WWE SmackDown ratings hit low as it prepares to leave Fox, despite strong live attendance

WWE SmackDown’s ratings have hit a low point as it prepares to leave Fox. The latest episode drew 2,050,000 viewers, the smallest audience since mid-June. It also scored a 0.56 rating in the important 18-49 age group, the lowest since late July. These numbers represent a drop from both last week and the same time last year.

Despite the ratings dip, the show had a strong live attendance at Washington DC’s Capital One Arena, marking the biggest WWE crowd there in recent years.

Big changes are coming for WWE’s TV presence. SmackDown will move to the USA Network on September 13, joining NXT. Raw, WWE’s longest-running show, will make history by moving to Netflix in early 2024, becoming the streaming service’s first live weekly program.

The switch from Fox to USA Network is happening earlier than expected. Instead of moving SmackDown to a less prominent channel for its final weeks on Fox, USA decided to start airing it sooner.

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