WWE Smackdown Overnight Numbers Are Out, Tops The Chart With NFL

Bray Wyatt has to be smiling from the skies. On August 25, WWE SmackDown pulled in an average of 2.505 million viewers, indicating an upswing from the preliminary count of 2.233 million viewers on August 18. The viewership tally for the previous Friday, settling at 2.094 million viewers, exhibited a decrease. It’s noteworthy that the broadcasting of NFL preseason football took precedence in specific regions, impacting the viewership of Friday’s WWE SmackDown and contributing to a decline in the final viewership numbers for the past two weeks.

During the Friday broadcast, the show secured a 0.71 rating in the 18–49 demographic, securing the leading position for the night among cable programs. This rating showcases a substantial increase compared to the preliminary rating of 0.53 from the prior Friday. The ultimate rating on August 18 was gauged at 0.55.

Importantly, WWE SmackDown paid tribute to the late Bray Wyatt and Terry Funk, both of whom tragically passed away earlier in the same week.

In addition, the prominent programmes of WWE delivered impressive ratings during the concluding week of August 14th to August 20th.

The previous Smackdown, which featured Edge’s 25th anniversary celebration along with hints of it possibly marking his farewell match, secured the fourth position among network TV shows in the 18-49 demographic. Throughout the entire week, it was bested only by three episodes of Big Brother.

It’s worth noting that Smackdown’s viewership declined for the second consecutive week due to pre-emptions caused by NFL preseason coverage.

While Smackdown has consistently remained near the pinnacle of the ratings for several weeks, it has been unable to secure the top spot despite its dominance on Fridays. However, its chances of clinching the No. 1 position will diminish during the football season, as regular-season NFL games will take precedence on television.

As for Raw, it claimed the top position among cable shows for the past week, surpassing numerous NFL preseason games. The UFC PPV prelims on Saturday, showcasing the return of Chris Weidman, achieved third place for the week and secured the leading spot for that night. AEW Dynamite held the 13th position, trailing behind Raw, UFC, Sunday Night Baseball, two entertainment shows, and seven NFL games or interludes on the NFL Network.

AEW’s categorization has been changed by WBD to entertainment from sports, aligning with how FOX and USA classify their shows. In the entertainment rankings, Raw took the lead, followed by Sister Wars in second place, 90 Day Fiancé in third, and AEW Dynamite in fourth. With this, the ratings war may just be back again.