Smackdown Rating: Episode with R-Truth in the main event draws better than average rating, key metrics

This week’s episode of WWE Smackdown drew a 1.68 rating, up from the prior week’s 1.62 rating, but below the rating from two week’s ago of 1.72. R-Truth vs. The Miz was the unlikely main event of this episode which was built in part around the Miz & Maryse vs. Daniel Bryan & Brie rivalry.

The rolling ten week average headed into this week was 1.59, so this rating was above that level. It was the second-highest rating April 24, although by a slim margin as there’s not a lot of variation in Smackdown ratings week to week. The range since Apr. 24 has been 1.54 to 1.72, not counting the July 3 “holiday edition” which drew a 1.45.

The ratings slide year-to-year continues for WWE, though, as the 1.68 rating this week is below the year-ago rating of 1.74 and the two-years-ago rating of 1.76.

The 2018 average rating to date is 1.70, below the 1.75 average through this week last year.

Smackdown finished no. 3 for the night among all cable shows with a 0.8 rating among the key 18-49 demographic. It drew the sixth most viewers overall with 2.319 million viewers. The top show among 18-49 year olds was Mayans M.C. on FX with a 1.1 rating and 2.534 million total viewers. Three shows drew more than 3 million total viewers, two on MSNBC and one on Fox News, but lower numbers in the key adult demo.

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