WWE Smackdown viewership/rating for last Friday

Friday’s live edition of WWE SmackDown drew an average of 2.535 million viewers on FOX, according to Nielsen, via Showbuzz Daily.

This final number is up 14.6% from the previous week’s final viewership of 2.212 million viewers.

Friday’s SmackDown drew a 0.62 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is up 24% from the previous week’s 0.50 rating. This past week’s 0.62 key demo rating represents 819,000 18-49 viewers, which is up 25.61% from the 652,000 18-49 viewers that the previous week’s 0.50 key demo rating drew, according to Wrestlenomics.

SmackDown ranked #1 in ratings for the key 18-49 demographic on network TV, even with the previous week’s #1 ranking, and the nine weeks before that. SmackDown ranked #1 in the 18-34 demo this week, up from the previous week’s #3 ranking. SmackDown ranked #1 in the 25-54 demo, even with the previous week’s #1 ranking, and the twelve weeks before that. SmackDown came in at #4 for the night in viewership on network TV, which is up from the previous week’s #6 ranking. While SmackDown topped the night on network TV in the key demographic, Shark Tank on ABC topped the night in viewership with 3.792 million viewers, also drawing a 0.48 key demo rating.

Friday’s SmackDown drew the highest total audience of the year so far, the highest key demo viewership since January 21, and was tied with the June 24 and July 22 episodes for the second-highest key demo rating of the year so far. Friday’s SmackDown drew the highest total audience since the 3.303 million viewers that the taped show drew on December 25, 2020 with a strong Christmas lead-in from the NFL. Without including the Christmas 2020 episode with the NFL lead-in, Friday’s SmackDown drew the highest total audience since March 20, 2020, which was the second empty arena episode during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sports competition from Friday night included College Football on ESPN and Top Rank Boxing on ESPN, plus AEW Rampage, and ratings for Rampage can be found here. Friday’s viewership was up 14.6% from the previous week’s episode, while the key demo rating was up 24% from the previous week’s episode.

Viewership for Friday’s SmackDown episode was up 18.74% from the same week in 2021, while Friday’s 18-49 key demo rating was up 12.72% from the same week in 2021.

The Virginia vs. Syracuse College Football game on ESPN topped the night on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.42 key demo rating, also drawing 1.792 million viewers. The Five on FOX News topped the night on cable in viewership with 2.906 million viewers, also drawing a 0.16 key demo rating.

Friday’s SmackDown aired live from the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, UT, with the following line-up advertised ahead of time – Otis vs. Braun Strowman, an appearance by Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, plus Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos defending against Ridge Holland and Butch, which was the main event.

Stay tuned for more ratings data. Below is our 2022 SmackDown Viewership Tracker, along with the Top 10 moments from Friday’s show:
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January 7 Episode: 2.271 million viewers with a 0.58 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Day 1 episode)
January 14 Episode: 2.174 million viewers with a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 21 Episode: 2.255 million viewers with a 0.64 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 28 Episode: 2.217 million viewers with a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic
February 4 Episode: 2.151 million viewers with a 0.51 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Royal Rumble episode)
February 11 Episode: 2.231 million viewers with a 0.55 rating in the 18-49 demographic
February 18 Episode: 2.173 million viewers with a 0.54 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Taped episode)
February 25 Episode: 2.114 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Elimination Chamber episode)
March 4 Episode: 2.261 million viewers with a 0.59 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 11 Episode: 2.226 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 18 Episode: 2.147 million viewers with a 0.58 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 25 Episode: 2.180 million viewers with a 0.49 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 1 Episode: 2.359 million viewers with a 0.61 rating in the 18-49 demographic (WrestleMania SmackDown episode)
April 8 Episode: 2.230 million viewers with a 0.60 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-WrestleMania 38 episode)
April 15 Episode: 2.142 million viewers with a 0.48 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 22 Episode: 1.952 million viewers with a 0.47 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 29 Episode: 1.953 million viewers with a 0.38 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Taped episode)
May 6 Episode: 1.998 million viewers with a 0.46 rating in the 18-49 demographic
May 13 Episode: 1.893 million viewers with a 0.40 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-WrestleMania Backlash episode)
May 20 Episode: 2.031 million viewers with a 0.45 rating in the 18-49 demographic
May 27 Episode: 1.878 million viewers with a 0.43 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 3 Episode: 1.939 million viewers with a 0.47 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 10 Episode: 1.914 million viewers with a 0.44 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Hell In a Cell episode)
June 17 Episode: 2.389 million viewers with a 0.62 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 24 Episode: 2.231 million viewers with a 0.53 rating in the 18-49 demographic
July 1 Episode: 2.142 million viewers with a 0.49 rating in the 18-49 demographic
July 8 Episode: 2.129 million viewers with a 0.47 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Money In the Bank episode)
July 15 Episode: 2.077 million viewers with a 0.47 rating in the 18-49 demographic
July 22 Episode: 2.256 million viewers with a 0.62 rating in the 18-49 demographic
July 29 Episode: 2.193 million viewers with a 0.52 rating in the 18-49 demographic
August 5 Episode: 2.093 million viewers with a 0.49 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-SummerSlam episode)
August 12 Episode: 1.927 million viewers with a 0.44 rating in the 18-49 demographic
August 19 Episode: 2.084 million viewers with a 0.47 rating in the 18-49 demographic (1200th episode)
August 26 Episode: 1.990 million viewers with a 0.48 rating in the 18-49 demographic
September 2 Episode: 2.077 million viewers with a 0.49 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Taped episode)
September 9 Episode: 2.367 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Clash at The Castle episode)
September 16 Episode: 2.212 million viewers with a 0.50 rating in the 18-49 demographic
September 23 Episode: 2.535 million viewers with a 0.62 rating in the 18-49 demographic
September 30 Episode:

2021 Viewership Average: 2.050 million viewers per episode (2,082,154 without Best Of episode)
2021 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.54 rating per episode (0.55 without Best Of episode)

2021 FOX Viewership Average: 2.127 million viewers per episode
2021 FOX 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.56 rating per episode

2021 FS1 Viewership Average: 758,667 viewers per episode (includes Best Of episode; 949,000 without it)
2021 FS1 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.20 rating per episode (includes Best Of episode; 0.27 without it)

2020 Viewership Average: 2.180 million viewers per episode (2 FS1 airings)

2019 Viewership Average: 2.164 million viewers per episode (1 FS1 airing)

2018 Viewership Average: 2.352 million viewers per episode

2017 Viewership Average: 2.546 million viewers per episode