WWE Raw ratings hit hard by return of Monday Night Football

Raw took a bigger hit than expected from the NFL season opener last night, averaging 1.71 million viewers, drawing a 0.44 rating in 18-49, and drawing a 0.31 in 18-34.

The Denver Broncos vs Seattle Seahawks game was simulcast on ABC, ESPN, and with a Manningcast on ESPN2. Between the stations, it did 19.79 million viewers, far higher than MNF is expected to average under normal circumstances, with a 5.59 rating in 18-49.

The Emmy Awards on NBC did 5.92 million viewers and a 1.09 in 18-49.

Raw placed seventh for the night on cable, behind the ESPN broadcast, the ESPN2 broadcast, the pre- and post-game shows and the SportsCenter episode after the game.

Raw was fifth in women 18-49 (including behind Love & Hip Hop Atlanta and three NFL-related shows), seventh in men 18-49, sixth in 18-34, fourth in women 12-34, and seventh in men 12-34.

Raw was 13th among total viewers behind three NFL-related shows and nine news shows.

Raw was down 17 percent in viewers, down 25 percent in 18-49, and down 26 percent in 18-34 from last week. Numbers were still better than against last year’s MNF season opener, as this year’s Raw was up two percent in viewers, up three percent in 18-49, and up 15 percent in 18-34.

The third hour dropped 16 percent from the second hour. That hour was built around Edge vs. Dominik Mysterio.

As far as the first-to-third hour audience drops, they were 17 percent with women 18-49, 13 percent with men 18-49, and 13 percent with people over 50.

The three hours were:

• 8 p.m. 1.78 million viewers
• 9 p.m. 1.82 million viewers
• 10 p.m. 1.53 million viewers