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The revamped WWE developmental brand, NXT 2.0, has not received the response the company would have hoped for, as sources stated that backstage officials are disappointed with the brand's progress.
The former black-and-gold brand was revamped back in September last year, with unheard-of names making their way, a more colorful and vibrant color scheme, and a completely different direction.
However, the change did not sit well with the wrestling community, with the show constantly drawing low numbers in ratings. According to WrestleVotes on Twitter, based on the first four months of NXT 2.0, the company is internally disappointed, as higher-ups were expecting better viewership numbers. The report also notes that the same source stated that WWE officials were hoping that the new stars would appeal to the fans more than they have.
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"Internally WWE is said to be disappointed w/ NXT 2.0 in its first 4 months. Source said they thought more fans would gravitate towards the newer stars quicker than they have. Could it just be too much, too fast? Either way I don’t expect any changes to the concept… just yet," WrestleVotes tweeted.
WWE NXT 2.0 viewership saw a huge drop this week
NXT's viewership and ratings on USA Network have been on a downward spiral for some time now with occasional bumps on special events such as New Year's Evil.
According to Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics, 587,000 viewers watched the show on Tuesday, and the program drew a 0.11 rating (approximately 149,000 viewers) in the all-important 18 to 49 demographic.
The numbers were much lower than the last week’s show, which drew 647,000 viewers and scored a 0.14 rating (180,000 viewers) in the same demographic. The previous NXT 2.0 also experienced a drop in viewership in the latest sign of the show's consistent struggles.
Tuesday’s NXT ratings were the third-lowest since the NXT 2.0 re-branding. The episode was tied with three other episodes for the lowest key demo rating on the USA Network.
WWE's history of pushing larger-than-life individuals to the top has worked for the company so far and has made them the wrestling juggernaut they are today. However, the change has not worked for its third brand. This departure from the brand's previous prioritization of renowned indie wrestlers has thrown many fans off, and many viewers preferred the brand's prior style. Time will tell whether the new era of NXT is ultimately successful moving forward.
What are your thoughts on NXT 2.0? Which version of NXT is better in your eyes? Sound off in the comments!
