WWE Smackdown Viewership & Ratings Report, 5/16/2025

The May 16, 2025, edition of "WWE SmackDown," the first show of the blue brand since the Backlash PLE, saw a decline in average overall viewership and key demographic ratings.

"Programming Insider" has reported that "SmackDown" registered an average viewership of 1.29 million viewers, which is 11 percent less than the previous week's show. The number is the second-lowest since WWE returned to the USA Network last year, with the worst being the November 15, 2024, which had an average overall viewership of 1.23 million viewers. Last week's viewership was also 17 percent down on the trailing four-week average, which is currently at 1.55 million viewers, as per "Wrestlenomics." The NBA Playoffs game between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks dominated Friday night, with an average overall viewership of 5.72 million viewers

The 18-49 key demographic ratings of "SmackDown" also fell, with the show registering a rating of 0.36, which is 12 percent lower than last week's 0.41 rating. The show's ratings were 22 percent lower than the trailing four-week average, which stands at 0.46 presently. In contrast, the aforementioned NBA game drew a whopping 1.63 in the key demographic ratings. "SmackDown" ranked #4 in primetime ratings for the night, behind the NBA game and its pre- and post-shows. WWE's Friday night show, though, was ahead of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers, which ranked seventh on the night with a rating of 0.22.

Last week's "SmackDown" featured a few Money in the Bank qualifier matches, and was headlined by Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax, with Stratton successfully retaining her WWE Women's Championship against her former friend.