SmackDown’s Viewership Rises as the Show Pays Homage to Bray Wyatt and Terry Funk

WWE SmackDown witnessed a significant rise in its overnight ratings and viewership for the week of August 25, 2023. The episode aired last night was particularly special as it shifted its focus to pay tribute to the late wrestling icons Terry Funk and Bray Wyatt, who tragically passed away on Thursday. The preliminary numbers indicate that the show garnered an average of 2.505 million viewers across its two-hour slot. This is a notable increase from the previous week’s viewership of 2.233 million. However, it’s worth noting that last week’s final audience count was affected by the NFL preseason game coverage and other preemptions, resulting in a final tally of 2.094 million viewers. The overnight rating for the key demographic (P18-49) was 0.71, a rise from the previous week’s preliminary rating of 0.53.

The heartfelt tributes to Bray Wyatt and Terry Funk undoubtedly played a significant role in drawing viewers, reflecting the wrestling community’s deep respect and admiration for these legends.