WWE Raw experienced a significant ratings boost with its highly anticipated World Heavyweight title defense, marking the first time such a match took place on Raw in nearly two years.
Aside from the absence of the NBA playoff competition, Raw garnered 1.83 million viewers and a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic during its latest episode. This impressive performance propelled Raw to claim the top spot for the night, surpassing the Stanley Cup playoff game between the Las Vegas Golden Knights and the Florida Panthers on TNT. While the hockey game surpassed Raw in total viewership and 18-49 viewership, Raw still emerged victorious for the night in all of television among English and Spanish network programming.
In terms of cable rankings, Raw secured the third position for the night in total viewership, surpassed only by The Five and Rachel Maddow. This is a notable achievement, considering Raw’s performance usually faces stiff competition from Fox News during prime time.
Compared to the previous week, Raw experienced a 13% increase in viewership due to the absence of NBA playoffs, along with a 6% rise in the 18-49 demographic and a 5% increase in the 18-34 demographic. When comparing the numbers to the same period last year, Raw saw a 2% decline in viewership but a 7% rise in the 18-49 demographic, and an impressive 18% surge in the 18-34 demographic. Adjusting for the decline in cable households over the past year, the actual percentage gains were 4% in viewership, 14% in the 18-49 demographic, and 25% in the 18-34 demographic.
The World Heavyweight title match between Seth Rollins and Damian Priest helped maintain a strong audience throughout the third hour. Instead of the typical decline in viewership from the first to the third hour, the third hour of Raw experienced a 9% increase among women 18-49, a 3% increase among men 18-49, a 5% increase among women 12-34, a 5% increase among men 12-34, and only an 8% decline among viewers over 50.
Competing against Raw, the College Softball World Series game between Florida State and Tennessee garnered 1.32 million viewers and a 0.28 rating.
Hourly breakdown for Raw:
– 8 p.m.: 1.83 million viewers
– 9 p.m.: 1.90 million viewers
– 10 p.m.: 1.76 million viewers
