Analyzing Raw’s Performance Against College Football and Historical Data

The wrestling community eagerly awaited the first episode of Raw after the much-discussed WWE’s Payback pay-per-view. The anticipation was palpable, and the numbers reflected this enthusiasm.

Monday’s Raw episode pulled in an average of 1.70 million viewers, boasting a 0.52 rating in the 18-49 demographic. These figures are commendable, especially when you consider the stiff competition from college football on ESPN. The Duke vs. Clemson game on ESPN was a significant draw, attracting 4.39 million viewers and a 1.32 rating. However, a noteworthy point is the blackout of the game for Charter subscribers, which constitutes about 20% of the cable audience. This blackout meant that the game wasn’t competing with Raw for these homes.

In the cable rankings, USA Network, which airs Raw, secured a spot right behind ESPN, even outperforming all network programming. This achievement is significant, given the competition and the general viewing trends.

Comparing week-on-week data, Raw’s viewership saw a 2% increase, even amidst heightened competition. The 18-49 demographic saw a slight 0.3% rise, while the 18-34 group experienced a 7% boost. Interestingly, despite airing on Labor Day, the second hour didn’t witness a surge in viewership compared to the first. Both hours had almost identical numbers, with the first hour slightly edging out by 8,000 viewers. The third hour, which centered around Gunther’s attempt to shatter the IC title record against Chad Gable, saw the usual drop in viewership.

However, when juxtaposed with the same week from 2022, the episode’s performance seemed a tad subdued. Historically, Raw’s year-on-year comparisons have often shown growth, especially among younger viewers. Yet, this episode experienced a 17% decline in overall viewership year-over-year, an 11% drop in the 18-49 demographic, and a 22% decrease in the 18-34 group. The 18-49 figures align closely with the previous year, accounting for the decline in cable homes, but the total viewership would still be down by 12%. It’s also worth noting that last year’s Raw faced competition from a college football game on ESPN, accessible to almost every Raw-viewing home.

Breaking down the viewership by the hour:
– 8 p.m. saw 1.76 million viewers.
– 9 p.m. maintained the momentum with 1.76 million viewers.
– 10 p.m. experienced a dip with 1.59 million viewers.