WWE Raw Ratings Dip Against NBA Finals Game Five

WWE’s flagship show, Raw, faced a tough challenge going head-to-head against the climactic game five of the NBA Finals. As expected, Raw’s viewership numbers declined, attracting 1.60 million viewers and a 0.46 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

Given the intense competition, the significance of these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt. The show experienced a substantial decline after the first hour, deviating from the recent pattern, as viewers shifted their attention to the Denver Nuggets’ bid to close out the series.

This episode of Raw marked its lowest 18-49 rating since the conclusion of the football season. It will likely remain the lowest until the start of the upcoming football season when Raw will again go head-to-head with major games.

In contrast, the NBA Finals game, broadcast on ABC, dominated television, averaging 13.08 million viewers and securing a 3.98 rating in the 18-49 demographic. Raw claimed the second spot across all of television and topped cable ratings by a significant margin. In comparison, ESPN’s NBA pregame show garnered only 665,000 viewers and a 0.24 rating, placing second.

Raw emerged victorious in all key demographics on cable and ranked 11th in total viewership, surpassed only by news programs.

Compared to the previous week, which also faced competition from an NHL game but not an NBA contest, Raw experienced a 13 percent drop in viewership. The decline was steeper in the 18-49 demographic, down 17 percent, while the 18-34 demographic saw a more modest decline of five percent.

When compared to the same time last year, when Raw also faced off against the NBA Finals (albeit not the final game), viewership decreased by six percent, but the 18-49 demographic increased by seven percent, and the 18-34 demographic witnessed a remarkable 41 percent surge. Adjusting for households that no longer have access to USA Network, the true percentage drops are even, with an increase of 13 percent in 18-49 and an impressive 49 percent surge in 18-34 viewership.

The drop between the first and third hours was particularly notable, likely due to the NBA game. Women aged 18-49 experienced an 18 percent drop, while men aged 18-49 saw a 14 percent decline. Furthermore, women aged 12-34 witnessed a significant 34 percent decrease, men aged 12-34 dropped by 18 percent, and viewers over 50 decreased by 19 percent.

Hourly viewership breakdown:

– 8 p.m.: 1.75 million viewers
– 9 p.m.: 1.60 million viewers
– 10 p.m.: 1.44 million viewers