WWE Raw ratings up for Miz & Maryse wedding vow renewal
Image: WWE
Raw on Monday started lower than last week, but held its audience better likely due to the Miz/Maryse wedding vow renewal segment, finishing with 1.59 million viewers and a 0.42 rating in 18-49.
The number was up three percent in viewers, up 11 percent in 18-49, and up 13 percent in 18-34 from the previous week.
In 18-49, the first hour at 0.39 would have been among the worst opens in history, but the second hour grew to a 0.43 before hour three was at 0.41.
Raw was sixth for the night, trailing only NFL-related programming on ESPN. The Miami Dolphins vs. New Orleans Saints game did 12.31 million viewers and a 4.35 rating in 18-49 on ESPN opposite Raw, which was second in its time slot.
In total viewers, Raw was 14th, behind only news and NFL-related programming.
As compared to the same week one year ago, Raw was down 10 percent in viewers, down 19 percent in 18-49, and down 16 percent in 18-34.
For first-to-third hours, it is extremely rare for hour three to beat hour one — and this week did so. Women 18-49 dropped three percent from hour one to three, but men 18-49 were up 10 percent, teenage girls were down nine percent, teenage boys were even, and people over 50 were down six percent.
Basically, the wedding segment kept everyone at a better than usual level, but men more than women. Traditional wrestling wedding segments historically have done better with women.
The three hours were:
- 8 p.m. 1.59 million viewers
- 9 p.m. 1.66 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.