Factors Behind the Unexpected Drop in Ratings
Summary
– The December 1st episode of WWE SmackDown experienced unusually low viewership.
– The episode featured significant moments, including Logan Paul’s return and Randy Orton’s exclusive deal with the brand.
– The low ratings were attributed to the Oregon-Washington NFL game, which drew away a significant portion of SmackDown’s audience.
The December 1st episode of WWE SmackDown, broadcast live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, saw a surprising dip in viewership. Despite featuring key moments like the return of United States Champion Logan Paul and the highly anticipated blue brand return of Randy Orton, the show only garnered an overnight average viewership of 2,044,000 viewers with a 0.59 in the coveted P18-49 demographic. This marked SmackDown’s lowest total viewership on Fox since August 2022.
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio addressed the reasons behind this decline in viewership. He pointed out that the Oregon-Washington NFL game, which took place on the same night, was a significant factor. The game attracted over 9 million viewers, pulling away many of SmackDown’s regular audience. This clash with a major sporting event led to the lower-than-usual ratings for SmackDown.
WWE has several plans for the upcoming episodes of Friday Night SmackDown, including a Tributes to the Troops edition. It remains to be seen how these episodes fare in viewership, especially in the absence of competing major sports events.
The December 1st episode’s viewership anomaly highlights the impact of external factors like major sporting events on wrestling shows’ ratings. It also underscores the challenge WWE faces in maintaining consistent viewership in a competitive entertainment landscape.
