American Pickers ratings plummet as fans slam Mike Wolfe’s ‘crazy’ shirt price
American Pickers, once a staple of reality TV, is navigating turbulent times. As ratings dip, the show faces a new era of challenges.
American Pickers saw a slight ratings bump in its second episode after hitting an all-time low during the season 27 premiere.
The much-loved reality show first aired in 2010, following hosts as they traveled across America hunting for rare Americana artifacts and national treasures to add to their collections or sell in their antique shops.
Though it was a longtime fan favorite, ratings have plummeted after more than a decade on air.
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When the American Pickers returned to the screens on July 2, it drew just 390,000 viewers - the worst in the show’s history.
Episode two, titled Field of Finds, improved to 536,000 viewers, but the numbers remain far below past seasons. Meanwhile, the season 26 finale brought in 708,000 viewers, with highs of 760,000, according to The Sun U.S.
In a recent episode, Mike Wolfe, 60, tried to buy vintage T-shirts from a collector whose late father owned a body shop. One featured shirt, a grease-stained yellow tee from the 1980s, sparked controversy.
Mike offered $60 for the shirt, which the seller countered at $75. Mike then upped it to $80, calling it “sick” and noting that ‘90s pop culture shirts are now in high demand.
Fans weren’t impressed. “I’d put that in my $5 pile,” one person commented. Another joked, “If you’re paying $80 for that, check out my attic — bring your checkbook.”
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The show, which now stars Mike, Robbie Wolfe, Danielle Colby, and Jon “Jersey” Szalay, has struggled to regain viewership since longtime cast member Frank Fritz left in 2020. Fritz passed away on September 30, 2024, two years after suffering a stroke.
American Pickers once regularly pulled over a million viewers per episode, but its audience has sharply declined in recent years.
It comes after Wolfe closed down his Nashville store to spend more time in Iowa to spend more time in his hometown of LeClaire, where his 81-year-old mom still lives.
The star opened up about the huge change it his life, admitting the decision wasn’t easy.
"If I can't put all of it in that store, it hurts me," said Wolfe.
He added about the move, "Everything I’ve ever known is there.”
"I want to drive on roads I’ve driven on my whole life. I want to be around things that are familiar. And I want to be back there more with my little girl and with my mom."
