WWE SmackDown Viewership Up From Last Week, Key Demo Rating Down

Friday's live WWE SmackDown drew an average of 2.142 million viewers on FOX, according to Nielsen, via Wrestlenomics.

This final number is up 5.52% from last week's final viewership of 2.030 million viewers, and down 1.38% from the overnight viewership released on Saturday morning, which was 2.172 million viewers.

Friday's SmackDown drew a 0.50 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is down 1.96% from last week's 0.51 rating. This week's 0.50 key demo rating represents 649,000 18-49 viewers, which is down 2.55% from the 666,000 18-49 viewers that last week's 0.51 key demo rating drew.

Friday's SmackDown marked a rare week where the Fast National viewership was better than the final number because the show did not air in its normal timeslot in some states due to local news coverage of the storms in some states. However, it was the best audience for SmackDown since October 22. Friday's key demo rating was the lowest for the show on FOX since July 9, which was the week before fans returned. Friday's viewership was up 5.52% from last week's episode, while the key demo rating was down 1.96% from last week's episode.

Viewership for Friday's SmackDown episode was down 2.90% from the same week in 2020, while Friday's 18-49 key demo rating was down 16.66% from the same week in 2020.

This post will be updated shortly with additional information, including the network TV rankings.

Friday's live SmackDown from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA had just a few happenings advertised ahead of time – "The Protector" Xia Li making her blue brand debut, Brock Lesnar appearing to continue the build for Day 1, Sonya Deville vs. Naomi, SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Toni Storm in a Championship Contender match, and the main event, which was RAW Tag Team Champions Randy Orton and Riddle vs. The New Day vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos in a non-title Triple Threat.

Stay tuned for more ratings data. Below is our 2021 SmackDown Viewership Tracker, along with the Top 10 moments from Friday's show:

January 1 Episode: 2.013 million viewers with a 0.53 rating in the 18-49 demographic (New Year's episode)
January 8 Episode: 2.120 million viewers with a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 15 Episode: 2.262 million viewers with a 0.67 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 22 Episode: 2.383 million viewers with a 0.63 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 29 Episode: 2.304 million viewers with a 0.62 rating in the 18-49 demographic
February 5 Episode: 2.257 million viewers with a 0.65 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-Royal Rumble episode)
February 12 Episode: 1.990 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
February 19 Episode: 2.217 million viewers with a 0.59 rating in the 18-49 demographic
February 26 Episode: 2.145 million viewers with a 0.54 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-Elimination Chamber episode)
March 5 Episode: 2.252 million viewers with a 0.60 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 12 Episode: 2.171 million viewers with a 0.61 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 19 Episode: 2.093 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 26 Episode: 2.191 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-Fastlane episode)
April 2 Episode: 2.137 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 9 Episode: 2.250 million viewers with a 0.61 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 16 Episode: 2.119 million viewers with a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-WrestleMania 37 episode)
April 23 Episode: 2.121 million viewers with a 0.54 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 30 Episode: 2.018 million viewers with a 0.49 rating in the 18-49 demographic
May 7 Episode: 2.282 million viewers with a 0.65 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Throwback episode)
May 14 Episode: 1.917 million viewers with a 0.44 rating in the 18-49 demographic
May 21 Episode: 1.933 million viewers with a 0.50 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-WrestleMania Backlash episode)
May 28 Episode: 1.928 million viewers with a 0.50 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 4 Episode: 1.883 million viewers with a 0.50 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 11 Episode: 1.944 million viewers with a 0.48 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 18 Episode: 2.045 million viewers with a 0.54 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 25 Episode: 1.971 million viewers with a 0.54 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-Hell In a Cell episode)
July 2 Episode: 1.861 million viewers with a 0.46 rating in the 18-49 demographic
July 9 Episode: 1.986 million viewers with a 0.48 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Final ThunderDome era)
July 16 Episode: 2.310 million viewers with a 0.66 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Return to the road episode)
July 23 Episode: 2.137 million viewers with a 0.55 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Money In the Bank episode)
July 30 Episode: 2.043 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
August 6 Episode: 2.169 million viewers with a 0.61 rating in the 18-49 demographic
August 13 Episode: 2.084 million viewers with a 0.58 rating in the 18-49 demographic
last week was 2.093, 8/13 was 2.084, 7/30 was 2.043
August 20 Episode: 2.102 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
August 27 Episode: 2.250 million viewers with a 0.59 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-SummerSlam episode)
September 3 Episode: 2.220 million viewers with a 0.62 rating in the 18-49 demographic
September 10 Episode: 2.383 million viewers with a 0.65 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Super SmackDown episode)
September 17 Episode: 2.243 million viewers with a 0.58 rating in the 18-49 demographic
September 24 Episode: 2.135 million viewers with a 0.55 rating in the 18-49 demographic
October 1 Episode: 2.252 million viewers with a 0.62 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Draft Night 1 post-Extreme Rules episode)
October 8 Episode: 2.147 million viewers with a 0.52 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Season premiere episode)
October 15 Episode: 866,000 viewers with a 0.24 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Supersized episode on cable FS1)
October 22 Episode: 2.249 million viewers with a 0.58 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Crown Jewel episode)
October 29 Episode: 1.032 million viewers with a 0.29 rating in the 18-49 demographic (FS1 episode)
November 5 Episode: 2.093 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
November 12 Episode: 2.104 million viewers with a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic
November 19 Episode: 2.064 million viewers with a 0.52 rating in the 18-49 demographic
November 26 Episode: 2.149 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Survivor Series episode)
December 3 Episode: 2.030 million viewers with a 0.51 rating in the 18-49 demographic
December 10 Episode: 2.142 million viewers with a 0.50 rating in the 18-49 demographic
December 17 Episode:

2020 Total: 113.372 million viewers
2020 Average: 2.180 million viewers per episode (2 FS1 airings)

2019 Total: 112.530 million viewers
2019 Average: 2.164 million viewers per episode (1 FS1 airing)

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