WWE SmackDown & AEW Rampage Do Best Key Demo Ratings Since April
The first weekend of June provided to be beneficial for both "WWE SmackDown" and "AEW Rampage." The numbers for the 6/3 airings of the two programs are in and according to Showbuzz Daily, "SmackDown" received a total viewership number of 1,939,000 while "Rampage" had an audience of 475,000. That number for "Rampage" is the show's best viewership number since April 22.
The 18-49 demographic for both episodes may be the most intriguing for this week as they happen to be the show's best numbers since the month of April. "SmackDown" garnered 613,000 in the 18-49 demographic, its best since April 15, while "Rampage" roped in 183,000, its best since April 22.
Percentage-wise, "SmackDown" saw a 3% increase in total viewership with a 9% increase in the 18-49 demo. "Rampage" had a 39% increase in total viewership and a 3% uptick in the 18-49 demo.
"SmackDown" came in at #2 for television overall on Friday night and "Rampage" came in at #27, it was #14 for 18-49 in cable originals. The only program to beat "SmackDown" on television was the NHL Conference Finals which aired on ESPN.
For annual reference, the June 4, 2021 airing of "SmackDown" had a total viewership audience of 1,883,000 which means "SmackDown" added 56,000 viewers since last year at this time. That episode was up against the NBA Playoffs that evening.
"SmackDown" was the "go-home" program before Hell In A Cell over the weekend. The episode involved build for Happy Corbin taking on a returning Madcap Moss as well as The Usos successfully defending their Tag Team Titles against Riddle and Shinsuke Nakamura.
"Rampage" had some unexpected buzz with the sudden announcement involving the CM Punk injury and the interim championship plans thereafter. When it came to matches on the program, the Young Bucks battled the Lucha Brothers, Athena made her in-ring debut, Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs had a squash match, and the main event had Dante Martin challenging Scorpio Sky for the TNT Title. That fight saw Sky retaining his title with a clean victory.