Updated With 2018 Totals: WWE SmackDown Tops RAW Viewership This Week
This week's taped Christmas Night edition of WWE SmackDown, featuring Rusev capturing the WWE United States Title from Shinsuke Nakamura in the main event, drew 1.904 million viewers. This week's SmackDown viewership is down 14% from last week's 2.214 million viewers.
SmackDown topped Monday's taped Christmas Eve edition of WWE RAW by 7%, as that show drew 1.775 million viewers, down from last week's 2.547 million viewers for the post-TLC episode. The last time SmackDown beat RAW in viewership was the SmackDown 1000 episode back in October, which drew 2.545 million viewers over the 2.39 million viewers that RAW drew. This is the third time the blue brand beat the red brand since SmackDown went live in July 2016.
SmackDown was #5 for the night in viewership on cable, behind When Calls The Heart, three NBA games on ESPN. SmackDown was #5 in the 18-49 demographic this week, behind the three NBA games on ESPN and NBA Courtside.
The big draw on network TV at 8pm was the NBA Christmas special on ABC, which drew 7.974 million viewers. NCIS drew 4.454 million viewers on CBS while The Grinch drew 3.002 million viewers on NBC and Lethal Weapon on Fox drew 1.449 million viewers.
Below is our 2018 SmackDown Viewership Tracker along with totals for the year:
January 2nd Episode: 2.720 million viewers
January 9th Episode: 2.603 million viewers
January 16th Episode: 2.602 million viewers
January 23rd Episode: 2.580 million viewers
January 30th Episode: 2.509 million viewers (Post-Royal Rumble Episode)
February 6th Episode: 2.505 million viewers
February 13th Episode: 2.449 million viewers
February 20th Episode: 2.613 million viewers
February 27th Episode: 2.692 million viewers
March 6th Episode: 2.590 million viewers
March 13th Episode: 2.771 million viewers (post-Fastlane episode)
March 20th Episode: 2.888 million viewers
March 27th Episode: 2.576 million viewers
April 3rd Episode: 2.467 million viewers
April 10th Episode: 2.952 million viewers (post-WrestleMania 34 episode)
April 17th Episode: 2.796 million viewers (Superstar Shakeup episode)
April 24th Episode: 2.549 million viewers
May 1st Episode: 2.436 million viewers
May 8th Episode: 2.293 million viewers (post-Backlash episode)
May 15th Episode: 2.298 million viewers (taped show from London)
May 22nd Episode: 2.195 million viewers
May 29th Episode: 2.195 million viewers
June 5th Episode: 2.138 million viewers
June 12th Episode: 2.183 million viewers
June 19th Episode: 2.315 million viewers (post-Money In the Bank episode)
June 26th Episode: 2.135 million viewers
July 3rd Episode: 2.013 million viewers
July 10th Episode: 2.183 million viewers
July 17th Episode: 2.293 million viewers (post-Extreme Rules episode)
July 24th Episode: 2.340 million viewers
July 31st Episode: 2.401 million viewers
August 7th Episode: 2.197 million viewers
August 14th Episode: 2.189 million viewers
August 21st Episode: 2.437 million viewers (post-SummerSlam episode)
August 28th Episode: 2.350 million viewers
September 4th Episode: 2.319 million viewers
September 11th Episode: 2.229 million viewers
September 18th Episode: 2.281 million viewers (post-Hell In a Cell episode)
September 25th Episode: 2.193 million viewers
October 2nd Episode: 2.095 million viewers
October 9th Episode: 2.135 million viewers (post-Super Show-Down episode)
October 16th Episode: 2.545 million viewers (SmackDown 1000 episode)
October 23rd Episode: 2.087 million viewers
October 30th Episode: 2.110 million viewers (post-Evolution episode)
November 6th Episode: 2.088 million viewers (post-Crown Jewel episode, taped show from England)
November 13th Episode: 2.312 million viewers
November 20th Episode: 2.150 million viewers (post-Survivor Series episode)
November 27th Episode: 2.264 million viewers
December 4th Episode: 1.948 million viewers
December 11th Episode: 1.977 million viewers
December 18th Episode: 2.214 million viewers (post-TLC episode)
December 25th Episode: 1.904 million viewers (Christmas Night episode, taped)
January 1st Episode:
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