WWE SmackDown Viewership And Key Demo Rating For The First Episode Of The Year
Friday's live post-Day 1 edition of WWE SmackDown drew an average of 2.271 million viewers on FOX, according to Nielsen, via Showbuzz Daily.
This final number is up 15.16% from the previous week's final viewership of 1.972 million viewers for the taped Christmas Eve episode. Last week's New Year's Eve show was a Best of 2021 episode on FS1.
The first SmackDown of 2022 drew a 0.58 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is up 20.83% from the previous week's 0.48 rating on Christmas Eve. This week's 0.58 key demo rating represents 756,000 18-49 viewers, which is up 20% from the 630,000 18-49 viewers that the previous week's 0.48 key demo rating drew, according to Wrestlenomics.
SmackDown ranked #3 in ratings for the key 18-49 demographic on network TV, down from the previous week's #2 ranking. SmackDown ranked #2 in the 18-34 demo this week, up from the previous week's #3 ranking. SmackDown ranked #3 in the 25-54 demo, down from the previous week's #2 ranking. SmackDown came in at #7 for the night in viewership on network TV, down from the previous week's #6 ranking. Blue Bloods on CBS topped the night on network TV in viewership this week with 6.068 million viewers, while ABC's Shark Tank topped the night in the key demographic with a 0.75 rating.
Friday's live SmackDown drew the best audience for the show since the Super SmackDown episode on September 10, behind the December 17 episode. The episode was tied with the October 22 post-Crown Jewel episode for the best key demo rating since the WWE Draft episode on October 1. Friday's viewership was up 15.16% from the previous week's episode, while the key demo rating was up 20.83% from the previous week's episode.
The NBA game between the Lakers and the Hawks on ESPN topped the night on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.71 key demo rating, drawing 1.772 million viewers. The Five on FOX News topped the night on cable in viewership with 3.311 million viewers, ranking #8 on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.23 key demo rating.
Viewership for Friday's SmackDown episode was up 7.12% from the same week in 2021, while Friday's 18-49 key demo rating was up 3.57% from the same week in 2021.
Friday's live SmackDown from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT had the following line-up advertised ahead of time – Rick Boogs vs. Sami Zayn, WWE Champion Brock Lesnar confronting WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, plus SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos defending against The New Day in a Street Fight, which was the main event.
Stay tuned for more ratings data. Below is our 2022 SmackDown Viewership Tracker, along with the Top 10 moments from Friday's show:
January 7 Episode: 2.271 million viewers with a 0.58 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Day 1 episode)
January 14 Episode:
2021 Viewership Average: 2.050 million viewers per episode (2,082,154 without Best Of episode)
2021 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.54 rating per episode (0.55 without Best Of episode)
2021 FOX Viewership Average: 2.127 million viewers per episode
2021 FOX 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.56 rating per episode
2021 FS1 Viewership Average: 758,667 viewers per episode (includes Best Of episode; 949,000 without it)
2021 FS1 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.20 rating per episode (includes Best Of episode; 0.27 without it)
2020 Viewership Average: 2.180 million viewers per episode (2 FS1 airings)
2019 Viewership Average: 2.164 million viewers per episode (1 FS1 airing)
2018 Viewership Average: 2.352 million viewers per episode
2017 Viewership Average: 2.546 million viewers per episode