As a seasoned wrestling news reporter closely covering the scene, I bring you the latest viewership update on Monday Night RAW. In a scenario that’s becoming increasingly concerning for WWE, the recent RAW episode on the USA Network suffered a dip in the ratings, pulling in an average of 1,391,000 viewers. This shows a considerable decrease from the previous week’s viewership, which amassed an average of 1,476,000 engaged viewers.
Peering into the specifics of the demographic itself, RAW’s latest broadcast scored a 0.43 rating in its primary 18-49 demographic. This, correspondingly, denotes a drop compared to the preceding week’s score of 0.46 in the same demography.
To put matters in an amplified perspective, let’s juxtapose RAW’s numbers with some noteworthy broadcasts that clashed with it. The Monday Night Football game, a head-to-head combat between Las Vegas Raiders and Detroit Lions, outshone wrestling’s flagship show, securing a substantial 8,356,000 viewers on ABC and an additional 6,851,000 pairs of eyes on ESPN.
The 2023 MLB World Series Game 3, a matchup between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks, also provided stiff competition. The game successfully drew 8,126,000 baseball fans to FOX, further showing the stiff competition RAW faces on Monday nights.
Unfortunately, the story of RAW’s steeply declining figures isn’t new. The recent viewership number ranks as the third-lowest of the current year, only surpassed – or technically, undercut – by the broadcasts of September 11th and 18th.
Comparing RAW’s present performance to its past performances can help further illustrate its dwindling state. Flashback to last year, the October 31, 2022, episode of RAW was successful in drawing 1,501,000 viewers and a 0.36 rating. Immediately a week later, the November 1, 2021, Monday Night Raw garnered 1,689,000 viewers and a solid 0.47 rating.
Here’s how the viewership crumbled hour-by-hour for the recent RAW episode:
– 8 PM: 1,466,000 viewers
– 9 PM: 1,450,000 viewers
– 10 PM: 1,256,000 viewers
(Sources: SportsTVRatings)
The drops in viewership are a potent reminder of the challenges RAW faces to remain a compelling spectacle in a crowded tv landscape. Its ability to bounce back next week will be a critical test for the allure of the WWE product.