Raw Rating: The day after the Hell in a Cell backlash, key metrics, big drop in third hour ranking, past year comparisons

By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

WWE Hall of Famer, Beth Phoenix, set for WWE Raw

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Raw received no bump from the surge in viewership last week’s Friday Night Smackdown experienced, draping to a 1.65 rating, below the ten-week rolling average headed into this week of 1.73. This week’s rating – representing live and same-night-DVR viewership – was down from last week’s “season premiere” episode of Raw, which drew a 1.78 rating.

The Hell in a Cell backlash could have helped or hurt the rating; either people were disgruntled and frustrated with WWE and skipped Raw as a result or they were intrigued with how WWE would handle it and thus tuned in. Either way, the rating didn’t seem greatly fazed either way.

The first hour drew 2.443 million viewers. It dropped from there to 2.330 million viewers and 2.230 million viewers the next two hours. That’s a first-to-third hour drop-off of 213,000, below the 305,000 average drop-off this year.

One year ago this week, Raw drew a 1.97 rating. Two years ago this week, it drew a 1.93 rating. Three years ago this week, it drew a 1.93 rating also.

In the key 18-49 adult demographic, Raw dropped to 5, 6, and 9 in the weekly rankings, falling behind not only the ESPN Monday Night Football game along with the ESPN pre-show and post-show, but also the MLB Playoff game. TLC’s “90 Day Fiance” and another MLB Playoff game also beat Raw’s third hour.


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