WWE Raw ratings hit hard by return of Monday Night Football
Raw took a bigger hit than expected from the NFL season opener last night, averaging 1.71 million viewers, drawing a 0.44 rating in 18-49, and drawing a 0.31 in 18-34.
The Denver Broncos vs Seattle Seahawks game was simulcast on ABC, ESPN, and with a Manningcast on ESPN2. Between the stations, it did 19.79 million viewers, far higher than MNF is expected to average under normal circumstances, with a 5.59 rating in 18-49.
The Emmy Awards on NBC did 5.92 million viewers and a 1.09 in 18-49.
Raw placed seventh for the night on cable, behind the ESPN broadcast, the ESPN2 broadcast, the pre- and post-game shows and the SportsCenter episode after the game.
Raw was fifth in women 18-49 (including behind Love & Hip Hop Atlanta and three NFL-related shows), seventh in men 18-49, sixth in 18-34, fourth in women 12-34, and seventh in men 12-34.
Raw was 13th among total viewers behind three NFL-related shows and nine news shows.
Raw was down 17 percent in viewers, down 25 percent in 18-49, and down 26 percent in 18-34 from last week. Numbers were still better than against last year’s MNF season opener, as this year’s Raw was up two percent in viewers, up three percent in 18-49, and up 15 percent in 18-34.
The third hour dropped 16 percent from the second hour. That hour was built around Edge vs. Dominik Mysterio.
As far as the first-to-third hour audience drops, they were 17 percent with women 18-49, 13 percent with men 18-49, and 13 percent with people over 50.
The three hours were:
- 8 p.m. 1.78 million viewers
- 9 p.m. 1.82 million viewers
- 10 p.m. 1.53 million viewers
Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.