Built around a Tag Title Unification match, Friday Night SmackDown topped two million viewers for the first time in over a month.
The May 20th edition from Grand Rapids averaged 2,031,000 viewers and approximately 587,000 (0.45) in the 18-49 demographic, according to Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics and Showbuzz Daily.
WWE Smackdown, Friday on Fox:
2,031,000 viewers
P18-49 rating: 0.45AEW Rampage, Friday on TNT:
410,000 viewers
P18-49 rating: 0.15
📊 https://t.co/1SscdBCpr8 pic.twitter.com/mf0FUYTyIR— Brandon Thurston (@BrandonThurston) May 23, 2022
It was SmackDown’s highest overall viewership since the start of this year’s NBA playoffs while the 18-49 audience was put up from the previous but down from the May 6th edition.
SmackDown increased by seven percent in overall viewers, 12.5 percent in 18-49, and 18 percent among 18-34 from last week’s program.
SmackDown finished second among network programs, which was led by ABC’s Shark Tank. SmackDown was the top program among adults 18-34 while cable was dominated by the NBA.
SmackDown’s second hour aired against the Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks, which averaged 6,765,000 viewers and 2.11 in 18-49 on TNT. WWE also aired head-to-head with the New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes, which finished third among cable programs with 2,019,000 viewers and 0.66 in the demo on ESPN.
SmackDown was promoted around RK-Bro and The Usos facing off in a tag title unification match, which saw The Usos leave as the undisputed champions.
WWE also issued an on-air statement regarding Naomi & Sasha Banks announcing the two were “indefinitely suspended” and stripped of their tag titles. It was the major wrestling story of the past week and some may have been curious to see if it would be addressed.
Due to the holiday in Canada, viewership figures are delayed.
