A global research group, TNS, has released a survey on the mainstream popularity of pro-wrestling over the past year. The surveys began in 2000. 2009 had the lowest popularity than any year since 2005. 11,897 people were surveyed and 78.4% had no interest in wrestling, compared to 78.7% in 2005. Interest had declined every year since 2000 but increased in 2006 and 2007, before declining again the past two years. The categories were ‘not at all interested’, ‘a little bit interested’, ‘somewhat interested’ and ‘avid fan’. For 2009, 6.4% were a little bit interested, 8.6% somewhat interested and 6.6% avid fans. Those a little bit interested were down 3% from 2008 levels, those somewhat interested were down 8% and those saying they were avid fans were down 13%. In 2000, there were 7.3% a little bit interested, 9.5% somewhat interested and 11.7% avid fan, which means that the avid fans have decreased 44% over the course of the decade. The biggest decline was 15% in 2001, the year WCW and ECW ended. There were further declines of 10% in 2002 and 2003, 15% in 2004 and 6% in 2005. The emergence of new stars like John Cena and Batista, plus a DX reunion, started a comeback in 2006. The 2008 decline in avid fan interest was just 4%, so the real decline only started in 2009. Ratings for Raw and Impact, however, rose last year but are declining this year.
Credit: Wrestling Observer
