WWE SmackDown Viewership Suffers Big Drop Again
The overnight network TV numbers are in and Friday's WWE SmackDown on FOX drew an average of 2.442 million viewers with an average rating of 0.75 in the key 18-49 demographic, according to Showbuzz Daily.
This is down from last Friday's WWE Draft edition of SmackDown, which drew a final 0.7 rating in the 18-34 demographic, a final 1.0 rating in the coveted 18-49 demo, and a final 1.1 rating in the 25-45 demographic. Viewership was down 15% from the final viewership for last Friday's SmackDown, which was 2.877 million viewers.
The first hour for this week's show drew 2.390 million viewers with a 0.7 rating in the key 18-49 demo, and the second hour drew 2.493 million viewers with a 0.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic.
SmackDown averaged a 0.55 rating in the 18-34 demographic, a 0.75 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, and an average 0.85 rating in the 25-54 demographic.
Blue Blood on CBS topped the night on network TV in viewership with 7.331 million viewers, but in the 10pm hour. Hawaii Five-O topped the night in the 8pm hour with 6.214 million viewers. SmackDown once again topped the night in ratings for the 18-49 demographic with that 0.75 as the next closest were Hawaii Five-O, Blue Bloods and American Housewife with a 0.6 rating.
This week's SmackDown featured Roman Reigns vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura advertised ahead of time, plus a Six-Pack Challenge for the women's division, an eight-man tag team match, and SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley on MizTV.
Stay tuned as the updated SmackDown numbers will be released on Monday.
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: 1.827 million viewers (taped episode from London)
May 21 Episode: 1.983 million viewers (post-Money In the Bank episode)
May 28 Episode: 2.072 million viewers
June 4 Episode: 2.016 million viewers
June 11 Episode: 1.930 million viewers (post-Super ShowDown episode)
June 18 Episode: 1.859 million viewers
June 25 Episode: 1.921 million viewers (post-Stomping Grounds episode)
July 2 Episode: 1.890 million viewers
July 9 Episode: 1.853 million viewers
July 16 Episode: 2.122 million viewers (post-Extreme Rules episode)
July 23 Episode: 2.162 million viewers
July 30 Episode: 1.911 million viewers
August 6 Episode: 2.088 million viewers
August 13 Episode: 2.164 million viewers (post-SummerSlam episode)
August 20 Episode: 2.142 million viewers
August 27 Episode: 2.088 million viewers
September 3 Episode: 2.130 million viewers
September 10 Episode: 2.061 million viewers
September 17 Episode: 2.064 million viewers (post-Clash of Champions episode)
September 24 Episode: 2.099 million viewers (final USA Network episode)
October 4 Episode: 3.888 million viewers (FOX premiere)
October 11 Episode: 2.877 million viewers (WWE Draft episode, post-Hell In a Cell)
October 18 Episode: 2.442 million viewers
October 25 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