The honeymoon period between WWE Raw and Netflix appears to be officially over. After experiencing a massive surge following WrestleMania 40, the red brand has found itself trapped in a concerning viewership decline that’s raising questions about its streaming performance and drawing scrutiny from industry insiders.
The Post-Mania Crash Hits Hard
Raw’s journey on Netflix tells a tale of two very different chapters. The show’s April post-WrestleMania episode delivered explosive numbers that had everyone talking. But that momentum proved fleeting as the weekly episodic grind took its toll.
What followed was a steady erosion of those impressive gains. Week after week, Raw’s global audience began shrinking back toward pre-WrestleMania levels. The decline didn’t stop there, continuing its downward trajectory until hitting a concerning low point.
Record Low Numbers Paint Troubling Picture
The May 26 episode marked a particularly dark moment for Raw’s Netflix era. That show registered the lowest global viewership and total hours watched since WWE’s flagship program made its streaming debut. The numbers were stark enough to raise red flags throughout the wrestling industry.
Industry analyst Dave Meltzer has consistently questioned Netflix’s reported Raw viewership data. His skepticism reached new heights following the May 26 figures, adding another layer of controversy to an already challenging situation.
Signs of Life in Early June
The June 2 episode offered a glimmer of hope amid the concerning trend. According to Wrestlenomics data, Raw managed to climb back to 2.7 million global views over the tracking week. While this represented an improvement from the previous week’s dismal performance, it hardly constituted a full recovery.
The episode’s viewership numbers tied with May 12 and May 19 episodes for the second-lowest global audience since Raw’s Netflix launch. Similarly, total hours viewed recovered to 5 million after bottoming out at 4.8 million the week prior, but again matched May 19 for second-worst performance.
Netflix Rankings Tell Mixed Story
Raw’s performance within Netflix’s own ranking systems presents a complex picture. Despite the May 26 episode’s poor overall numbers, the show actually climbed Netflix’s global Top 10, moving from ninth to sixth place. This counterintuitive result highlights the challenges in interpreting streaming metrics.
However, that brief rankings boost proved temporary. The June 2 episode saw Raw slide back down to eighth place globally, suggesting the previous week’s improvement was an anomaly rather than a trend.
Domestically, Raw has found more stability within Netflix’s U.S. rankings. The show maintained its fourth-place position for consecutive weeks, indicating a more consistent American audience even as global numbers fluctuated.
Industry Questions Mount
The ongoing viewership struggles have intensified discussions about Netflix’s transparency regarding Raw’s performance. Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer continues to express skepticism about the reported figures, questioning whether the numbers accurately reflect Raw’s true streaming success.
This scrutiny comes at a crucial time for WWE’s Netflix partnership. The streaming giant made a massive investment in securing Raw’s rights, and early returns suggest the audience behavior differs significantly from traditional television viewership patterns.
As Raw continues navigating this post-WrestleMania adjustment period, the coming weeks will prove crucial in determining whether the show can recapture its early Netflix momentum or if these declining numbers represent the new normal. Will WWE need to dramatically reshape Raw’s format to better suit streaming audiences, or are these growing pains simply part of the platform transition process?
