WWE Raw ratings down against NBA and NHL playoffs
Going against both the NBA and NHL playoffs, Raw not unexpectedly dropped to 1.58 million viewers, among the lower numbers in the show’s history.
The show did a 0.38 rating in the 18-49 demo, also one of the lowest in history. The record low on USA is a 0.35, which was set on December 6 of last year against the NFL.
Raw was still fourth for the night behind two NBA playoff games and post-game coverage on TNT. The 76ers vs. Heat game against the first two hours of Raw did 3.82 million viewers and a 1.28 in 18-49. The game against the third hour did 3.94 million viewers and a 1.38 in 18-49.
Raw was 18th in total viewers, behind only the two NBA games and news shows.
ESPN carried the NHL playoffs as Boston vs. Carolina in the early game did 857,000/0.29 and St. Louis vs. Minnesota in the late game did 626,000/0.22.
Raw was seventh in women 18-49, fourth in men 18-49, fifth in 18-34 (losing to the Boston vs. Carolina NHL game), fourth in women 12-34, and sixth in men 12-34.
As compared to last week, Raw was down two percent with viewers, down 14 percent in 18-49, and down 18 percent in 18-34.
As compared to one year ago, when the show didn’t go against either the NBA or NHL playoffs, Raw was down 16 percent in viewers, down 28 percent in 18-49, and down 31 percent in 18-34.
Raw’s usual top competition for women, Below Deck, didn’t air last night, but besides the NBA, new competition came from Summer House on Bravo and 90 Day Single Life on TLC.
Raw’s second hour beat the first hour and there was a third-hour drop, but the drop was below normal levels, so it wasn’t the show turning off the audience past the normal pattern.
The first-to-third hour drops were 13 percent with women, two percent with men 18-49, teenage girls actually gained 29 percent, and teenage boys lost 12 percent.
The three hours were:
- 8 p.m. 1.62 million viewers
- 9 p.m. 1.65 million viewers
- 10 p.m. 1.47 million viewers