DVR Viewing – Week of March 28 – Raw, Smackdown, TNA Impact, Lucha

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor


SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

DVR Tracking – First Quarter 2016

Week of Mar. 28 Update: This will be the last post in this article wrapping up the First Quarter. We will begin a new article in a new format with the second quarter.

– Updated viewership below includes the March 28 Raw, March 29 TNA Impact, March 30 Lucha Underground (record viewership), and March 31 WWE Smackdown.

WWE Raw on USA Network

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March 28 (Full House Roster pre-WM32)

– TV Rating: 2.66 rating

– Avg. Live Viewers: 3.764 million viewers
– Avg. DVR added: 376,000 viewers (most in five weeks)
– TOTAL Avg. Live+DVR Viewers: 4.140 million viewers (up 11.2%)

– First Hour: 3.818 million live viewers

  • 376,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 4.194 million viewers (#2)

– Second Hour: 3.845 million live viewers

  • 368,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 4.213 million viewers (#1)

– Third Hour: 3.629 million live viewers

  • 384,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 4.013 million viewers (#3)

March 21 (No Part-Time Stars Two Weeks Pre-WM32)

– TV Rating: 2.44 rating (down 3%)

– Avg. Live Viewers: 3.399 million viewers (down two percent)
– Avg. DVR added: 322,333 viewers (9.5%, nearly identical to last week, thus not making up for softer live viewership)
– TOTAL Avg. Live+DVR Viewers: 3.722 million viewers (down 1.7% from last week)

– First Hour: 3.466 million live viewers

  • 323,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 3.789 million viewers (#1)

– Second Hour: 3.416 million live viewers

  • 302,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 3.718 million viewers (#2)

– Third Hour: 3.317 million live viewers

  • 342,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 3.658 million viewers (#3)
  • There was not enough of a DVR bump to make up for the downturn in live third hour viewership.

March 14 (Full House Pittsburgh Raw)

– TV Rating: 2.51 rating (down 3%)

– Avg. Live Viewers: 3.457 million viewers (down 2.6%)
– Avg. DVR added: 327,333 viewers (9.5%)
TOTAL Avg. Live+DVR Viewers: 3.785 million (down 1.8% from last week)

– First Hour: 3.471 million live viewers

  • 298,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 3.769 million viewers (#2)

– Second Hour: 3.392 million live viewers

  • 305,000 DVR viewers added (nearly year-low)
  • TOTAL: 3.697 million viewers (#3)

– Third Hour: 3.510 million live viewers

  • 379,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 3.889 million viewers (#1)
  • The males 18-49 demo jumped from a 1.79 live to a 2.00 DVR rating.
  • General adults 18-49 jumped 11 percent live to DVR.

OVERALL: Despite the overall TV rating, live viewership, and total viewership declining from last week with a full house of WWE stars, the third hour was a good sign.

March 7 (Chicago Raw)

– TV Rating: 2.59 rating (down from a 2.63 rating)

– Avg. Live Viewers: 3.551 million viewers (down 4.6%)
– Avg. DVR added: 304,667 viewers (8.6%) – smallest gain by number in 2016
– TOTAL Avg. Live+DVR Viewers: 3.885 million viewers (bottom-half of 2016)

SUMMARY: Live viewership was was soft and DVR viewership was equally soft as last week’s show.

– First Hour: 3.760 million live viewers

  • 296,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 4.056 million viewers (#1)

– Second Hour: 3.614 million live viewers

  • 308,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 3.922 million viewers (#2)

– Third Hour: 3.279 million live viewers

  • 310,000 DVR viewers added (by far the least number of third hour DVR add-ons this year)
  • TOTAL: 3.589 million viewers (#3)

February 29 (The Undertaker Return)

– TV Rating: 2.63 rating (down 3.7% from last week)

– Avg. Live Viewers: 3.724 million viewers (down 4.1%)
– Avg. DVR added: 318,000 viewers (8.5%) – smallest gain by number and percentage in 2016
TOTAL Avg. Live+DVR Viewers: 4.042 million viewers (down 6.9% from last week)

SUMMARY: Avg. Live Viewership was down 4.6%, then factoring in DVR viewing, the average of all three hours declined even further to 6.9% due to soft DVR viewing.

