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 up 3.72% from the previous week’s final viewership of 2.151 million viewers for the post-Royal Rumble show.
Friday’s SmackDown drew a 0.55 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is up 7.84% from the previous week’s 0.51 rating. This week’s 0.55 key demo rating represents 731,000 18-49 viewers, which is up 9.6% from the 667,000 18-49 viewers that the previous week’s 0.51 key demo rating drew, according to Wrestlenomics.
SmackDown ranked #3 in ratings for the key 18-49 demographic on network TV, down from the previous week’s #2 ranking. SmackDown ranked #2 in the 18-34 demo this week, even with the previous week’s #2 ranking. SmackDown ranked #4 in the 25-54 demo, down from the previous week’s #3 ranking. SmackDown came in at #6 for the night in viewership on network TV, in line with the previous week’s #6 ranking. The Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony on NBC topped the night on network TV in viewership this week with 8.571 million viewers, and in the 18-49 key demographic with a 1.57 rating.
Friday’s SmackDown numbers were pretty normal for recent episodes. The show drew the fourth-lowest audience and second-lowest key demo rating of the year so far. Friday’s viewership was up 3.72% from the previous week’s episode, while the key demo rating was up 7.84% from the previous week’s episode.
Viewership for Friday’s SmackDown episode was up 12% from the same week in 2021, while Friday’s 18-49 key demo rating was down 3.5% from the same week in 2021. The 2021 episode had strong competition from cable news programs as it was the week of President Trump’s second impeachment.
The Winter Olympics coverage at 11pm ET on USA Network topped the night on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.33 key demo rating, drawing 1.233 million viewers. The Five on FOX News topped the night on cable in viewership with 3.382 million viewers, ranking #6 on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.21 key demo rating.
Friday’s live SmackDown from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA had the following line-up advertised ahead of time – Rick Boogs and WWE Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura joining Sami Zayn on his “In-Zayn” show, an appearance by WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg, Natalya vs. Aliyah in a “Dungeon-style showdown”, SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair defending against Naomi, which was the main event, and Ronda Rousey appearing, which came after the main event.
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:
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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