1998 Monday Night Main Event TV Ratings
Apr 14, 2023 1:21:18 GMT
Big Pete, Baker, and 3 more like this
Post by Kilgore on Apr 14, 2023 1:21:18 GMT
Was bored, checking out the quarter ratings breakdown of main event/overruns, which I find fascinating. 10-12 million wrestling fans, looking at what's happening in two main events and deciding which one suits their interests more. Almost nothing can be learned (except Goldberg in the summer of 1998 was hotter than anyone that's ever lived), but an interesting window into popular sensibilities of the time.
January 19, 1998
Steve Austin vs. Mike Tyson angle (4.7) unopposed
The Austin/Tyson angle was viewed in 3,381,000 homes. Combined viewership for Q9 was a new Monday Night War record with 6,347,000 homes watching (3,413,000 homes watching Hogan vs. Giant on Nitro & 2,934,000 homes watching a DX segment on Raw
January 26, 1998
Luger vs. Scott Hall (3.9) defeats Steve Austin interview (3.5)
February 2, 1998
Randy Savage vs. Sting (5.1) destroys Steve Austin vs. Billy Gunn (3)
Q7 set a new Monday night record with a combined 6,357,000 homes watching Scott Hall vs. Jim Neidhart and the Funk/Cactus angle
February 9, 1998
Hall/Nash vs. The Steiner Bros. (4.3) defeats DX/Steve Austin angle (3.4)
February 16, 1998
Hogan/Savage vs. Sting/Luger (5.5) unopposed
February 23, 1998
Sting vs. Scott Hall (5.1) destroys Owen Hart vs. Marc Mero (2.6)
March 2, 1998
Sting/Savage vs. Hogan/Hall (5.3) destroys Undertaker/Kane angle (3.6)
March 16, 1998
Hogan/Savage vs. Sting/Luger (6.6) unopposed
Nitro was first wrestling show on cable to average viewership of more than 4 million homes (4,083,000 homes). The main event was the most watched wrestling match in cable history, with a 10.7 share and 4,840,000 homes. Booker T vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr drew 4,587,000 homes, Diamond Dallas Page vs. Ron Reis drew 4,555,000 homes, and Chris Jericho vs. Juventud Guerrera drew 4,555,000 homes.
March 23, 1998
Austin vs. The Rock (4.2) defeats Savage vs. Piper (3.9)
April 6, 1998
Sting vs. Kevin Nash (5.8) destroys HHH/New Age Outlaws vs. DOA (3.3)
April 13, 1998
Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon (6.0) destroys Sting vs. Kevin Nash (4.3)
The Vince McMahon/Steve Austin (non)match set the new head-to-head record for most watched match, drawing a 6.0 rating, 10.2 share and 4,414,000 homes.
April 20, 1998
Hogan vs. Savage (6.53) destroys Dude Love vs. Steve Blackman (3.6)
The Hogan vs. Savage match drew a head-to-head record of a 6.53 rating, 10.7 share in 4,774,000 homes.
April 27, 1998
NBA Playoffs begin, no Nitro
Raw set new record for the most watched wrestling cable TV show in history with a 5.69 rating, 8.2 share and 4,188,000 homes. Q9 which drew a 6.06 rating, 8.6 share in 4,439,000 homes was the most watched Raw Quarter in history (New Age Outlaws vs. Skull & Eight Ball, The Undertaker vs. Barry Windham match).
No head-to-head ratings until June, NBA playoffs seem to help WWF turn the tide.
June 1, 1998
Undertaker vs. Kane (4.4) defeats Nash/Luger vs. Hogan/Giant (4.3)
June 8, 1998
McMahon Humanitarian of the Year ceremony (4.8) defeats DDP/Wolfpac angle (3.9)
June 15, 1998
Austin/Taker vs. Mankind/Kane (4.6) defeats Randy Savage vs. DDP (4.4)
June 22, 1998
Steve Austin promo (4.74) defeats The Giant vs. Kevin Greene (4.24)
June 29, 1998
Steve Austin vs. Kane (5.94) destroys Hogan/Bischoff vs. DDP/Karl Malone angle (3.99)
July 6, 1998
Goldberg vs. Hogan (6.91) destroys Taker vs. Mankind (3.84)
Hogan vs. Goldberg was viewed in 5,054,000 homes, with a 6.91 rating and 11.8 share, and over 7 million viewers, setting a new record audience for wrestling on cable. Combined viewership for Q12 was a 10.75 rating, 18.3 share, and 7,873,000 homes, which was a new combined quarter record.