– First Hour: 3.961 million live viewers

  • 266,000 DVR viewers added (by far year-low)
  • TOTAL: 4.227 million viewers (#1)
  • The only demographic that showed significant movement was males 18-49 gaining 0.15 of a rating.

– Second Hour: 3.660 million live viewers

  • 296,000 DVR viewers added (by far year-low)
  • TOTAL: 3.956 million viewers (#2)
  • Again, the only demo that showed significant movement was males 18-49 gaining 0.16 of a rating

– Third Hour: 3.551 million live viewers

  • 392,000 DVR viewers added (jump from the first two hours)
  • TOTAL: 3.943 million viewers (#3, nearly closing the gap on the second hour)
  • The third hour jumped in males 18-49 by 0.25 of a rating. Other demos showed similar gains in the hour, but not at the level of m18-49.

February 22 (Post-Fast Lane/Shane McMahon Big Return)

– TV Rating: 2.73 rating (up 10% from last week)

– Avg. Live Viewers: 3.884 million viewers (+11.7% from last week)
– Avg. DVR added: 458,667 viewers (11.8%)
TOTAL Avg. Live+DVR Viewers: 4.342 million (+13.1% from last week)

This was the second-largest total audience of the year behind 4.499 million viewers for post-Royal Rumble Raw.

– First Hour: 4.201 million live viewers

  • 459,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 4.660 million viewers (#1)
  • The combined audience was the most-watched hour of the year for the 30-minute McMahon Family opening segment featuring Shane McMahon’s return.

– Second Hour: 4.055 million live viewers

  • 446,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 4.501 million viewers (#2)
  • The combined audience was the third-most-watched hour of the year.

– Third Hour: 3.396 million live viewers (record-setting 16.3% decline from the second hour).

  • 471,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 3.867 million viewers (#3)
  • There were sharp demographic drop-offs across the board. Included was the Live+DVR males 18-49 demo going 2.1, 2.1, and then 1.83.

February 15 (Fast Lane Lead-in)

– TV Rating: 2.48 rating (down 6%)

– Avg. Live Viewers: 3.477 million viewers (-6.7% decline from last week)
– Avg. DVR added: 364,333 viewers (10.5%)
TOTAL Avg. Live+DVR Viewers: 3.841 million (-5.8% decline from last week)

– First Hour: 3.661 million live viewers

  • 354,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 4.015 million viewers (#1)

– Second Hour: 3.537 million live viewers

  • 373,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 3.910 million viewers (#2)

– Third Hour: 3.233 million live viewers

  • 366,000 DVR viewers added
  • TOTAL: 3.599 million viewers (#3)

ANALYSIS: For the first time this year and first time in a long time, the third hour of Raw added fewer DVR views than the second hour. Raw viewers typically fast-forward through the second hour to get to the end, but this week’s show indicates not as many viewers made it to the end of the show.

February 8 (Daniel Bryan Retirement)

– TV Rating: 2.65 rating (up 11%)

– Avg. Live Viewers: 3.726 million (+10.1% gain from last week)
– Avg. DVR added: 353,333 viewers (9.5%)
– TOTAL Avg. Live+DVR Viewers: 4.080 million (+7.8% gain from last week)

– First Hour: 3.907 million live viewers

  • 318,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 4.225 million viewers (#2)

– Second Hour: 3.905 million live viewers

  • 338,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 4.243 million viewers (#1)

– Third Hour: 3.772 million live viewers

  • 404,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 3.772 million viewers (#3)

ANALYSIS: D-Bryan Raw is an interesting case study on bringing in a big audience early waiting for a big event, then three-hour Raws driving away viewers. DVR viewing was down, pointing to more real-time, live viewership during the first two hours. The third hour DVR viewership increased a bit, but not enough to make up for a live dip.

February 1

– TV Rating: 2.38 rating (down 19%)

– Avg. Live Viewers: 3.383 million viewers (down 17.4% from last week)
– Avg. DVR added: 400,667 viewers (11.8%)
– TOTAL Avg. Live+DVR Viewers: 3.784 million viewers (down 15.9%)

– First Hour: 3.592 million live viewers

  • 416,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 4.008 million viewers (#1)

– Second Hour: 3.464 million live viewers

  • 377,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 3.841 million viewers (#2)

– Third Hour: 3.094 million live viewers

  • 409,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 3.503 million viewers (#3)

ANALYSIS: This was opposite of post-Rumble Raw with a steady decline in viewership throughout the show, with the third hour unable to make up ground in DVR viewing.

