Notes on Estimated Ratings for CM Punk Debut at AEW Rampage, All Out Ticket Sales on Secondary Market

– In a new column for Sports Illustrated, The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported some early on the ratings for last Friday’s edition of AEW Rampage: The First Dance. The show featured the AEW debut of CM Punk, who returned to wrestling after an over seven-and-a-half-year hiatus.

According to Meltzer, preliminary numbers from the top 10 TV markets for the second episode of Rampage indicate that ratings increased by 57 percent from the debut of Rampage from the previous week. As previously reported, the debut episode of Rampage drew 740,000 viewers and a 0.30 rating in the P18-49 key demo.

If the preliminary number holds, Rampage featuring Punk’s debut is estimated to have drawn approximately 1.16 million viewers (h/t WrestlingInc.com). The event was held at the United Center in Chicago, which is Punk’s hometown. The event drew an attendance record for AEW, with a sold-out crowd of 15,316. The event also reportedly drew a merchandise sales record of more than $200,000.

CM Punk is slated to make his AEW in-ring debut against Darby Allin at AEW All Out next month. The card will be held at the NOW Center in suburban Chicago, and tickets were also an instant sellout for the event. Now that Punk is confirmed for the event, ticket prices for the card on the second market are said to be surging, with only four tickets for the show priced at less than $367. This makes All Out the highest price to get into a pro wrestling event through the secondary market in the history of the industry.

Final ratings on AEW Rampage: The First Dance are expected to be released tomorrow.