Triple H Admits WWE NXT Needs To Do More To Attract Younger Fans
The WWE COO speaks...
Since the Wednesday Night Wars began on October 2, 2019, AEW: Dynamite and WWE NXT have gone head to head on a weekly basis. Apart from a brief spell in the build-up to Survivor Series, AEW has remained on top, winning in every demographic except over 50s, where NXT has been dominant.
During a media call ahead of NXT TakeOver: Portland, Triple H was asked about how NXT planned to close the gap to Dynamite, in which he admitted that the black and gold brand needs to do more to attract younger viewers. The Game acknowledged one of NXT's problems is that they are on the USA network, which intrinsically links them to Monday Night Raw, an issue they did not experience when NXT was broadcast on the WWE Network.
Triple H said: "I think it's all about the long game and what we have to do is get to the people in the younger demos. When you're promoted in younger demos and you're viewed in those younger demos, promotionally, then those are the people that you attract... When you look at NXT on USA and you break down the numbers, it's very similar to a RAW number, it's very similar to a USA number, because that's where we're promoted, and that's where we're seen, and that's where everything else goes. But the long game is building up the brand that you've built."
WWE's COO did add that he is confident NXT can turn the ratings around and attract younger viewers to their product in the long run.
The Cerebral Assasin added: "So again, when I say it's for the long game, that's what it's for. Now, as you establish that brand, now you begin to promote it outside, now you begin to move outside those things. We'll get those numbers and the demos where they need to be. I'm happy with where the show is, I'm happy with its trajectory right now, and you know, the plans are in place to continue to move it in the direction that we want it to go."
During a media call ahead of NXT TakeOver: Portland, Triple H was asked about how NXT planned to close the gap to Dynamite, in which he admitted that the black and gold brand needs to do more to attract younger viewers. The Game acknowledged one of NXT's problems is that they are on the USA network, which intrinsically links them to Monday Night Raw, an issue they did not experience when NXT was broadcast on the WWE Network.
Triple H said: "I think it's all about the long game and what we have to do is get to the people in the younger demos. When you're promoted in younger demos and you're viewed in those younger demos, promotionally, then those are the people that you attract... When you look at NXT on USA and you break down the numbers, it's very similar to a RAW number, it's very similar to a USA number, because that's where we're promoted, and that's where we're seen, and that's where everything else goes. But the long game is building up the brand that you've built."
WWE's COO did add that he is confident NXT can turn the ratings around and attract younger viewers to their product in the long run.
The Cerebral Assasin added: "So again, when I say it's for the long game, that's what it's for. Now, as you establish that brand, now you begin to promote it outside, now you begin to move outside those things. We'll get those numbers and the demos where they need to be. I'm happy with where the show is, I'm happy with its trajectory right now, and you know, the plans are in place to continue to move it in the direction that we want it to go."
Written by Aidan Gibbons
Editor-in-Chief of Cultaholic.com Twitter: @theaidangibbons
