WWE Raw ratings heading into Summerslam, comparisons to prior years, hourly viewership, key demo data, perspective and context

Last night’s (8/16) episode of WWE Monday Night Raw on USA Network drew 1.37 rating, in line with the 1.36 last week and the best rating since a 1.46 for the return of live crowds on July 19. One year ago this week, Raw drew a 1.22 rating. Five years ago this week (8/14/16), Raw drew a 2.12 rating.

It drew a 0.55 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, above last wee’s 0.49 and the best demo rating since July 19, but below the 0.68 and 0.61 ratings on Apr. 12 and 19 in the ThunderDome. This week Raw was no. 1 on cable in that demo on Monday night.

Among the male 18-49 demo, it drew a 0.70, above the 0.62 last week and the best since July 19. It also hit 0.70 on May 10 in the ThunderDome. In the younger 18-34 male demo, it drew a 0.40 rating, above the 0.29 last week, tied with four weeks ago. The highest ratings since WrestleMania in that demo was 0.41, so this was on the highest end.

Raw opened with 1.912 million total viewers in the first hour, then dropped t0 1.864 in the second hour, and 1.796 in the third hour. That’s a first-to-third hour dropoff of only 116,000; the average dropoff this year coming into this week was 151,000. The Bobby Lashley-Goldberg face-to-face might been the reason Smackdown held onto more viewers to the end than previous advertised final segments have. Randy Orton vs. Omos opened the third hour.

The first hour viewership of 1.912 is in line with the 1.902 million average for the first hour the prior four weeks back in arenas with fans. The third hour viewership of 1.796 was slightly above the 1.749 million average the prior four weeks.

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