WWE SmackDown Viewership Up With Goldberg Appearance, Seven Week Run At #1 In Key Demographic Ends

Friday's WWE SmackDown episode, featuring a much-hyped appearance by WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg, drew an average of 2.538 million viewers on FOX, according to Showbuzz Daily.

This final number is down from the overnight viewership that was released on Saturday morning, which was an average of 2.547 million viewers. This number is up 5.16% from last week's final SmackDown viewership of 2.422 million viewers for the post-Royal Rumble episode.

Besides the Goldberg appearance, which ended up being live via satellite to set up his WWE Super ShowDown match against WWE Universal Champion "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt, SmackDown also featured the return of The Dirt Sheet and a women's Fatal 4 Way main event that saw Carmella defeat Dana Brooke, Naomi and Alexa Bliss to earn a future title shot from SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley.

Friday's SmackDown drew a 0.8 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, a 0.9 rating in the 25-54 demo, and a 0.5 rating in the 18-34 demographic. Last week's episode drew a 0.7 rating in the 18-49 demo, a 0.9 rating in the 25-54 demo, and a 0.5 rating in the 18-34 demographic.

SmackDown ranked #2 in the 18-49 demographic on network TV this week, after a 7 week run at #1, behind the Democrat Debate on ABC. That show drew a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic. SmackDown also came in at #2 in the 18-34 demo this week, after a 7 week run at the top. The debate drew an 0.8 rating in the demo. SmackDown tied for #4 in the 25-54 demo, with Dateline. The debate topped that demographic with a 1.7 rating while Hawaii Five-O came in second with a 1.1, and MacGyver came in third with a 1.0 rating.

SmackDown came in at #7 for the night in viewership on network TV, behind the debate, Hawaii Five-O, MacGyver, Blue Bloods, Dateline, and Lincoln Rhyme. The debate topped the night in viewership with 7.867 million viewers.

Live PD topped the night on the Cable Top 150 with an 0.53 rating in the 18-49 demographic, and 1.701 million viewers. Hannity topped the night on cable in viewership with 3.811 million viewers, ranking #12 on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.26 rating in the key demo.

Below is our 2020 SmackDown Viewership Tracker:

January 3 Episode: 2.413 million viewers with a 0.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 10 Episode: 2.497 million viewers with a 0.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 17 Episode: 2.562 million viewers with a 0.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 24 Episode: 2.448 million viewers with a 0.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 31 Episode: 2.422 million viewers with a 0.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-Royal Rumble episode)
February 7 Episode: 2.538 million viewers with a 0.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic
February 14 Episode:

2019 Total: 112.530 million viewers
2019 Average: 2.164 million viewers per 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