WWE‘s weekly shows saw improvements in the Q1 key demo ratings year over year while remaining mostly steady in total viewership.
Compared to the same time period last year, “Smackdown” is up 15% in the adults 18-49 demographic to an average of 892,000 viewers per episode and up 3% in total viewers with 2.4 million viewers per episode. It should be noted, though, that those numbers do not include the episode that aired on March 29.
“Raw” is up 6% in the demo with an average of 733,000 viewers, but down 7% in total viewers with 1.7 million viewers per episode. “NXT” saw the biggest increase percentage-wise of the three shows, up 31% in the demo to 242,000 viewers and 7% in total viewers with 646,000 per episode.
The return of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson no doubt contributed to the rise in ratings, particularly for “Smackdown,” where Johnson has teamed with his cousin Roman Reigns in a bloody feud against Cody Rhodes. Johnson and Reigns are set to face Rhodes and Seth Rollins in a tag team match during night one WrestleMania 40 on April 6, with the winners of that match determining the stipulations for the WWE Universal Championship March between Reigns and Rhodes on night two on April 7.
“Smackdown” has also ranked number one in the key demo for all total day Friday broadcasts for 11 of the first 12 weeks of this quarter. The Feb. 16 episode of the weekly show, which currently airs on Fox, nabbed 985,000 viewers in the demo, making it the most-viewed primetime broadcast program of the week. “Raw,” which currently airs on USA Network, was the number one Monday cable show in the demo for nine of the first 13 weeks of the quarter.
As Variety has previously reported, all three weekly WWE shows are set to shift their network homes in the coming year. “Smackdown” will return to USA Network, while “NXT” will move to The CW. In the biggest shift, “Raw” will debut on Netflix beginning in January 2025.
