A Boost in Viewership, Yet Short of Expectations – Analyzing the Numbers Behind WWE Raw’s Performance After SummerSlam
WWE Raw’s ratings experienced a noticeable uptick following the SummerSlam event, averaging 1.89 million viewers and drawing a 0.61 rating in the 18-49 demographic. While these numbers would typically be celebrated, the total viewer count fell below expectations, especially when compared to last year’s Raw after SummerSlam, which drew 2.23 million viewers.
Despite the commercial-free first hour and the momentum from one of the year’s biggest shows, WWE Raw still needs to top two million viewers. The 18-49 bump averaged 37 percent over the past three years, but this year, the number was only 14 percent.
The show did see a 7 percent increase in viewers from last week and a 21 percent increase in the 18-34 demographic. However, when compared to the episode after SummerSlam last year, Raw was down 20 percent in viewers, mainly with people over 50.
Interestingly, the first hour’s commercial-free segment created an artificial high, but the dropoff of viewers during the show was minimal. The three hours were distributed as follows: 8 PM – 1.96 million, 9 PM – 1.88 million, 10 PM – 1.82 million.
The numbers reveal a complex picture, reflecting both growth and decline in various segments. The SummerSlam fallout has certainly stirred interest, but the ratings indicate that WWE Raw still has room to grow.
