Smackdown Final Rating: Smackdown loses 1 million viewers for episode two, but still tops broadcast rankings on Friday in key demo, comparison to USA Network numbers

By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Smackdown Set (photo credit Frank Peteani © PWTorch)

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

WWE Friday Night Smackdown on Fox drew a 1.81 U.S. broadcast rating (as opposed to the cable rating, which we had tracked and reported prior to the move from USA to Fox). That is down from the 2.36 rating last week.

For comparison, if the 1.53 and 1.52 cable ratings Smackdown drew in its final two shows on USA is translated to a broadcast rating, those shows drew 1.29 and 1.28 ratings. So the 1.81 is a 40 percent increase of the comparable rating prior to the move from Fox.

Total viewership was 2.877. Last week’s final viewership number was 3.880 million. So the Draft edition of Smackdown lost 1 million viewers compared to the premiere featuring The Rock along with the Universal Title match between Kofi Kingston and Brock Lesnar.

In the male 18-34 demographic, Smackdown drew a 0.90 rating this week. AEW’s first episode on TNT drew a 0.73 in that demo and the second episode on TNT drew a 0.48 rating. NXT on USA drew a 0.30 last week in that demo. Raw on USA last week drew a 0.69 in that demo.

In the adult 18-49 demographic, Smackdown drew a 0.96 rating this week. AEW’s first episode on TNT drew a 0.68 in that demo and the second episode of TNT drew a 0.46 rating. NXT on USA drew a 0.22 last week in that demographic. Raw on USA last week drew a 0.74 in that demographic.

In the Friday night cable rankings, Smackdown finished no. 1 for the night with the 0.96 rating. CBS’s Hawaii Five-O and Magnum P.I. finished behind Smackdown with 0.7 and 0.6. rating in that demo.


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