SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
Last night’s episode of WWE Monday Night Raw on USA Network drew a 1.33 rating, up slightly from last week’s non-holiday record low rating of 1.31. The April average closed at 1.39, down from the 1.54 average in March, the 1.62 average in February, and the 1.62 average in January. The average for 2020 so far is 1.54.
Raw began with 1.945 million viewers in the first hour, dropped to 1.619 million in the second hour, and then plummeted to 1.619 million the third hour, below last week’s 1.720 million. It’s the lowest-viewed hour of Raw in history. One year ago this week, Raw’s third hour drew a then-alarmingly-low viewership fo 1.898 million, well below the average in recent weeks before that. Two years ago this week, Raw’s third hour drew 2.878 million viewers.
The first-to-third hour drop-off was 326,000, right in line with the average for the year so far of 316,000.
In the cable ratings among the 18-49 target demographic, Raw finished no. 2, 3, and 7 in the cable ratings. “Love & Hip Hip Atlanta” finished no. 1. “Below Deck” on Bravo finished no. 4.
What really jumps off the ratings chart is the male 18-34 demo, with was 0.26 last night compared to 0.71 back on March 2 and 0.70 one year ago this week, a stunningly sharp drop-off. The younger adult male demo been in steady decline more sharply than other demographics. The male 18-49 demographic is down about one-third, at 0.62 compared to 0.96 on March 2 and 0.96 one year ago.
So I guess they’re not worried about ratings at all now? There was a time when Vince McMahon would have panicked and scheduled a “Vince McMahon appreciation night,” or something. It’s like they could not care less about their product anymore, any of them.
I’m 49. I’ve been a fan about 33 years. This is BY FAR the worst “creative” they’ve ever had. That’s an oxymoron because they’re not creative. And it’s not the coronavirus. That’s absurd. It’s been that way for YEARS. The crowd-less virus shows have just amplified the problem.