Smackdown Rating: Highest rating since Superstar Shake-up this week, part of trend in recent week (w/Keller’s Analysis)

The Aug. 8 WWE Smackdown Live on USA Network drew a 1.74 rating, by a slim margin the highest rating for Smackdown since Apr. 11 for the Superstar Shake-up. The rolling ten-week average headed into this week was 1.66. The 2017 average through this week is 1.76, above the 2016 average through this point last year of 1.72. One year ago this week, Smackdown drew a 1.67 rating.

Viewership totaled 2.584 million.

Keller’s Analysis: The rating wasn’t that far above the recent numbers, which were 1.70, 1.73, and 1.73 the last three weeks, but August’s trend is positive, with a 1.72 average so far, up from the 1.67 average last month, the 1.65 average in June, and the 1.60 average in May. Before that, Smackdown had averaged better than a 1.80 rating from December 2016 through April. Reversing what had been a downward trend after the Superstar Shake-up is a positive. The return of John Cena somewhat correlates with the rise, although Raw ratings are also up lately.

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S RATINGS: Raw Rating: Raw continues momentum since post-WrestleMania drop-off in May, key metrics (w/Keller’s Analysis)