WWE® SMACKDOWN, RAW & NXT SCORE VIEWERSHIP GAINS IN KEY 18-49 ADVERTISING DEMO AHEAD OF WRESTLEMANIA XL
Ratings Surge Ahead of Biggest Event
WWE’s flagship weekly programs, SmackDown, Raw, and NXT, are seeing a surge in viewership among the key P18-49 advertising demographic as the company builds towards its biggest event of the year, WrestleMania XL. Taking place in Philadelphia on April 6-7, WrestleMania XL is poised to be a major draw for WWE.
Friday Night SmackDown on FOX
SmackDown has been a consistent performer for WWE on Friday nights, attracting a significant audience. In Q1 2024, SmackDown averaged 892K total viewers among P18-49, a 15 percent increase from the previous year. The show has also been the top-rated program among P18-49 audiences on Friday broadcasts for 11 out of the first 12 weeks of the quarter. Notably, the February 16th episode of SmackDown drew 985K viewers among P18-49, making it the most-watched broadcast program in primetime for the entire week.
Monday Night Raw on USA Network
Raw, WWE’s flagship show on Monday nights, has also seen a viewership increase. In Q1 2024, Raw averaged 733K total viewers among P18-49, a six percent gain year-over-year. Raw has ranked No. 1 among P18-49 audiences on Monday cable for nine of the 13 weeks of the quarter. The return of Pat McAfee to the commentary table on the January 29th episode was a major draw, delivering 811K total viewers among P18-49 and easily ranking No. 1 on cable.
NXT on SyFy
NXT, WWE’s developmental brand, has also experienced a surge in viewership. In Q1 2024, NXT was up 31 percent among P18-49 compared to the previous year. This growth is a testament to the compelling storylines and talented wrestlers featured on NXT.
“These ratings are a testament to our creative team, production crew, and all of the WWE Superstars that work together week in and week out to produce these impressive results,” said WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque.
Upcoming Platform Changes
All three shows, SmackDown, Raw, and NXT, are set to move to new platforms in the U.S. over the next year. In October 2024, SmackDown will shift to USA Network, while NXT will debut on CW. In January 2025, Raw will make a groundbreaking move to Netflix. These platform changes are expected to further expand WWE’s reach and attract new viewers.
WrestleMania XL on Peacock
WrestleMania XL, the biggest event in WWE’s calendar, will be available to stream exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. Peacock is a streaming service from NBCUniversal that offers a wide range of content, including WWE Network. WrestleMania XL promises to be an unforgettable event, featuring the best wrestlers in the world competing in high-stakes matches.
About WWE
WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), is a global leader in sports entertainment that delivers original content to audiences worldwide. WWE’s content includes televised programming, premium live events, digital media, and publishing platforms.
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