January 25 (Post-Rumble Raw, The Rock Surprise Appearance)

– TV Rating: 2.93 rating (season high)

– Avg. Live Viewers: 4.098 million viewers (season high, 17.2% increase from last week)
– Avg. DVR added: 401,333 million viewers (9.8%)
TOTAL Avg. Live+DVR Viewers: 4.499 million viewers (16.2% increase from last week)

– First Hour: 4.140 million live viewers

  • 329,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 4.469 million viewers (#2)

– Second Hour: 4.183 million live viewers

  • 406,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 4.589 million viewers (#1)

– Third Hour: 3.972 million viewers

  • 469,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 4.441 million viewers (#3)

ANALYSIS: This was a very evenly-distributed show in terms of viewers per hour with the total live+DVR audiences being very close across all three hours.

January 18 (Rumble lead-in)

– TV Rating: 2.45 rating

– Avg. Live Viewers: 3.496 million viewers
– Avg. DVR added: 375,667 viewers (10.7%)
TOTAL Avg. Live+DVR Viewers: 3.872 million

– First Hour: 3.775 million live viewers

  • 375,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 4.150 million viewers (#1)

– Second Hour: 3.591 million live viewers

  • 362,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 3.953 million viewers (#2)

– Third Hour: 3.123 million live viewers

  • 390,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 3.513 million viewers (#3)

January 11 (vs. NCAA Football Title Game)

– TV Rating: 2.36 rating (season low)

– Avg. Live Viewers: 3.23 million viewers (7.0% decline)
– Avg. DVR added: 481,333 (14.5% – big jump in DVR viewers)
– TOTAL Avg. Live+DVR Viewers: 3.804 million (3.9% decline)

– First Hour: 3.536 million live viewers

  • 439,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 3.975 million viewers (#1)

– Second Hour: 3.206 million live viewers

  • 446,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 3.652 million viewers (#3)

– Third Hour: 3.228 million viewers

  • 559,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 3.787 million viewers (#2)

January 4

– TV Rating: 2.49

– Avg. Live Viewers: 3.573 million viewers
– Avg. DVR added: 382,333 (10.7%)
TOTAL Avg. Live+DVR Viewers: 3.957 million viewers

– First Hour: 3.707 million live viewers

  • 377,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 4.084 million viewers (#1)

– Second Hour: 3.516 million live viewers

  • 340,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 3.856 million viewers (#3)

– Third Hour: 3.503 million live viewers

  • 430,000 DVR added
  • TOTAL: 3.933 million viewers (#2)

***

WWE Smackdown on USA Network

SmackdownSDlogo600

March 31 (Pre-WM32 Match/Clip Show)

– TV Rating: 1.66 rating

– Live Viewership: 2.328 million viewers (down 6.9%)

  • DVR Added: 141,000 viewers (by far the fewest of the year with the business of Mania Week)
  • TOTAL VIEWERS: 2.469 million viewers (fewer than last week’s first-run audience)

March 24 (Brock Lesnar on Smackdown)

– TV Rating: 1.75 rating

– Live Viewership: 2.501 million viewers (up 10.7%)

  • DVR Added: 220,000 viewers (light 8.8% add-on, pointing to most viewers being live)
  • TOTAL VIEWERS: 2.721 million (up 7.9% or about 200,000 viewers from last week)
  • Most Total Viewers since February 4

March 17

– TV Rating: 1.71 rating (up 4.3%)

– Live Viewership: 2.260 million viewers (up 3.4%)

  • DVR Added: 262,000 viewers (11.6%) (most added viewers and highest percentage in 2016)
  • TOTAL VIEWERS: 2.522 million (up 4.6% from last week)

March 10

– TV Rating: 1.64 rating (year-low)

– Live Viewership: 2.186 million viewers (down 12% to a year-low)

  • DVR Added: 226,000 viewers (about the same as last week, not closing the gap on the live drop-off)
  • TOTAL VIEWERS: 2.412 million viewers (down 300,000 or 11 percent from last week)
  • Overall: By far the fewest total viewers of the year. The previous low was 2.545 million in Week 2.

