WWE Raw Ratings Fall Amidst NBA and NHL Playoffs Competition
WWE Raw’s viewership experienced a slight decline for its May 13th episode, facing competition from the heated battles of the NBA and NHL playoffs.
Lowered Overall Audience
The show averaged 1.59 million viewers, a minor decrease of two percent compared to the previous week. This performance placed Raw fourth for the night on cable, trailing behind three playoff games.
Steady Key Demo
Despite the overall decline, Raw’s performance in the coveted 18-49 demographic remained stable. The 0.53 rating it achieved held strong against the NBA games on TNT and Tru and the NHL conference semifinal on ESPN.
- Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: 3.24 million viewers, 1.01 rating (TNT and Tru)
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks: 3.64 million viewers, 1.30 rating (TNT and Tru)
- Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers: 1.83 million viewers, 0.59 rating (ESPN)
Absence of Top Draws
Analysts attribute the drop in viewership to the absence of major draws like Cody Rhodes and C.M. Punk, who have recently been the top performers on the show aside from the legendary The Rock. The third hour of Raw, which featured Gunther vs. Ilja Dragunov, saw a decline in viewership compared to the first two hours.
Year-Over-Year Comparison
Compared to the corresponding episode last year, Raw’s viewership was down by seven percent. However, this should be considered in the context of the lack of NBA competition on that particular week.
Industry Analysis
Industry experts note that the relatively small drop in viewership, combined with the show’s steady performance in the key demo, indicates WWE Raw is holding its ground amidst intense competition from the playoffs.
Fans eagerly anticipate the upcoming episodes of Raw, with the King and Queen of The Ring tournaments reaching their semifinals and a potential title match brewing between Drew McIntyre and the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
also read:What new features were included in the updated Apple Sports app for the NBA and NHL playoffs?
Mehek