Ratings Plunge for Wallenda's Chicago Walk

Nick Wallenda did not fall from the Chicago high-rise, but his ratings sure did.

When the daredevil walked a wire across the Colorado River Gorge in 2013 13 million people watched.

This time, when he walked from skyscraper to skyscraper, his ratings did not hit half that. 

Wallenda's walk averaged just 5.84 million viewers and 2.16 million in the demo.

And while no one will come right out and say it, one of the big reasons for the ratings drop can be blamed on the 10 second delay.

Discovery Channel announced before the telecast, that they would be using a delay in case Wallenda made a misstep and fell from the wire.

Many (most) People watch daredevils for the danger and the thought that they might just not make it. Same reason people tune into car races, they want to see a crash.

Knowing that if Wallenda fell from the wire, people watching on TV were not going to see it, had many people decide not to tune in at all.

Discovery took out the reason that people watch daredevil stunts to begin with.