WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray has publicly challenged the validity of AEW’s reported viewership numbers on HBO Max. Speaking on a recent edition of Busted Open Radio, he voiced strong skepticism about figures that have circulated regarding the promotion’s streaming audience.
The discussion centered on a March report from BJ Bethel of SEScoops, which claimed AEW programming was averaging around 500,000 viewers weekly on the streaming service. Bully Ray dismissed this figure, stating, “I believe, based on what I have read, that Max numbers are grossly exaggerated. That’s my stance.”
He questioned the feasibility of such numbers on a service he described as not being in the top 10 streaming platforms. When asked for his own estimate, Bully Ray offered a significantly lower number, guessing AEW’s actual weekly viewership on HBO Max is closer to “100K.”
For official context, HBO Max does not publicly release its viewership data for AEW programming. The service reportedly has 125.7 million global subscribers as of August.
While streaming numbers remain a subject of debate, AEW’s recent television ratings have shown a downward trend. The August 20 episode of AEW Dynamite on TBS drew 565,000 average viewers, its lowest total since April 23, 2025. It scored a 0.16 in the key 18-49 demographic.
The go-home edition of AEW Collision before Forbidden Door on August 23 also saw a decline in total audience, drawing 281,000 viewers on TNT. This marked the third-lowest viewership in the show’s history. However, the program did see a 17% increase in the key 18-49 demographic, scoring a 0.07 rating. These reported television figures do not include any potential viewership from the HBO Max simulcast.