July 13, 1998
Goldberg vs. Curt Hennig (5.41) defeats Kane/Mankind vs. New Age Outlaws (4.54)
July 20, 1998
Kane/Mankind vs. Steve Austin (5.99) destroys Bret Hart vs. DDP (3.97)
July 27, 1998
Austin/Taker vs. New Age Outalws (5.95) destroys Hogan vs. DDP (4.38)
The Nitro replay of the BATB main event (Hogan & Rodman vs. Page & Malone) in Q8 drew a 6.51 rating in 4,789,000 homes and a 10.2 share – becoming the second most watched pro-wrestling in cable history. Nitro won the head to head 2 hour period by a 4.799 to 4.783 margin. The combined audience for the head to head hours was a 9.58 rating, 15.6 share and 7,060,000 homes – a new Monday Night record.
August 3, 1998
Undertaker/Austin vs. The Rock/Owen (5.85) defeats The Giant/Scott Hall vs. Sting/Bret Hart (3.99)
August 10, 1998
Goldberg vs. Meng (5.89) defeats Austin/Taker vs. Kane/Mankind vs. The Rock/D-Lo vs. New Age Outlaws (5.22)
Absolutely insane that Goldberg vs. Meng defeated a Raw quarter with every over wrestler on the WWF roster
August 17, 1998
Goldberg vs. The Giant (6.34) defeats Austin/Taker/Kane angle (5.39)
The debut of The Warrior in Q8 drew a 6.41 rating in 4,712,000 homes against RAW’s 3.07 in 2,266,000 homes (Bart Gunn vs. Godfather, Gangrel debut).
August 24, 1998
Goldberg/Nash vs. Hogan/The Giant (7.4) defeats Austin/Taker angle (6.1)
The combined viewership of the 2 head to head hours set a new pro-wrestling record on cable with a combined record 9.72 rating, 14.9 share, a record 7,169,500 homes, and a record 10,610,500 viewers.
The Nitro main event (Hogan & Giant vs. Golberg & Nash) was the fourth most pro-wrestling match in cable history, with a 6.47 rating, 10.7 share and 4,757,000 homes.
A 90 second Nitro overrun drew a 7.4 rating, 12.8 share, and 5,449,000 homes. The 5 minute Raw overrun drew a 6.1 rating, 10.7 share, and 4,515,000 homes.
August 31, 1998
Sting & Lex Luger vs. Hulk Hogan & Bret Hart (6.21) unopposed
Set the record for most watched pro-wrestling show in the history of cable TV, with a 6.03 rating, 9.27 share, in 4,485,333 homes, with 6,723,000 viewers. Hours 2 and 3 of Nitro were the highest rated and viewed hours of a wrestling show in cable history. The 2nd hour was seen in 4,927,000 homes with a 9.6 share.
The Roddy Piper/DDP interview in Q8 was the most watched quarter-hour in Wrestling cable history drawing a 6.83 rating in 5,082,000 homes.
The High Voltage vs. Lodi & Saturn match in Q7 drew a 6.77 rating and was watched by 5,035,000 homes.
September 14, 1998
Goldberg vs. Sting (6.07) destroys Austin vs. Shamrock (4.06)
September 21, 1998
Nash/Luger vs. Giant/Stevie Ray (4.03) defeats The Rock vs. Mankind vs. Shamrock
September 28, 1998
Hogan vs. Bret (5.15) defeats The Rock/Mankind/Shamrock vs. Taker/Kane (4.28)
October 5, 1998
Bret Hat vs. Sting (5.44) defeats The Rock vs. Undertaker (4.49)
October 12, 1998
Sting/Warrior vs. Hogan/Hart (5.11) dfeats Austin/Rock vs. Taker/Kane (4.18)
October 19, 1998
Austin/McMahon hostage angle (6.25) defeats Bret Hart vs. Sting (5.02)
The combined overun was a 11.27 rating, 18.2 share, 8,408,000 homes and 12 million viewers – a new pro-wrestling record on Cable.
October 26, 1998
Austin vs. Shamrock (5.14) defeats DDP vs. Bret (4.33)
The Halloween Havoc 1998 main event between Goldberg and DDP aired in Q5 of Nitro and achieved a record 7.18 rating and 10.2 share. It was watched by 5,367,000 homes and 7,782,000 viewers, a new pro-wrestling record on cable TV.
November 2, 1998
Austin/Kane/Taker angle (6.1) destroys Lex Luger vs. The Giant (3.4)
November 9, 1998
The Rock vs. Mark Henry (5.53) destroys Nash/Luger vs. Hall/Giant (3.67)
November 16, 1998
Austin vs. The Rock (7.31) destroys Goldberg vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (2.74)
November 23, 1998
The Rock vs. X-Pac (5.3) defeats Goldberg vs. The Giant (4.32)
November 30, 1998
The Rock vs. X-Pac (5.1) defeats DDP vs. Bret Hart (4.1)
December 7, 1998
Austin/Mankind vs. The Rock/Taker (5.6) defeats Goldberg vs. Nash vs. Bigelow angle (3.7)
December 14, 1998
The Rock vs. HHH (5.01) defeats Goldberg vs. Nash vs. Bigelow match (4.86)
December 21, 1998
The Rock/Test vs. Triple H/X-Pac (5.80) destroys Goldberg vs. Hall (3.95)
December 28, 1998
Flair vs. Bischoff (6.15) defeats Shawn Michaels/Vince McMahon angle (5.55)
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Goldberg was destroying everything WWF had to offer during the summer, then doesn't appear in another main event until November. Make it make sense. The fact that he sets the wrestling cable record in between all this with the DDP Halloween Havoc replay just makes it worse. What the fuck were they doing? By December, they've pretty much killed him.
Love unopposed weeks where High Voltage, Lodi and Skull & 8 Ball are in some of the highest rated quarters of all time. The true needle movers of the Monday Night Wars.
Still can't get over Goldberg vs. Meng beating Austin/Taker vs. Kane/Mankind vs. The Rock/D-Lo vs. New Age Outlaws.
January 19, 1998
Steve Austin vs. Mike Tyson angle (4.7) unopposed
The Austin/Tyson angle was viewed in 3,381,000 homes. Combined viewership for Q9 was a new Monday Night War record with 6,347,000 homes watching (3,413,000 homes watching Hogan vs. Giant on Nitro & 2,934,000 homes watching a DX segment on Raw
January 26, 1998
Luger vs. Scott Hall (3.9) defeats Steve Austin interview (3.5)
February 2, 1998
Randy Savage vs. Sting (5.1) destroys Steve Austin vs. Billy Gunn (3)
Q7 set a new Monday night record with a combined 6,357,000 homes watching Scott Hall vs. Jim Neidhart and the Funk/Cactus angle
February 9, 1998
Hall/Nash vs. The Steiner Bros. (4.3) defeats DX/Steve Austin angle (3.4)
February 16, 1998
Hogan/Savage vs. Sting/Luger (5.5) unopposed
February 23, 1998
Sting vs. Scott Hall (5.1) destroys Owen Hart vs. Marc Mero (2.6)
March 2, 1998
Sting/Savage vs. Hogan/Hall (5.3) destroys Undertaker/Kane angle (3.6)
March 16, 1998
Hogan/Savage vs. Sting/Luger (6.6) unopposed
Nitro was first wrestling show on cable to average viewership of more than 4 million homes (4,083,000 homes). The main event was the most watched wrestling match in cable history, with a 10.7 share and 4,840,000 homes. Booker T vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr drew 4,587,000 homes, Diamond Dallas Page vs. Ron Reis drew 4,555,000 homes, and Chris Jericho vs. Juventud Guerrera drew 4,555,000 homes.
