Raw doesn’t fall nearly to the level expected on July 4th
While WWE set an all-time record low for Raw on Monday, the rating can’t be viewed negatively given the number and the night.
The show averaged 2.66 million viewers, down only 14 percent from the near record low from the prior week. The past two times Raw has aired on July 4th (2011 and 2005), the ratings fell 23 percent and 41 percent respectively from the prior week.
Raw was far and away the most watched show on cable, since all the shows on cable that usually provide competition took the night off. It also beat the FOX network programming head-to-head. Only four other shows on cable hit 1.5 million viewers.
From the hourly breakdown, it appeared to be the most loyal/hardcore audience since there were no upswings or downswings from start-to-finish:
- 8 p.m. 2.66 million viewers
- 9 p.m. 2.67 million viewers
- 10 p.m. 2.64 million viewers
The show featured Dean Ambrose vs. The Miz, another John Cena/Club confrontation, and a 16-man elimination match to close the show.
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.