8 months ago
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It's been up, up, and up for "WWE SmackDown" viewership this WrestleMania season, ever since The Rock returned in January, kicking off buildup to him and Roman Reigns facing Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40, Night One. But after weeks of standard competition, "SmackDown" was against it last Friday, with Rock taking the night off and the show going up against first-round matchups in the NCAA "March Madness" basketball tournament.
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Both factors appear to have taken their toll. Wrestlenomics and Programming Insider report that Friday's "SmackDown" drew 2.235 million total viewers, and 0.61 in the coveted 18-49 demographic. Both numbers were down from the previous week, with total viewership falling only 4% from 2.340 million, while 18-49 saw a slightly bigger dip, dropping 10% from 0.61. Friday's "SmackDown" represents the lowest the show has drawn in either total viewership or the key demo since December 29, when a "Best-of-2023" edition drew only 1.355 million and 0.28 in 18-49.
"SmackDown's" problems began lower than usual viewership to begin the show, with the opening match between Santos Escobar and Rey Mysterio drawing 2.19 million and 0.58 in 18-49. The numbers would set the trend almost the rest of the way, with QH's 2 through 7 drawing between 2.08 and 2.29 million and 0.57 and 0.62 in 18-49, with QH6 serving as the low point for total viewership, and QH3 serving as the low point for 18-49.
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Both total viewership and 18-49 were ultimately salvaged by the final segment of the show, which saw Rhodes and Reigns, scheduled to face each other for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on Night Two of WrestleMania, have a face-to-face meeting. Their segment drew 2.51 million and 0.69 (908K viewers) in 18-49, easily besting every other segment on the show.
