WWE Raw Ratings Report (12/4): Week after Punk, did viewership fall back in line with recent averages? Key metrics and comparisons

Last night’s episode of WWE Monday Night Raw on USA Network drew an average of 1.533 million viewers, down from 1.884 million for last week’s episode. Last week featured the return of C.M. Punk to Raw two days after his surprise return at Survivor Series, plus Randy Orton’s return. Punk was not advertised for nor part of last night’s episode.

The average viewership since the start of September is 1.510 million, so this week’s show was basically in line with the average. Punk’s return, in other words, didn’t immediately lead to an increased interest in WWE product overall. (As noted in our exclusive report yesterday about the minute-by-minute ratings, Punk’s segment drew fewer viewers last week than the promos from Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Seth Rollins, but his segment was in the typically lower viewed final segment of the third hour.)

Hourly viewership was:

• 1.673
• 1.517
• 1.408

The first-to-third hour dropoff in viewership was 265,000 viewers.

In the key 18-49 demographic, it drew a 0.49 rating, down from 0.65 last week and in line with the 0.49 two weeks ago. The average in the 14 weeks since the start of September is 0.47.

In the male 18-49 demo, it drew a 0.67 rating, below the 0.99 last week and below the 0.73 two weeks ago. That demo has averaged a 0.68 the last 14 weeks.

In the younger male 18-34 demo, it drew a 0.50, below last week’s 0.72 and in line with the 0.52 two weeks ago. The average the last 14 weeks is 0.45, so it was above average in that demo.

Last night’s episode headlined with Seth Rollins vs. Jey Uso for the WWE World Hvt. Title, plus featured Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn. Punk is being advertised for next week’s episode of Raw. It’s not known yet whether he’ll be a largely full time weekly fixture on WWE TV or not.

RECOMMENDED NEXT: CM Punk’s return to Raw outdrawn by Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Seth Rollins in minute-by-minute viewership, but end of show placement a factor

OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: WWE Raw results (12/4): Powell’s live review of Seth Rollins vs. Jey Uso for the World Heavyweight Championship, Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn, The Creeds vs. Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh