Detailed quarter-hour ratings report for last Thursday's Impact [5/26] - How did the RVD vs. Angle match fare?

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TNA Impact Wrestling on Thursay, May 26 officially scored a 1.20 rating. The first hour scored a 1.12 rating before the second hour jumped to a 1.28 rating.

The second hour was boosted by a 1.49 rating in the fifth quarter-hour for Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Mick Foley, and the X Division. It was the second-highest-rated quarter-hour of the year.

In the final 45 minutes of the show, Impact dropped off to a 1.23, 1.18, and 1.20 rating for the heavily-promoted Angle vs. RVD main event, which was right at the show's overall average.

The quarter-hour ratings pattern for the show was a steady climb during the first hour, a 19.0 percent surge at the top of the second hour, then the aforementioned drop-off back to the show's average rating.

Compared to the 2011 quarter-hour ratings averages, Impact was a complete wash. It's captured by this result: the quarter-hour was 17.2 percent below the 2011 Q1 average, but the fifth quarter-hour was 17.6 percent above the 2011 Q5 average.

First Hour Break Down

Q1: Impact opened with a 1.03 rating, which was the lowest Q1 rating of the year. It's part of a recent switch in the pattern for Impact. At the beginning of the year, Q1 was typically the highest-rated quarter-hour of the show. Now, it's typically the lowest-rated of the show.

TNA even tried changing up the beginning of the show, offering A.J. Styles & Daniels vs. Tommy Dreamer & Bully Ray in a garbage brawl, but the rating dropped off from a 1.15 Q1 rating last week. (Q1 down 17.2% vs. 2011 average)

Q2: Impact increased slightly to a 1.09 rating for Mr. Anderson's talking segment with Disco Inferno and Sting's interference. It was the second-lowest-rated segment of the show. (down 8.5% vs. 2011 average)

Q3: Impact increased slightly to a 1.12 rating for Velvet Sky and ODB's promo exchange and brawl, followed by Eric Bischoff's backstage segment with Beer Money. Again, only slight momentum for the show. (down 7.8% vs. 2011 average)

Q4: Impact increased by 11 percent to a 1.25 rating for the Jeff Jarrett vs. Matt Morgan match, pre-match, and post-match activity. (up 7.9% vs. 2011 average, washing out Q3)

Second Hour Break Down

Q5: Impact popped to a 1.49 rating for the aforementioned Hogan, Bischoff, Foley, and X Division talking segment. (up 17.6% vs. 2011 average, washing out Q1)

Q6: Impact dropped right back off to a 1.23 rating, slightly below the Q4 rating. The segment featured Mickie James vs. Winter in a Knockouts tag match. The Knockouts are typically ratings draw, so it points to either the previous talking segment turning away viewers or the Knockouts being over-exposed to where some of their drawing power has been lost. (up 2.3% vs. 2011 average)

Q7: Impact dropped off slightly to a 1.18 rating - the lowest rating of the second hour - for the X Division Title match between Abyss and Brian Kendrick. (flat/even vs. 2011 average of a 1.18 rating)

Q8: Impact increased only slightly to a 1.20 rating for the heavily-promoted Kurt Angle vs. RVD match, which was preceded by the Eric Young vs. Gunner joke TV Title match. It didn't help that TNA began the main event four minutes before the top of the hour. (down 2.6% vs. 2011 average of a 1.23 rating in Q8)

Caldwell's Analysis: The key to a ratings pop - Q5, for example - is being able to sustain some measure of growth, but the last 45 minutes of the show settled right back to the overall show average. Also, it should be concerning the heavily-promoted, never-before-seen-in-TNA main event of Angle vs. RVD scored a 1.20 rating - right at the show's average and only 0.02 ahead of Q7, which is TNA's dead quarter-hour. TNA hurt themselves by not giving that match more time and starting the match at the very end of Q8 rather than getting intros out of the way in Q7 and giving the match a full quarter-hour.
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Did you watch this Impact?

Are you surprised by the ratings?

» Impact quarter-hour ratings report for Thursday's show, detailed comparisons to 2011 averages
» 7-19-12 Impact TV Ratings Report [Quarter Hour Ratings Added 7-25-12]
» 1-12-12 Impact Quarter Hour Ratings Report
» 11/17 Impact quarter-hour ratings report - Knockouts segment draws big audience, comparisons to 2011 averages
» Impact Quarter-Hour Ratings Report For 11-3-11 Show