WWE receives tremendous media praise for its “Tribute to the Troops” specials, but since becoming a Saturday night special on NBC, the airings have simply failed to generate viewer interest.
Saturday’s broadcast posted a mere 0.7 adults 18-49 rating with 2.34 million viewers. In last year’s comparable fast nationals, the 2009 edition posted a 0.8 with 2.39 million. Though the drop was not staggering, it is clear that hype around celebrity appearances from names like Trace Adkins and Diddy did nothing to spike interest.
According to Media Week, the show was fourth in its timeslot for both viewers and young adults. It lost in both categories to FOX’s “America’s Most Wanted,” a repeat of CBS’ “CSI: Miami” and ABC’s airing of the film “Madagascar.”