Friday’s live post-Hell In a Cell edition of WWE SmackDown drew an average of 1.914 million viewers on FOX, according to Nielsen, via Showbuzz Daily.
This final number is down 1.28% from the previous week’s final viewership of 1.939 million viewers for the Hell In a Cell go-home show.
Friday’s SmackDown drew a 0.44 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is down 6.38% from the previous week’s 0.47 rating. This week’s 0.44 key demo rating represents 574,000 18-49 viewers, which is down 6.36% from the 613,000 18-49 viewers that the previous week’s 0.47 key demo rating drew, according to Wrestlenomics.
SmackDown ranked #4 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, even with the previous week’s #3 ranking. SmackDown ranked #5 in the 25-54 demo, down from the previous week’s #2 ranking. SmackDown came in at #8 for the night in viewership on network TV, down from the previous week’s #7 ranking. The NBA Finals on ABC at 8:55pm dominated the night on network TV with 12.063 million viewers for the #1 spot in network TV viewership, and a whopping 3.63 rating for the #1 spot in the 18-49 key demographic, a 2.84 rating for the #1 spot in the 18-34 demo, and a 4.20 for the #1 spot in the 25-54 demographic.
Friday’s live SmackDown drew the fifth-lowest audience in the history of the show on FOX for non-FS1 episodes, and the fourth-lowest key demo rating, tied with one other episode. The show had major sports competition from the NBA Finals on network TV this week, but it was a fairly normal night on network TV. Friday’s viewership was down 1.28% from the previous week’s episode, while the key demo rating was down 6.38% from the previous week’s episode.
Viewership for Friday’s SmackDown episode was down 1.54% from the same week in 2021, while Friday’s 18-49 key demo rating was down 8.33% from the same week in 2021.
Tucker Carlson Tonight on FOX News topped the night on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.22 key demo rating. Tucker Carlson Tonight also topped the night on cable in viewership with 3.135 million viewers.
Friday’s post-Hell In a Cell edition of SmackDown aired live from the Raising Cane’s River Center Arena in Baton Rouge, LA, with the following line-up advertised – fallout from Hell In a Cell, Ricochet defending the WWE Intercontinental Title against new champion Gunther, Lacey Evans returns vs. Xia Li in a Women’s Money In the Bank Ladder Match qualifier, and Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus in a Men’s Money In the Bank Ladder Match qualifier. The main event ended up being Riddle vs. Sami Zayn with Riddle winning to earn this week’s title match from Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
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:
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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