Friday’s live edition of WWE SmackDown drew an average of 2.180 million viewers on FOX, according to Nielsen, via Showbuzz Daily.
This final number is up 1.54% from the previous week’s final viewership of 2.147 million viewers.
Friday’s SmackDown drew a 0.49 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is down 15.51% from the previous week’s 0.58 rating. This week’s 0.49 key demo rating represents 638,000 18-49 viewers, which is down 15.49% from the 755,000 18-49 viewers that the previous week’s 0.58 key demo rating drew, according to Wrestlenomics.
SmackDown ranked #4 in ratings for the key 18-49 demographic on network TV, even with the previous week’s #4 ranking, and tied with Shark Tank on ABC. SmackDown ranked #4 in the 18-34 demo this week, even with the previous week’s #4 ranking. SmackDown ranked #4 in the 25-54 demo, even with the previous week’s #4 ranking. SmackDown came in at #8 for the night in viewership on network TV, even with the previous week’s #8 ranking. The NCAA basketball game between Purdue and Saint Peter’s on CBS topped the night on network TV in viewership this week with 10.181 million viewers, also drawing a key demo rating of 2.26 for the #2 spot. The North Carolina vs. UCLA game topped the night in the 18-49 key demographic with a 2.37 rating, also drawing 8.817 million viewers for the #2 spot.
Friday’s SmackDown drew the lowest key demo rating of the year so far, and the sixth-lowest audience of the year. Friday’s viewership was up 1.54% from the previous week’s episode, while the key demo rating was down 15.51% from the previous week’s episode.
Viewership for Friday’s SmackDown episode was down 0.50% from the same week in 2021, while Friday’s 18-49 key demo rating was down 14.03% from the same week in 2021. The 2021 episode was the post-Fastlane show.
The NCAA Tournament game between Miami and Iowa State on TBS topped the night on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.71 key demo rating, also drawing 2.552 million viewers. The Five on FOX News topped the night on cable in viewership with 3.326 million viewers, also drawing a 0.21 key demo rating.
Friday’s SmackDown aired live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NYC with the just a few happenings advertised ahead of time – appearances by WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Shinsuke Nakamura vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champion Jimmy Uso, plus a Fatal 4 Way with Sasha Banks vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Shayna Baszler vs. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Queen Zelina Vega. The show-closing segment saw Lesnar take out security after chasing The Bloodline away.
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:
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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