Friday’s live post-SummerSlam edition of WWE SmackDown drew an average of 2.250 million viewers.
This final number is down 21.71% from the overnight viewership that was released on Saturday morning, which was an average of 2.874 million viewers. This number is up 7.04% from last week’s final SmackDown viewership of 2.102 million viewers.
Friday’s SmackDown drew a 0.59 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is up 3.51% from last week’s 0.57 rating. That 0.59 rating represents 764,000 viewers in the 18-49 key demographic, which is up 3.52% from the 738,000 18-49 viewers from last week.
SmackDown ranked #1 in ratings for the key 18-49 demographic on network TV, for the third week in a row. SmackDown also ranked #1 in the 18-34 demo this week, for the third week in a row, and #1 in the 25-54 demo, for the third week in a row. SmackDown came in at #4 for the night in viewership on network TV. 20/20 on ABC topped the night on network TV in viewership this week with 2.896 million viewers.
AEW Rampage on TNT topped the night on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.34 rating in the 18-49 key demo, drawing just 722,000 viewers. The Five on FOX News topped the night in cable viewership with 3.694 million viewers, ranking #3 on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.28 rating in the key demo.
This appears to be the first time pro wrestling has topped cable and network TV in the same night.
Friday’s SmackDown drew the best audience since the July 16 episode, which was the first episode with live fans back in the crowd. SmackDown drew the second-best key demo rating since that same July 16 episode. Friday’s viewership was up 7.04% from the week before, while the key demo rating was up 3.51% from the week before.
