WWE Raw hurt by sizable dropout in the third hour

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Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2020/07/28/wwe-raw-hurt-by-sizable-dropout-in-the-third-hour/

WWE Raw failed to see much movement in his total audience number this week and was hampered by a low third-hour drop across the board.

Monday’s episode that was promoted around Extreme Rules matches between Drew McIntyre and Asuka vs. Sasha Banks averaged 1,617,000 viewers and did a 0.48 in the 18-49 demographic.

Viewership was down 0.7% and the main demographic rose by 4.3% compared with last week’s numbers. Their overall viewership average would be the second-lowest of modern history replacing last week’s numbers but still above the figure of 1,561,000 on July 13th.

The show opened with 1,699,000 viewers in the first hour and fell a small margin to 1,688,000 in the second hour before a drop of 13.3% in the third hour to 1,463,000 viewers.

The third hour total would be the lowest-watched hour of Raw in modern history and featured the two big matches that had been advertised throughout the week.

WWE Raw finished 3rd, 4th, and 7th among Monday’s cable programming

Across the key demographics, there were no declines with adults 18-34 increasing by 30% this week from a 0.20 rating last week to a 0.26. Males 12-34 increased by 12.5% and both males 12-34 and males 18-49 improved by 7%.

It was hour three that killed the show with the low average. From the first to the third hour, the female 12-34 audience dropped by a staggering 58%, followed by an enormous loss of 47% among adults 18-34, and males 12-34 dropping 34% in the last hour of the show.

In the 18-49 demo, the third hour fell by 21%.

Once again, the audience that stuck with the show was adults over 50, which were up by 1.25% from last week but fell by 7% in the third hour.

Unlike previous weeks, they did not promote any matches or segments for next week’s episode of Raw, which will be taped next Monday.

Here is a breakdown of the key demos and comparisons between the first and third hours:

ADULTS 18-49
This week: 0.48 (+4.3%)
Hour 1-3: -21%

FEMALES 18-49
This week: 0.32 (Even)
Hour 1-3: -28%

MALES 18-49
This week: 0.64 (+7%)
Hour 1-3: -16%

ADULTS 18-34
This week: 0.26 (+30%)
Hour 1-3: -47%

FEMALES 12-34
This week: 0.15 (+7%)
Hour 1-3: -58%

MALES 12-34
This week: 0.27 (+12.5%)
Hour 1-3: -34%

ADULTS 25-54
This week: 0.60 (+3%)
Hour 1-3: -18.5%

ADULTS 50+
This week: 0.81 (+1.25%)
Hour 1-3: -7%

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I have never watched RAW live because I live in the UK. I cannot fathom how someone could watch 3 hours with advertisements non stop every monday. It’s way too demanding. That third hour is deadly.

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“Only the key demo matters”…

So I guess it’s a step forward for Raw. :upside_down_face:

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After listening to Rewind-A-Raw this week, all I want is Randy Orton to open the show next week and actually break down the ratings.

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So, time to cut out the third hour? It’s just too much.

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There are plenty of fans out there that enjoy WWE, with that said, I have never heard a single one say that Raw needs to be 3 hours. I dont think anyone enjoys the third hour.

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This is honestly beginning to intrigue me. The network has to know. That or they have 0 insight on the product quality (which really could be the case, network execs don’t often care).

I wonder what’s more lucrative in the long-run -
A) The steady third out every week for advertising they currently have.
B) Cutting that hour, really focusing on the quality of the product, and hoping a drastic change brings more eyes they can advertise to.

I’d assume A, since it’s easier. But, I mean this time next year, they could loss another 500k. Who knows.

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It would be a step forward if Raw was up against strong competition on cable. 90 Day Fiancé is turning out to be a strong show and now owns the top spot, when there is not a news crisis.

If and when football and basketball return the impact on WWE may be more noticeable.

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Good! Keep em coming!

One more thing: it’s not about the length of the show, it’s about what are you doing with said length. This company is BURSTING with talent and they can’t figure out what to do with them or how to get them over. It’s infuriating.

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True but as I said, trying to watch 3 hours live with the ads is a huge effort (at least for me it would be).

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I absolutely get you and totally agree, but I’d argue that my point still stays, no matter what.

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I think rooting for them to fail is pretty counterproductive.

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Maybe, but I don’t root against them per se - I’m rooting against their model. They needed to sober years ago. Now let them suffer. The sound the slap the better in my book.

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Well at the end of the day I think it’s one thing to see these trends and understand there’s a problem with the system. Obviously, they deserve poor ratings for a product in decline after decades of neglect from up top. Just seems more productive to have a dialogue on what they can do to be better, versus being a cheerleader for doomsday,

Just seemed a bit malicious in tone. Lots of people do work there who are impacted by Vince McMahon’s decisions. And the more Raw declines, the more the rest of the industry suffers. Fair or not, Raw and SD are the trendsetter for the industry.

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Dude, fans are trying to have dialogue with them for years. And we are where we are because they listen so much.

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Ive been an advocate of cutting that third hour for years but I’m not sure it matter anymore.

The team running raw might just suck

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Keep in mind, doesnt matter what the team does or writes, it all goes through Vince. They have to write for him.

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Ding ding ding

I both like and respect Vince McMahon, but he simply lost touch.

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I still have no confidence in the team or committee or whatever

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You’re missing the point. To actively root for a company to fail just seems counterproductive. They’re getting what they deserve, yes. But, if Raw ever reaches a point that they really are doomed, the whole industry in North America is severely impacted.

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