According to wrestling veteran Vince Russo, there is a major red flag in WWE right now involving TKO, declining ratings, and an overall stunning downturn that has been taking place.
On the latest episode of *Writing with Russo*, host Dr. Chris Featherstone posed a loaded question to Vince Russo. He asked what TKO executives like Mark Shapiro might say about the falling ratings of both *RAW* and *SmackDown*—an indicator for many that WWE’s big boom period in recent years is finally starting to slow down.
Vince Russo responded by saying that WWE’s current search for more creative figures is laughable, as it signals less internal confidence in the product compared to the past few years. He further explained that it becomes a major red flag if WWE’s ratings fall below 1.3 million viewers—something they are now on the cusp of reaching.
> “They’re reporting that they’re [WWE] now looking for more creative people in order to make the product more enjoyable. So let me get this straight, you know we’re not enjoying the product, and you were just going to continue to let this go? Those Nielsen numbers in the last two weeks are an eye-opener. I swear, I kept saying to myself maybe it’ll be a red flag if they go under a million. I was saying that, never thinking they’d go under a million, because they were consistently at 1.3. But they’re right there.”
> — *Vince Russo, Writing with Russo* (Credit: Sportskeeda Wrestling)
You can watch the full episode of *Writing with Russo* below:
[Embed episode of Writing with Russo]
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### Recent WWE Ratings Report on Netflix
Around the end of September, WWE appeared to cap off what was their worst month ratings-wise since joining Netflix. Around September 10th, it was reported that *RAW* viewership declined to 2.4 million viewers.
Meanwhile, *SmackDown* has been hovering just above the 1 million viewer mark for some time. By the end of September, *SmackDown*’s global weekly views dropped further to 2.3 million, marking a 61% decline since its big premiere in January. Netflix’s report also noted an additional 4.5 million global hours viewed.
While consistently reaching over 2 million viewers is not necessarily unimpressive—thanks in large part to WWE’s vast global fanbase that helps balance viewership—the issue now is that maintaining only 2.3 to 2.5 million viewers regularly may no longer be sufficient.
WWE pays a hefty premium for the broadcasting rights of Monday Night *RAW*—a staggering $500 million per year, which breaks down to $9.61 million per episode. Russo commented on how even Netflix-produced shows don’t generally cost that much to produce, highlighting where concerns about the product’s value might begin.
Ultimately, TKO secured the deal they negotiated, and it’s worth noting that by 2035, the entire wrestling landscape is likely to be very different. Time will tell how broadcasting rights fees evolve by then.
For the time being, however, WWE’s Netflix broadcast deal alongside its partnership with Saudi Arabia will act as strong financial cushions should any challenges arise.
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*Content credit: Sportskeeda Wrestling*
https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/news-huge-red-flag-wwe-reports-stunning-decline-says-veteran-vince-russo-exclusive
