WWE Monday Night Raw ratings surge with return of Goldberg, NFL ratings take a hit (w/Keller’s Analysis)

WWE scored the best rating for Monday Night Raw since Summerslam season last night, drawing a 2.17 rating for the show built around the return of Bill Goldberg.

Ratings each hour held relatively steady:

-First Hour: 3.167 million

-Second Hour: 3.106 million

-Third Hour: 3.118 million

They grew in total viewers and all key demographics. The NFL game between the Arizona Cardinals and New York Jets, a lopsided win for the Cardinals, did a paltry 8.3 million, down from the 12-14 million that is more typical for the NFL games in recent years.

The Raw ratings in recent weeks have been in the 1.9 range, with a dip to 1.75 when it went up against a U.S. Presidential Debate.

Keller’s Analysis: This is a sign of Goldberg having real drawing power. The show was also built around the interviews Lita conducted with Sasha Bank and Charlotte, the continued pairing of Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens, and building the feud between Rusev and Roman Reigns. Something clicked. WWE has to hope that fans who tuned in for Goldberg liked what else they saw and decide to come back next week. The Houston Texans vs. Denver Broncos is more of a marquee match-up next week between two 4-2 teams.