WWE Raw held up well against the NBA playoffs mirroring the same level of viewership from one week ago.
The April 24th episode from Chicago averaged 1,815,000 viewers and approximately 731,000 viewers (0.56) in the 18-49 demographic. (Wrestlenomics and Showbuzz Daily).
WWE Raw ranked fourth among cable originals behind the NBA playoff coverage including back-to-back games airing on TNT.
Raw posted the exact same viewership from the week prior while dropping three percent in the 18-49 demographic – its lowest number audience among that audience since March 27.
Raw began with 1,840,000 viewers and 0.55 in the 18-49 demo including an opening segment involving Cody Rhodes and Finn Balor. In the second hour, the show improved to 1,939,000 viewers and 0.59 in the demo and then, dropped to 1,666,000 and 0.54 in the final hour. The main event between Rey Mysterio and Damian Priest ended in a disqualification and an appearance by Bad Bunny to announce the street fight with Priest at Backlash in Puerto Rico.
In the 18-49 demo, males dropped four percent and women declined by three percent from last week.
Adults 18-34 dropped by eight percent to their lowest mark since March 20.
Adults 35-49 were identical to last week and the 50+ demo was up by one percent.
The first two hours of Raw aired against the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Miami Heat (3.5 million viewers and 1.24 in the demo) and the third hour aired against the Lakers vs. Grizzlies (4.3 million and 1.64) on TNT. There were also two NHL games airing against Raw with the New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils (1.0 million and 0.36) on ESPN, and Toronto vs. Tampa Bay (803,000 and 0.29) on TBS.
On this week in 2022, WWE Raw averaged 1,613,000 viewers and 571,000 (0.44) in the 18-49 demo against back-to-back NBA playoff games. This year Raw was up 12.5 percent in viewers, 28 percent in 18-49, 49 percent in 18-34, and 17 percent in 35-49 – and that doesn’t factor in fewer homes having the USA Network than one year ago.
In Canada, Raw aired on OLN for the second week in a row due to NHL playoff coverage on Sportsnet 360. This week’s episode averaged approximately 77,000 viewers and 46,000 in the 25-54 demo airing against the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, which was going to hurt Raw significantly. A replay of Raw on Sportsnet 360 at 12:30 a.m. ET late Monday night averaged 91,000 viewers and 46,000 in the demo.
