AEW Dynamite Beats WWE NXT Amid Coronavirus-Related Cancellation

AEW Dynamite continued its dominance over WWE NXT amid increasing concerns of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic that has affected all wrestling promotions, including next week's now-cancelled broadcast of Dynamite from Rochester, N.Y.

The AEW cancellation comes amid New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announcing a ban on public gatherings of over 500 people within the state.

Dynamite drew an average viewership of 766,000, down 15% from 906,000 last week. Dynamite came in at No. 25 in the Top 150 original cable telecasts among the 18-49 demographic. NXT placed 42nd in the 18-49 demo, garnering 697,000 viewers, down 3% from 718,000 last week.

AEW Dynamite vs. WWE NXT: Wednesday, March 11, 2020

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• AEW Dynamite Total Viewership-766,000
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• AEW Dynamite Rating in 18-49 Demo-.26, No. 25
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• WWE NXT Total Viewership-697,000
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• WWE NXT Rating in 18-49 Demo-.21, No. 42

WWE NXT aired Wednesday night from the Performance Center due to a prior commitment within Full Sail University. The WWE PC could become a popular location for WWE live events as it has already been identified as a possible backup location should future live events-like Friday's SmackDown from Detroit, Mich.-get cancelled, though WWE denied a recent report of a relocation this week.

AEW President Tony Khan recently spoke with talent about the coronavirus as well, reportedly ensuring them that they are under no pressure to work as the rapidly evolving virus persists. AEW has announced upcoming broadcasts advertising the identity of The Exalted One (though that aforementioned broadcast has since been cancelled) in addition to the March 25 Blood and Guts television special.

Much like AEW (which is based in Jacksonville), WWE NXT is based out of Florida, which has been among the states more prone to the pandemic with 29 cases including two deaths as of this writing. Currently, Florida has reported the seventh-highest number of cases and is one of only six states to report at least one death. Florida Governor declared a state of emergency within Florida earlier this month.

Ironically, AEW Dynamite is a traveling entity while WWE NXT runs out of Florida each week, yet it was AEW that became the first promotion among the two to cancel a show.

Still, WWE's Wednesday night showcase figures to deal with the same day-to-day fluidity as WrestleMania 36, currently scheduled for April 5 in Tampa, Fla. City officials met Thursday to discuss the fate of all major events coming to the area. The latest update came from Hillsborough County Commissioner Les Miller, who confirmed WrestleMania will move forward as planned for now.

For now, both AEW Dynamite and WWE NXT have advertised segments and matches for future broadcasts.

At this point, with the NBA, NHL and MLS all suspending operations, it's anybody's guess as to whether or not they happen.

Upcoming AEW Dynamite Debuts, Matches and Segments

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• The rumored debut of Brodie Lee (fka Luke Harper)
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• The rumored debut of Matt Hardy
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• The reveal of The Exalted One*
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• The Lucha Bros (with PAC) vs. The Best Friends (with Orange Cassidy)*
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• The Inner Circle vs. The Elite-Six-Man Tag to determine which team gets the advantage in Blood and Guts*

Upcoming WWE NXT Debuts, Matches and Segments

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• Payoff to "The End is Near" Vignettes
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• Adam Cole's Championship Celebration+
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• Mercedes Martinez vs. Candice LeRae-Winner qualifies for six-woman Ladder Match at NXT TakeOver: Tampa Bay+