March 3

– TV Rating: 1.76 rating

– Live Viewership: 2.491 million viewers (up 4.0%)

  • DVR Added: 220,000 viewers (soft 8.8% gain)
  • TOTAL VIEWERS: 2.711 million viewers (most since 2/4)

February 25 (Post-Fast Lane, Triple H on the show)

– TV Rating: 1.74 rating

– Live Viewership: 2.395 million viewers (down 2.6% from last week)

  • DVR Added: 258,000 viewers
  • TOTAL VIEWERS: 2.653 million viewers (nearly closing the gap on last week’s 2.679 million viewers)

The Males 18-49 demographic helped make up some ground in DVR viewing. The m18-49 rating went from a 0.93 live to a 1.08 live+DVR.

February 18 (Fast Lane Lead-in, Brock Lesnar first time on SD in 12 years)

– TV Rating: 1.76 rating

– Live Viewership: 2.458 million viewers (+1.8% from last week)

  • DVR Added: 221,000 viewers (below-average 9.0%)
  • TOTAL VIEWERS: 2.679 million viewers (+0.9% from last week)

The one item that showed a potential “Brock Pop” was the males 18-49 demographic. The live airing scored a 0.86 m18-49 rating and the DVR rating popped to a 1.07. That’s the highest m18-49 live+DVR rating this year.

February 11 (Week 6)

– TV Rating: 1.72 rating (8 percent decline)

– Live Viewership: 2.414 million viewers (9 percent decline)

  • DVR Added: 240,000 viewers (9.9%)
  • TOTAL VIEWERS: 2.654 million viewers

February 4 (Week 5)

– TV Rating: 1.86 rating

– Live Viewership: 2.664 million viewers

  • DVR Added: 231,000 viewers (8.7%)
  • TOTAL VIEWERS: 2.895 million viewers

January 28 (Week 4)

– TV Rating: 1.87 rating

– Live Viewership: 2.720 million viewers

  • DVR Added: 250,000 viewers (9.2%)
  • TOTAL VIEWERS: 2.970 million viewers (Current #2)

January 21 (Week 3)

– TV Rating: 1.87 rating

– Live Viewership: 2.757 million viewers (18 percent rebound)

  • DVR Added: 232,000 viewers (8.4%)
  • TOTAL VIEWERS: 2.989 million viewers (Season High Point)

January 14 (Week 2)

– TV Rating: 1.68 (current season low)

– Live Viewership: 2.332 million viewers (15 percent decline from Jan. 7)

  • DVR Added: 213,000 viewers (9.1%)
  • TOTAL VIEWERS: 2.545 million viewers

January 7 (USA Network debut)

– TV Rating: 1.93 (current season high)

– Live Viewership: 2.757 million viewers

  • DVR Added: 196,000 viewers (7.1%)
  • TOTAL VIEWERS: 2.953 million

***

TNA Impact on Pop TV

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March 29 Impact

  • 312,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • 48,000 DVR viewers
  • 76,000 Replay Viewers on Tuesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 436,000 viewers (down slightly from last week)

March 22 Impact

  • 331,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • 50,000 DVR viewers (nearly same as last week)
  • 59,000 Replay Viewers on Tuesday (about half as last week)
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 440,000 viewers (down 8.5% from last week)

March 15 (Semi-Live return to Orlando; Drew Galloway wins TNA Title)

  • 307,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • 51,000 DVR viewers
  • 123,000 Replay Viewers on Tuesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 481,000 viewers (up 56.2% from last week’s basement level)
  • It was the second-most total viewers of 2016, trailing 504,000 viewers on January 26.

March 8 (Kurt Angle Farewell; last show from U.K. Tour)

  • 222,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • 28,000 DVR added (fewest since Week 1 on new network)
  • 58,000 Replay Viewers on Tuesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 308,000 viewers (down 17 percent from last week)
  • The total audience was fewer than Week 1 on a new network when Impact drew 358,000.

