 years old, with younger viewers more interested in what was happening in All Elite Wrestling.
While appearing on the media call ahead of No Mercy, Michaels discussed the success in ratings that NXT has seen and revealed that McMahon was the one who told him to focus on the key demographics:
Obviously, we’re always thrilled when they go up. And that’s the thing right now we have been trending up trending up, you know, certainly in those demographics that everybody speaks of. Up significantly, you know, we’re talking 26% in 18 to 49, and probably 61% in 18 to 34, which again, when I first took over, when I had to step in for Hunter, and then eventually, to go over here in NXT. The conversation I had with Vince is him wanting me to focus on that 18 to 34.
Michaels continued, stating that the launch of AEW had nothing to do with wanting to focus on younger viewers:
I will say this, despite other stories that have been out, it was never being compared to anybody else. It was just him wanting us to focus on the 18 to 34 because he wanted us to have a younger demographic. And that’s the one that has grown significantly, you know, in these last few years. So we’re very proud of that.
When Will Vince McMahon Retire From WWE?
The impossible looked to have happened in July 2022 when McMahon announced that it was time for him to retire from WWE. The time away would last approximately 6 months as the chairman returned to power in early 2023 to oversee the sale of the company. Eric Bischoff has worked very closely with McMahon for a number of years and believes that Vince McMahon does not want to step away.
Also on the call, Shawn Michaels was asked if he had any interest in CM Punk joining NXT.
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