Friday’s live WWE SmackDown drew an average of 2.231 million viewers on FOX, according to Nielsen, via Showbuzz Daily.
This final number is down 6.61% from the previous week’s final viewership of 2.389 million viewers.
Friday’s SmackDown drew a 0.53 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is down 14.51% from the previous week’s 0.62 rating. This week’s 0.53 key demo rating represents 691,000 18-49 viewers, which is down 14.05% from the 804,000 18-49 viewers that the previous week’s 0.62 key demo rating drew, according to Wrestlenomics.
It’s important to note that the original numbers for the June 17 SmackDown episode have been updated due to Nielsen under-counting the out-of-home viewing. The numbers for that June 17 episode are 2.389 million viewers, a 0.62 key demo rating and 804,000 key demo viewers, instead of the originally reported 2.290 million viewers, 0.57 key demo rating and 750,000 key demo viewers.
SmackDown ranked #3 in ratings for the key 18-49 demographic on network TV, down from the previous week’s #1 ranking. SmackDown ranked #3 in the 18-34 demo this week, down from the previous week’s #1 ranking. SmackDown ranked #3 in the 25-54 demo, down from the previous week’s #1 ranking. SmackDown came in at #6 for the night in viewership on network TV, down from the previous week’s #2 ranking. The NHL Stanley Cup Finals on ABC topped the night in viewership on network TV with 5.145 million viewers, and in the 18-49 key demo rating with a 1.49.
Friday’s live SmackDown drew better numbers than the show has done in recent months. There was some sports competition from the NHL Stanley Cup Finals on network TV, but it was a fairly normal night on TV. Friday’s viewership was down 6.61% from the previous week’s episode, while the key demo rating was down 14.51% from the previous week’s episode.
Viewership for Friday’s SmackDown episode was up 13.19% from the same week in 2021, while Friday’s 18-49 key demo rating was down 1.85% from the same week in 2021. The 2021 episode was the post-Hell In a Cell show.
Tucker Carlson Tonight on FOX News topped the night on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.23 key demo rating. Tucker Carlson Tonight also topped the night on cable in viewership with 3.255 million viewers.
Friday’s SmackDown aired live from the Moody Center in Austin, TX, with the following line-up advertised – Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn and Shotzi vs. Tamina Snuka in Money In the Bank qualifiers, The Viking Raiders’ return to action, WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther defending against Ricochet in his rematch, plus Drew McIntyre laying out his road to the Undisputed WWE Universal Title. The main event saw Sheamus and Drew McIntyre defeat Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos in a non-title match.
Stay tuned for more ratings data. Below is our 2022 SmackDown Viewership Tracker, along with the Top 10 moments from Friday’s show:
January 7 Episode: 2.271 million viewers with a 0.58 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Day 1 episode)
January 14 Episode: 2.174 million viewers with a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 21 Episode: 2.255 million viewers with a 0.64 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 28 Episode: 2.217 million viewers with a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic
February 4 Episode: 2.151 million viewers with a 0.51 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Royal Rumble episode)
February 11 Episode: 2.231 million viewers with a 0.55 rating in the 18-49 demographic
February 18 Episode: 2.173 million viewers with a 0.54 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Taped episode)
February 25 Episode: 2.114 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Elimination Chamber episode)
March 4 Episode: 2.261 million viewers with a 0.59 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 11 Episode: 2.226 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 18 Episode: 2.147 million viewers with a 0.58 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 25 Episode: 2.180 million viewers with a 0.49 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 1 Episode: 2.359 million viewers with a 0.61 rating in the 18-49 demographic (WrestleMania SmackDown episode)
April 8 Episode: 2.230 million viewers with a 0.60 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-WrestleMania 38 episode)
April 15 Episode: 2.142 million viewers with a 0.48 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 22 Episode: 1.952 million viewers with a 0.47 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 29 Episode: 1.953 million viewers with a 0.38 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Taped episode)
May 6 Episode: 1.998 million viewers with a 0.46 rating in the 18-49 demographic
May 13 Episode: 1.893 million viewers with a 0.40 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-WrestleMania Backlash episode)
May 20 Episode: 2.031 million viewers with a 0.45 rating in the 18-49 demographic
May 27 Episode: 1.878 million viewers with a 0.43 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 3 Episode: 1.939 million viewers with a 0.47 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 10 Episode: 1.914 million viewers with a 0.44 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Hell In a Cell episode)
June 17 Episode: 2.389 million viewers with a 0.62 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 24 Episode: 2.231 million viewers with a 0.53 rating in the 18-49 demographic
July 1 Episode:
2021 Viewership Average: 2.050 million viewers per episode (2,082,154 without Best Of episode)
2021 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.54 rating per episode (0.55 without Best Of episode)
2021 FOX Viewership Average: 2.127 million viewers per episode
2021 FOX 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.56 rating per episode
2021 FS1 Viewership Average: 758,667 viewers per episode (includes Best Of episode; 949,000 without it)
2021 FS1 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.20 rating per episode (includes Best Of episode; 0.27 without it)
2020 Viewership Average: 2.180 million viewers per episode (2 FS1 airings)
2019 Viewership Average: 2.164 million viewers per episode (1 FS1 airing)
2018 Viewership Average: 2.352 million viewers per episode
2017 Viewership Average: 2.546 million viewers per episode
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