March 1 (Kurt Angle Next-to-Last Match)

  • 258,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • 46,000 DVR added (17.8%)
  • 68,000 Replay Viewers on Tuesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 372,000 viewers (down 1.8% percent from 2/23; second-smallest audience of 2016)

February 23 (Lockdown Special)

  • 210,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing (17.5% decline to season-low)
    • 82,000 DVR added (39.% of the audience)
  • 87,000 Replay Viewers on Tuesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 379,000 viewers (4.5% decline, marking four consecutive declines)

February 16

  • 273,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • 37,000 DVR added (13.6%)
  • 87,000 Replay Viewers on Tuesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 397,000 viewers (7.0% decline, marking three consecutive declines)

February 9

  • 276,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • 39,000 DVR added (14.1%)
  • 112,000 Replay Viewers on Tuesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 427,000 viewers (3.4% decline)

February 2

  • 295,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • 35,000 DVR added (11.9%)
  • 112,000 Replay Viewers on Tuesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 442,000 viewers (12.3% decline)

January 26

  • 339,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • 62,000 DVR added (18.3%)
  • 103,000 Replay Viewers on Tuesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 504,000 viewers (+5.2% – peak on Pop)

January 19 (Matt Hardy won TNA Hvt. Title)

  • 321,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • 36,000 DVR added (11.2%)
  • 122,000 Replay Viewers on Tuesday (most thus far)
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 479,000 viewers (+22.8%)

January 12

  • 288,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • 25,000 DVR added (8.7%)
  • 77,000 Replay Viewers on Tuesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 390,000 viewers (+8.9%)

January 5 – Pop TV debut

  • 255,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • 13,000 DVR added (5.1%)
  • 90,000 Replay Viewers on Tuesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 358,000 viewers

***

Lucha Underground on El Rey Network

LuchaUndergroundElRey

March 30 (Episode #10)

  • 159,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • 43,000 DVR viewers
  • 63,000 Replay Viewers on Wed. night
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 265,000 viewers (increasing from last week’s record audience to a new record audience)

March 23 (Episode #9 – Aztec Warfare, Rey Mysterio’s in-ring debut)

  • 163,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing (season high)
    • 30,000 DVR viewers
  • 69,000 Replay Viewers on Wed. night
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 262,000 viewers (up 67 percent, more than 100k viewers from last week, which did not record DVR).
  • This was the #1 total audience of the season, topping 248k total viewers on February 10.

March 16 (Episode #8)

  • 100,000 Live Viewers for first-run airing
    • DVR did not report
  • 57,000 Replay Viewers on Wed. night
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE (without DVR): 157,000 viewers

March 9 (Episode #7)

  • 95,0000 Live Viewers for first-run airing (season low)
    • 29,000 DVR added
  • 41,000 Replay Viewers on Wed. night
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 165,000 viewers (down 24% from last week)
  • Following the lead of Smackdown and TNA, it was the smallest audience of the year

March 2 (Episode #6)

  • 124,000 Live Viewers for First-Run Airing
    • 29,000 DVR added
  • 63,000 Replay Viewers on Wednesday night
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 216,000 viewers (up 14.9%, close to Episode #4)

February 24 (Episode #5)

  • 99,000 Live Viewers for First-Run Airing (season low)
    • 27,000 DVR added
  • 62,000 Replay Viewers on Wednesday night
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 188,000 viewers (14.2% decline)

February 17 (Episode #4)

  • 152,000 Live Viewers for First-Run airing (most thus far)
    • 15,000 DVR added
  • 52,000 Replay Viewers on Wednesday (least thus far)
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 219,000 viewers (11.7% decline)

ANALYSIS: This week’s viewership was heavily concentrated in the first-run airing, which shows a strong desire among core viewers to watch the show live. However, the overall audience shrunk across all three metrics (live, replay, and DVR).

February 10 (Episode #3)

  • 136,000 Live Viewers for First-Run airing
    • 31,000 DVR added
  • 81,000 Replay Viewers on Wednesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 248,000 viewers (+17.0% increase)

February 3 (Episode #2)

  • 125,000 Live Viewers for First-Run airing
    • 11,000 DVR added
  • 76,000 Replay Viewers on Wednesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 212,000 viewers (9.8% decline)

January 27 (Season 2 premiere)

  • 130,000 Live Viewers for First-Run airing
    • 19,000 DVR added
  • 86,000 Replay Viewers on Wednesday
  • TOTAL AUDIENCE: 235,000 viewers

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