Originally published at WWE SmackDown tops sports programs without The Rock
Friday Night SmackDown dropped down after last week’s appearance by The Rock while AEW presented its ‘Grand Slam’ edition of Rampage.
The September 22 edition of Friday Night SmackDown averaged 2,227,000 viewers and 822,000 (0.63) in the 18-49 demographic, per Wrestlenomics and Sports TV Ratings.
After last week’s huge audience due to The Rock’s appearance, this week’s episode fell 13% in viewership and 10.5% in the 18-49 audience.
In the key demo, males dropped from 614,000 and 551,000 and women dropped from 304,000 to 271,000.
Adults 18-34 had the largest decline of 17% to 274,000 this week.
Adults 35-49 only fell by 7% with 549,000 viewers.
According to Wrestlenomics, the peak quarter for viewership was from 9 – 9:15 p.m. ET for IYO SKY vs. Asuka and a backstage segment with The Bloodline at 2,370,000 viewers. The peak in the demo was 872,000 viewers for the final quarter involving the attack on AJ Styles and John Cena by Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa.
SmackDown aired against two college football games on cable with North Carolina State vs. Virginia averaging 1,592,000 viewers and 0.38 in the demo on ESPN, and Wisconsin vs. Purdue averaging 1,193,000 viewers and 0.29 on FS 1.
SmackDown was #1 among all sports programming for the day.
In Canada, SmackDown averaged 166,700 viewers and 74,200 in the 25-54 demographic and ranked #5 among sports programs on Friday behind the Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays and a pair of CFL games.
AEW presented a two-hour edition of Rampage for its Grand Slam-themed card from Arthur Ashe Stadium, which was taped two nights prior.
The two-hour version averaged 341,000 viewers and 163,000 (0.12) in the 18-49 demographic.
The first hour had 374,000 viewers and 0.13 while the second hour fell to 309,000 viewers and 0.12.
The two-hour average represented a 2% viewership increase from the week prior and a 34% increase among the key demographic.
In the 18-49 demo, females jumped from 38,000 to 59,000 and males increased from 84,000 and 104,000.
Females were up sizable numbers in the 18-34 and 35-54 demos as well. In the former, they grew 46% and the latter increased by 63% from last week’s one-hour version of Rampage.
Despite the increases, it was only a two-week high for Rampage with the September 8 episode averaging 385,000 viewers and 170,000 in 18-49.
Last year’s Grand Slam episode aired on September 23, 2022, with 522,000 viewers and 222,000 (0.17) over the two hours and peaking for the first hour with 558,000 and 236,000 (0.18) in the demo.
This year’s show was headlined by The Hung Bucks beating Brian Cage & Gates of Agony for the ROH Six-Man tag titles.