WWE SmackDown Rating Dips While AEW Rampage Rebounds
After weeks of frustrating numbers, "AEW Rampage" finally received some good news this week. Wrestlenomics released its viewership information for last Friday night, and "Rampage" rallied back. The 8/5 episode saw an average viewing audience of 468,000, a 25% boost in total viewership from the previous week. This was also the show's highest total viewership number since July 1.
Demographically, the rating stats were even better, as "Rampage" roped in an average audience of 196,000, giving the episode a 0.15 P18-49 rating. That's a 40% increase from last week's episode.
"WWE SmackDown" saw a slight decrease nearly a week removed from SummerSlam. The 8/5 episode of the program had an average audience of 2,093,000, down from last week's big number of 2,193,000, a 5% dip. The same can be said for the key demographic as an average audience of 639,000 tuned in which is also a 5% decrease from last week's number of 675,000.
Despite the drop, "SmackDown" did come in at #1 overall. "Rampage" ranked in at #19 in the same category, but did come in at #5 for cable originals.
Pulling back the calendar a year, "SmackDown" is down, but not as much, in comparison to last year. The 8/6/2021 episode of the program had a total viewership number of 2,169,000. However, the difference in the key demographic is quite stark, as last year had an 18-49 audience of 792,000, 20% more than this past Friday. Last year's episode was also up against the Olympics on NBC's family of channels.
Both programs had something to write home about this past Friday, as "SmackDown" presented the shocking return of Karrion Kross with Scarlett at his side. The power couple attacked #1 contender Drew McIntyre before indicating it was just a matter of time before they go after the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns. "Rampage," meanwhile, opened with an AEW Interim World Title match between Jon Moxley and Mance Warner, who surprised AEW fans with an appearance on "AEW Dynamite" earlier in the week. New AEW coach Madison Rayne also made her All Elite debut when she defeated Leila Grey in singles action.