Source: IWHeadlines.com
NOTE: We added more data to the recent viewership estimates for the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. The report below gives a fuller viewership estimate of how many people are watching iMPACT Wrestling on Challenge TV.
Recent viewership estimates for iMPACT Wrestling on Challenge TV in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland are now available. The estimates show that the flagship show for TNA continues to be the most watched professional wrestling program in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland television market.
The episode of iMPACT Wrestling that aired on Sunday, February 5, 2012 was estimated to have approximately 278,000 viewers. An additional 43,000 viewers watched the show an hour later on Challenge TV +1 bringing the total audience to 321,000 estimated viewers. This estimated viewership figure shatters the previous record of 297,000 estimated viewers for the episode that aired on August 2, 2011. The 321,000 figure also represents an increase of about 42,000 viewers over last week’s episode, which brought in an estimated 279,000 viewers.
By comparison, the live airing of WWE’s Monday Night RAW on Monday, January 30, 2012 was estimated to have approximately 185,000 viewers, which is a very strong number for this market.
When reviewing these numbers, please note that WWE opted to negotiate a television deal with the Sky Sports suite of channels which means that their programming is on a package that must be paid for by the viewer. When iMPACT Wrestling negotiated their television contract in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, they opted to go with a free channel that viewers do not have to pay for as a part of their cable package. WWE’s choice to place their programming on a paid channel versus iMPACT Wrestling’s choice to place their programming on a free channel likely has an affect on the number of viewers watching each of the promotions’ television shows.
Also worth noting is that WWE has much more programming in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland than TNA. Their programming includes a live airing of RAW, a repeat of RAW, a live airing of Smackdown!, a repeat of Smackdown!, NXT, a show called Experience, another show called Bottom Line, a show called Vintage Collection, a show called Afterburn, and live airings of pay-per-views. With all of these programs airing throughout the week some observers could reasonably suggest that the WWE product is overexposed in this market. However, iMPACT Wrestling is still the most watched professional wrestling program in the United Kingdom over the last 10 years – a phenomenal accomplishment for the younger, smaller promotion.
Interested in learning more about how iMPACT Wrestling’s historical ratings and viewership numbers? If so, then check out IWHeadlines.com’s Ratings War area. In the Ratings War area you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling vs. Monday Night RAW from the spring of 2010 and iMPACT Wrestling vs. Superstars from all of 2010 and the first part of 2011. Also, you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling’s viewership numbers from week-to-week (from this side of the pond) in 2011 and the beginning of the ratings and viewership tracking information for 2012. Enjoy!
This is an absolutely phenomenal showing for iMPACT Wrestling in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland television market. If these numbers and the electric audience from Wembley Arena don’t prove that TNA needs to tape its show from across the pond more often, I don’t know what will.
Good job to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland fans out there. You absolutely showed those of us in the states who’s boss when it comes to supporting the product that you enjoy watching.
I remember a time when the WWE ran PPVs two times a year in the UK, and since 2003 they cut down to just taping shows there.
And I agree 100%, if this doesn’t show how much Impact NEEDS to be taped on the road (especially in the UK) I don’t know what will.
If this was true why isn’t challenge and TNA boasting about it??
That is an excellent, excellent point, John. The numbers reported here are directly from BARB so they are as legit as legit gets. If I were either TNA or Challenge I’d be going nuts over these viewership numbers!