TNA News: Impact Wrestling ratings for Thursday's show, comparisons to TUF premiere

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By THE Wrestling Times -Without as much buzz as last week's show featuring Ric Flair vs. Sting, the TNA Impact Wrestling episode on Thursday, September 22 scored a 1.08 rating, down from last week's 1.20 rating.

Impact averaged 1.52 million viewers, down from an average of 1.64 million viewers last week. Impact has averaged 1.63 million viewers through the first 38 weeks of the year.

Impact peaked in the first quarter-hour with a 1.16 rating and the show finished with a 1.08 rating in the eighth quarter-hour. (We'll have a more detailed quarter-hour ratings report on Saturday.)

On cable TV Thursday night, Impact ranked #23 overall, #16 among males 18-34, and #9 among males 18-49. The overall demographic ratings were in the usual Impact range, except for male teens, which scored its lowest rating of the year in m12-17.

Also, Impact scored the exact same overall rating as the Ultimate Fighter premiere Wednesday night on Spike TV. However, the demographics were vastly different. The following is a comparison of the U.S. household ratings in key demos:

-- Males 18-49: TUF 1.27 vs. Impact 0.80
-- Males 18-34: TUF 1.48 vs. Impact 0.69
-- Males 12-34: TUF 1.24 vs. Impact 0.64
-- Adults 18-49: TUF 0.85 vs. Impact 0.53
-- Adults 18-34: TUF 0.99 vs. Impact 0.51

Where TNA appears to be drawing the majority of their audience from is the post-49-year-old crowd, which is a demographic main TV broadcasters and networks aren't concerned about. Other shows that have found some measure of success on Spike TV have helped broaden out Spike's audience as part of Spike's re-branding.

However, Impact continues to draw similar ratings they've drawn throughout their history on Spike. TNA's bargaining chip is they draw a consistent audience and it's a guaranteed audience for 52 weeks out of the year, but the more lucrative ad rates, sponsorship opportunities, and general prestige will follow the programs with the broader audience profile.