Tape-delayed Backlash go home gives SmackDown a small ratings boost

Even with their own Draft kicking off on SmackDown, WWE was no match for the NFL one on April 26. How would the show bounce back from its worst numbers of the year?

According to Wrestlenomics, last Friday’s episode was watched by 2,148,000 viewers and did a .60 rating among 18-49 year old rating. The overall audience was essentially unchanged. The demo number was up more than 3%… which is still one of SmackDown’s lowest ratings of 2024, but per Programming Insider was also good enough to finish first among all broadcast programs on the night.

Even without the NFL Draft, competition is still a big factor at this time of year. Cable numbers aren’t out as of this writing, so we don’t know how big audiences were for the two NBA and one NHL Playoff games that aired in part or full opposite SmackDown. But it’s a safe bet both basketball games were the highest rated programs on TV Friday night, and that the hockey one finished in the top 5-10 on cable.

All told, not a bad showing for the pre-taped Backlash go home. We’ll see how a live fallout edition does this week.

In the meantime… here’s a rundown of the past year’s worth of SmackDown’s numbers:

• May 5. 2023 – 2.06 million viewers / .52 demo rating
• May 12 – 2.15 / .56
• May 19 – 2.13 / .53
• May 26 – 2.16 / .52
• June 2 – 2.56 / .73
• June 9 – 2.28 / .60
• June 16 – 2.43 / .67
• June 23 – 2.35 / .61
• June 30 – 2.51 / .69
• July 7 – 2.56 / .76
• July 14 – 2.31 / .62
• July 21* – 1.23 / .36
• July 28 – 2.32 / .61
• Aug. 4 – 2.25 / .62
• Aug. 11 – 2.1 / .55
• Aug. 18 – 2.09 / .55
• Aug. 25 – 2.65 / .78
• Sept. 1 – 2.44 / .65
• Sept. 8 – 2.09 / .53
• Sept. 15 – 2.57 / .70
• Sept. 22 – 2.23 / .63
• Sept. 29 – 2.30 / .60
• Oct. 6 – 2.32 / .64
• Oct. 13 – 2.42 / .62
• Oct. 20 – 2.25 / .59
• Oct. 28* – 1.15 / .35
• Nov. 3 – 2.12 / .53
• Nov. 10 – 2.2 / .57
• Nov. 17 – 2.21 / .62
• Nov. 24* – 789,000 / .24
• Dec. 1 – 2.04 million / .59
• Dec. 8 – 2.38 / .63
• Dec. 15 – 2.24 / .55
• Dec. 22 – 2.11 / .55
• Dec. 29** – 1.36 / .28
• Jan. 5, 2024 – 2.47 / .67
• Jan. 12 – 2.38 / .64
• Jan. 19 – 2.41 / .62
• Jan. 26 – 2.48 / .71
• Feb. 2 – 2.47 / .74
• Feb. 9 – 2.58 / .75
• Feb. 16 – 2.56 / .75
• Feb. 23 – 2.27 / .62
• Mar. 1 – 2.35 / .64
• Mar. 8 – 2.44 / .69
• Mar. 15 – 2.34 / .68
• Mar. 22 – 2.24 / .61
• Mar. 29 – 2.20 / .60
• April 5 – 2.60 / .77
• April 12 – 2.5 / .76
• April 19 – 2.33 / .63
• April 26 – 2.14 / .58
• May 3 – 2.14 / .60

* Aired on FS1
** “Best of” clip show

For complete results and this week’s SmackDown live blog click here, to read a recap & review of the night’s events click here, and to check out video highlights of the episode click here.