March 23, 1998
Austin vs. The Rock (4.2) defeats Savage vs. Piper (3.9)
April 6, 1998
Sting vs. Kevin Nash (5.8) destroys HHH/New Age Outlaws vs. DOA (3.3)
April 13, 1998
Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon (6.0) destroys Sting vs. Kevin Nash (4.3)
The Vince McMahon/Steve Austin (non)match set the new head-to-head record for most watched match, drawing a 6.0 rating, 10.2 share and 4,414,000 homes.
April 20, 1998
Hogan vs. Savage (6.53) destroys Dude Love vs. Steve Blackman (3.6)
The Hogan vs. Savage match drew a head-to-head record of a 6.53 rating, 10.7 share in 4,774,000 homes.
April 27, 1998
NBA Playoffs begin, no Nitro
Raw set new record for the most watched wrestling cable TV show in history with a 5.69 rating, 8.2 share and 4,188,000 homes. Q9 which drew a 6.06 rating, 8.6 share in 4,439,000 homes was the most watched Raw Quarter in history (New Age Outlaws vs. Skull & Eight Ball, The Undertaker vs. Barry Windham match).
No head-to-head ratings until June, NBA playoffs seem to help WWF turn the tide.
June 1, 1998
Undertaker vs. Kane (4.4) defeats Nash/Luger vs. Hogan/Giant (4.3)
June 8, 1998
McMahon Humanitarian of the Year ceremony (4.8) defeats DDP/Wolfpac angle (3.9)
June 15, 1998
Austin/Taker vs. Mankind/Kane (4.6) defeats Randy Savage vs. DDP (4.4)
June 22, 1998
Steve Austin promo (4.74) defeats The Giant vs. Kevin Greene (4.24)
June 29, 1998
Steve Austin vs. Kane (5.94) destroys Hogan/Bischoff vs. DDP/Karl Malone angle (3.99)
July 6, 1998
Goldberg vs. Hogan (6.91) destroys Taker vs. Mankind (3.84)
Hogan vs. Goldberg was viewed in 5,054,000 homes, with a 6.91 rating and 11.8 share, and over 7 million viewers, setting a new record audience for wrestling on cable. Combined viewership for Q12 was a 10.75 rating, 18.3 share, and 7,873,000 homes, which was a new combined quarter record.
July 13, 1998
Goldberg vs. Curt Hennig (5.41) defeats Kane/Mankind vs. New Age Outlaws (4.54)
July 20, 1998
Kane/Mankind vs. Steve Austin (5.99) destroys Bret Hart vs. DDP (3.97)
July 27, 1998
Austin/Taker vs. New Age Outalws (5.95) destroys Hogan vs. DDP (4.38)
The Nitro replay of the BATB main event (Hogan & Rodman vs. Page & Malone) in Q8 drew a 6.51 rating in 4,789,000 homes and a 10.2 share – becoming the second most watched pro-wrestling in cable history. Nitro won the head to head 2 hour period by a 4.799 to 4.783 margin. The combined audience for the head to head hours was a 9.58 rating, 15.6 share and 7,060,000 homes – a new Monday Night record.
August 3, 1998
Undertaker/Austin vs. The Rock/Owen (5.85) defeats The Giant/Scott Hall vs. Sting/Bret Hart (3.99)
August 10, 1998
Goldberg vs. Meng (5.89) defeats Austin/Taker vs. Kane/Mankind vs. The Rock/D-Lo vs. New Age Outlaws (5.22)
Absolutely insane that Goldberg vs. Meng defeated a Raw quarter with every over wrestler on the WWF roster
August 17, 1998
Goldberg vs. The Giant (6.34) defeats Austin/Taker/Kane angle (5.39)
The debut of The Warrior in Q8 drew a 6.41 rating in 4,712,000 homes against RAW’s 3.07 in 2,266,000 homes (Bart Gunn vs. Godfather, Gangrel debut).
August 24, 1998
Goldberg/Nash vs. Hogan/The Giant (7.4) defeats Austin/Taker angle (6.1)
The combined viewership of the 2 head to head hours set a new pro-wrestling record on cable with a combined record 9.72 rating, 14.9 share, a record 7,169,500 homes, and a record 10,610,500 viewers.
