WWE SmackDown Draws Lowest Viewership Since July, Beats NBA Playoff Game In Key Demo
Friday's live edition of WWE SmackDown drew an average of 1.952 million viewers on FOX, according to Nielsen, via Showbuzz Daily.
This final number is down 8.87% from the previous week's final viewership of 2.142 million viewers.
Friday's SmackDown drew a 0.47 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is down 2.08% from the previous week's 0.48 rating. This week's 0.47 key demo rating represents 613,000 18-49 viewers, which is down 1.60% from the 623,000 18-49 viewers that the previous week's 0.48 key demo rating drew, according to Wrestlenomics.
SmackDown ranked #1 in ratings for the key 18-49 demographic on network TV, up from the previous week's #2 ranking. SmackDown ranked #2 in the 18-34 demo this week, down from the previous week's #1 ranking. SmackDown ranked #2 in the 25-54 demo, down from the previous week's #1 ranking. SmackDown came in at #5 for the night in viewership on network TV, up from the previous week's #6 ranking. While SmackDown topped the night on network TV in the key demographic this week with the 0.47 rating, Dateline on NBC topped the night on network TV in viewership with 4.002 million viewers, also drawing a key demo rating of 0.46 for the #2 spot.
Friday's SmackDown drew the lowest audience and key demo rating for a FOX episode since July 2, 2021. SmackDown topped the NBA Playoff game on ABC, but not the game on ESPN. Friday's viewership was down 8.87% from the previous week's episode, while the key demo rating was down 2.08% from the previous week's episode.
Viewership for Friday's SmackDown episode was down 8% from the same week in 2021, while Friday's 18-49 key demo rating was down 13% from the same week in 2021. The 2021 episode also had NBA competition, but only from the regular season.
The NBA game between the Suns and the Pelicans on ESPN topped the night on the Cable Top 150 with a 1.16 key demo rating, also drawing 3.174 million viewers. The Five on FOX News topped the night on cable in viewership with 3.274 million viewers, also drawing a key demo rating of 0.21.
Friday's SmackDown aired live from the MVP Arena in Albany, NY with the just a few happenings advertised ahead of time – Madcap Moss vs. Angel, RAW Tag Team Champion Riddle vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champion Jey Uso, a WrestleMania Backlash contract signing for the I Quit Match between Ronda Rousey and SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair, plus Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn in a Lumberjack Match, which was the main event.
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: 2.180 million viewers with a 0.49 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 1 Episode: 2.359 million viewers with a 0.61 rating in the 18-49 demographic (WrestleMania SmackDown episode)
April 8 Episode: 2.230 million viewers with a 0.60 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-WrestleMania 38 episode)
April 15 Episode: 2.142 million viewers with a 0.48 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 22 Episode: 1.952 million viewers with a 0.47 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 29 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