In a captivating display of viewership numbers, the latest episode of WWE SmackDown, which aired on Friday, garnered an average of 2.323 million viewers on FOX, as reported by Nielsen via Wrestlenomics. This marked an impressive 88.86% surge from the previous week’s final viewership of 1.230 million viewers for the live show on FS1 cable TV. Furthermore, it showed a marginal 0.61% increase from the 2.309 million viewers recorded by the last FOX broadcast episode on July 14.
The key 18-49 demographic, as always, played a crucial role in determining the show’s success. Friday’s SmackDown garnered a commendable 0.61 rating in this demographic, displaying a substantial 69.44% climb from the previous week’s 0.36 rating on FS1. Despite a slight 1.61% dip from the 0.62 key demo rating achieved in the last FOX episode on July 14, the most recent episode managed to captivate 801,000 18-49 viewers, slightly down by 0.86% from the 808,000 viewers in the July 14 show.
A comparative analysis of the 2023 SmackDown viewership with previous episodes from different years reveals some intriguing data. Although it ranked sixteenth in total audience for FOX airings so far this year and secured the eighth-highest key demo rating, it still managed to surpass the 2022 FOX average in viewership and the key demo rating. The recent SmackDown viewership also showcased a minute 0.61% increase from the last FOX episode, while the key demo rating experienced a minor 1.61% decline from the previous episode.
Let’s take a look at the viewership trends over the weeks, keeping track of the average viewership and key demo rating for the current year:
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Episode Date |
Viewership (Millions) |
Key Demo Rating |
|---|---|---|
January 6 |
2.257 |
0.53 |
January 13 |
2.326 |
0.55 |
… |
… |
… |
July 21 |
1.230 |
0.36 |
July 28 |
2.323 |
0.61 |
August 4 |
… |
… |
The data highlights fluctuations in viewership and key demo ratings throughout the year. It’s evident that Friday’s SmackDown episode witnessed a substantial increase in viewership compared to the previous week, indicating an overall positive reception from the audience. As we progress through the year, it will be fascinating to monitor how viewership trends evolve and whether SmackDown can maintain its momentum in captivating the audience.