The Nitro main event (Hogan & Giant vs. Golberg & Nash) was the fourth most pro-wrestling match in cable history, with a 6.47 rating, 10.7 share and 4,757,000 homes.
A 90 second Nitro overrun drew a 7.4 rating, 12.8 share, and 5,449,000 homes. The 5 minute Raw overrun drew a 6.1 rating, 10.7 share, and 4,515,000 homes.
August 31, 1998
Sting & Lex Luger vs. Hulk Hogan & Bret Hart (6.21) unopposed
Set the record for most watched pro-wrestling show in the history of cable TV, with a 6.03 rating, 9.27 share, in 4,485,333 homes, with 6,723,000 viewers. Hours 2 and 3 of Nitro were the highest rated and viewed hours of a wrestling show in cable history. The 2nd hour was seen in 4,927,000 homes with a 9.6 share.
The Roddy Piper/DDP interview in Q8 was the most watched quarter-hour in Wrestling cable history drawing a 6.83 rating in 5,082,000 homes.
The High Voltage vs. Lodi & Saturn match in Q7 drew a 6.77 rating and was watched by 5,035,000 homes.
September 14, 1998
Goldberg vs. Sting (6.07) destroys Austin vs. Shamrock (4.06)
September 21, 1998
Nash/Luger vs. Giant/Stevie Ray (4.03) defeats The Rock vs. Mankind vs. Shamrock
September 28, 1998
Hogan vs. Bret (5.15) defeats The Rock/Mankind/Shamrock vs. Taker/Kane (4.28)
October 5, 1998
Bret Hat vs. Sting (5.44) defeats The Rock vs. Undertaker (4.49)
October 12, 1998
Sting/Warrior vs. Hogan/Hart (5.11) dfeats Austin/Rock vs. Taker/Kane (4.18)
October 19, 1998
Austin/McMahon hostage angle (6.25) defeats Bret Hart vs. Sting (5.02)
The combined overun was a 11.27 rating, 18.2 share, 8,408,000 homes and 12 million viewers – a new pro-wrestling record on Cable.
October 26, 1998
Austin vs. Shamrock (5.14) defeats DDP vs. Bret (4.33)
The Halloween Havoc 1998 main event between Goldberg and DDP aired in Q5 of Nitro and achieved a record 7.18 rating and 10.2 share. It was watched by 5,367,000 homes and 7,782,000 viewers, a new pro-wrestling record on cable TV.
November 2, 1998
Austin/Kane/Taker angle (6.1) destroys Lex Luger vs. The Giant (3.4)
November 9, 1998
The Rock vs. Mark Henry (5.53) destroys Nash/Luger vs. Hall/Giant (3.67)
November 16, 1998
Austin vs. The Rock (7.31) destroys Goldberg vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (2.74)
November 23, 1998
The Rock vs. X-Pac (5.3) defeats Goldberg vs. The Giant (4.32)
November 30, 1998
The Rock vs. X-Pac (5.1) defeats DDP vs. Bret Hart (4.1)
December 7, 1998
Austin/Mankind vs. The Rock/Taker (5.6) defeats Goldberg vs. Nash vs. Bigelow angle (3.7)
December 14, 1998
The Rock vs. HHH (5.01) defeats Goldberg vs. Nash vs. Bigelow match (4.86)
December 21, 1998
The Rock/Test vs. Triple H/X-Pac (5.80) destroys Goldberg vs. Hall (3.95)
December 28, 1998
Flair vs. Bischoff (6.15) defeats Shawn Michaels/Vince McMahon angle (5.55)
---
Goldberg was destroying everything WWF had to offer during the summer, then doesn't appear in another main event until November. Make it make sense. The fact that he sets the wrestling cable record in between all this with the DDP Halloween Havoc replay just makes it worse. What the fuck were they doing? By December, they've pretty much killed him.
Love unopposed weeks where High Voltage, Lodi and Skull & 8 Ball are in some of the highest rated quarters of all time. The true needle movers of the Monday Night Wars.
Still can't get over Goldberg vs. Meng beating Austin/Taker vs. Kane/Mankind vs. The Rock/D-Lo vs. New Age Outlaws.
