WWE SmackDown Viewership Down From The Previous Week, Key Demo Rating Up
Friday's live edition of WWE SmackDown drew an average of 2.147 million viewers on FOX, according to Nielsen, via Showbuzz Daily.
This final number is down 3.54% from the previous week's final viewership of 2.226 million viewers.
Friday's SmackDown drew a 0.58 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is up 1.75% from the previous week's 0.57 rating. This week's 0.58 key demo rating represents 755,000 18-49 viewers, which is up 1.34% from the 745,000 18-49 viewers that the previous week's 0.57 key demo rating drew, according to Wrestlenomics.
SmackDown ranked #4 in ratings for the key 18-49 demographic on network TV, down from the previous week's #1 ranking, and the end of a three-week run at #1. SmackDown ranked #4 in the 18-34 demo this week, down from the previous week's #1 ranking, and the end of a three-week run at #1. SmackDown ranked #4 in the 25-54 demo, down from the previous week's #3 ranking. SmackDown came in at #8 for the night in viewership on network TV, down from the previous week's #7 ranking. The NCAA basketball game between Michigan State and Davidson on CBS topped the night on network TV in viewership this week with 4.957 million viewers, and in the 18-49 key demo rating with a 1.38.
Friday's SmackDown tied with the January 7 post-Day 1 edition of SmackDown for the third-best key demo rating of the year. The episode was the second-lowest of the year so far. Friday's viewership was down 3.54% from the previous week's episode, while the key demo rating was up 1.75% from the previous week's episode.
Viewership for Friday's SmackDown episode was up 2.58% from the same week in 2021, while Friday's 18-49 key demo rating was up 1.75% from the same week in 2021.
The NCAA Tournament game between Chattanooga and Illinois on TNT topped the night on the Cable Top 150 with a 1.07 key demo rating. The Chattanooga vs. Illinois NCAA game also topped the night on cable in viewership with 3.470 million viewers.
Friday's SmackDown aired live from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC with the just a few happenings advertised ahead of time – WWE Champion Brock Lesnar will collide with WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Naomi and Sasha Banks vs. Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan, Drew McIntyre and The Viking Raiders vs. Happy Baron Corbin, Madcap Moss and Jinder Mahal, plus Kofi Kingston vs. Ridge Holland, which was technically the main event. The show-closing segment was a brawl between Ronda Rousey and SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair.
Stay tuned for more ratings data. Below is our 2022 SmackDown Viewership Tracker, along with the Top 10 moments from Friday's show:
January 7 Episode: 2.271 million viewers with a 0.58 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Day 1 episode)
January 14 Episode: 2.174 million viewers with a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 21 Episode: 2.255 million viewers with a 0.64 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 28 Episode: 2.217 million viewers with a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic
February 4 Episode: 2.151 million viewers with a 0.51 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Royal Rumble episode)
February 11 Episode: 2.231 million viewers with a 0.55 rating in the 18-49 demographic
February 18 Episode: 2.173 million viewers with a 0.54 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Taped episode)
February 25 Episode: 2.114 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Elimination Chamber episode)
March 4 Episode: 2.261 million viewers with a 0.59 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 11 Episode: 2.226 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 18 Episode: 2.147 million viewers with a 0.58 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 25 Episode:
2021 Viewership Average: 2.050 million viewers per episode (2,082,154 without Best Of episode)
2021 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.54 rating per episode (0.55 without Best Of episode)
2021 FOX Viewership Average: 2.127 million viewers per episode
2021 FOX 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.56 rating per episode
2021 FS1 Viewership Average: 758,667 viewers per episode (includes Best Of episode; 949,000 without it)
2021 FS1 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.20 rating per episode (includes Best Of episode; 0.27 without it)
2020 Viewership Average: 2.180 million viewers per episode (2 FS1 airings)
2019 Viewership Average: 2.164 million viewers per episode (1 FS1 airing)
2018 Viewership Average: 2.352 million viewers per episode
2017 Viewership Average: 2.546 million viewers per episode