WWE SmackDown Audience Increases After Last Week's Historic Low, Remains Under Two Million Viewers
This week's WWE SmackDown episode, featuring WWE Champion Kofi Kingston retaining over AJ Styles and Sami Zayn in the main event plus the crowning of new SmackDown Tag Team Champions Daniel Bryan and Rowan, drew 1.931 million viewers, according to Showbuzz Daily.
This is up 5.3% from last week's 1.833 million viewers and the third lowest-viewership of the year. It is also the third-lowest SmackDown audience for a non-holiday first-run episode in history.
SmackDown was #11 for the night in viewership on cable, behind the NBA Playoffs game between the Nuggets and the Trailblazers, the NBA Playoffs game between the 76ers and the Raptors, Hannity, Rachel Maddow Show, Tucker Carlson Tonight, Special Report, Last Word, The Five, The Ingraham Angle and The Story. SmackDown was #4 in the 18-49 demographic this week, behind the two NBA games and the NHL Semi-Finals game between Dallas and St. Louis. The Trailblazers vs. Nuggets game topped the night in the 18-49 demographic with 3.428 million viewers. The 76ers vs. Raptors game topped the night in viewership with 3.713 million viewers.
The big draw on network TV at 8pm was NCIS on CBS, which drew 11.660 million viewers.
To compare, Monday's WWE RAW drew an average of 2.244 million viewers, up from last week's 2.158 million viewers, and the second-lowest viewership of 2019 and the third-lowest audience for a non-holiday RAW episode in history. Last week's RAW drew the lowest non-holiday red brand viewership in history, besides the 2018 New Year's Eve and 2018 Christmas Eve taped episodes, which drew 1.968 million and 1.775 million viewers.
Below is our 2019 SmackDown Viewership Tracker:
January 1 Episode: 2.091 million viewers (New Year's episode, taped)
January 8 Episode: 2.032 million viewers
January 15 Episode: 2.143 million viewers
January 22 Episode: 2.142 million viewers
January 29 Episode: 2.137 million viewers (post-Royal Rumble episode)
February 5 Episode: 1.841 million viewers (State of the Union competition)
February 12 Episode: 2.034 million viewers
February 19 Episode: 2.269 million viewers (post-Elimination Chamber episode)
February 26 Episode: 2.150 million viewers
March 5 Episode: 2.155 million viewers
March 12 Episode: 2.198 million viewers (post-Fastlane episode)
March 19 Episode: 2.208 million viewers
March 26 Episode: 2.393 million viewers
April 2 Episode: 2.141 million viewers
April 9 Episode: 2.199 million viewers (post-WrestleMania 35 episode)
April 16 Episode: 2.219 million viewers (Superstar Shakeup episode)
April 23 Episode: 2.072 million viewers
April 30 Episode: 1.833 million viewers
May 7 Episode: 1.931 million viewers
May 14 Episode:
2018 Total: 122.304 million viewers
2018 Average: 2.352 million viewers per episode
2017 Total: 132.401 million viewers
2017 Average: 2.546 million viewers per episode