WWE Raw topped the Monday night cable charts again with an interesting pattern that included a mitigated loss of viewers in the final hour.
The three-hour show averaged 1,843,000 viewers and a 0.56 in the 18-49 demographic with viewership down a minuscule 2.8 percent and the 18-49 demo increasing by 2 percent from last week. The positive sign was that the key demo grew throughout the show by more than 11 percent.
In the first hour, the show averaged 1,874,000 and a 0.53, the second hour was nearly identical in viewers with 1,873,000 while the demo increased to a 0.56. The third hour lost 5 percent of its viewership but more importantly, grew by 5 percent in the key demo.
The pattern is not unique as past years have shown a similar growth in the second hour when Raw has followed the daylight-savings time adjustment. In theory, people are tuning in later than usual and therefore, the second hour performs better. However, this was a very good third hour by Raw’s standards with a minimal loss of viewers and growth within four of the demos monitored by Showbuzz Daily, including the coveted 18-49 category.
While daylight savings time is a factor, there would also be evidence over the past three episodes to suggest that Bobby Lashley challenging for and becoming WWE Champion has had an effect too. The third hour of this week’s show was built around Lashley facing Sheamus in a non-title match.
Compared to last week’s Raw, there was only one significant swing in viewers and was with women 12-34 that improved by 40 percent this week with a 0.28 (which would tie their second-best rating in that demo for 2021).
In hour three, men 18-49 increased by 12 percent, adults 25-54 were up by 11 percent, and adults 18-49 grew by 11.3 percent. The other demo to increase in the final hour was women 18-49 by 10 percent. Males 12-34 fell the most throughout the show, dropping 15 percent in the third hour.
In Canada, Raw went against several NHL games and averaged 182,100 viewers and 93,100 in the 25-54 demographic on Sportsnet 360. Raw dropped by 21.3 percent in viewers and was down 27 percent in the demo from last week.
Here is a breakdown of the demos and how they performed throughout the show:
ADULTS 18-49
This week: 0.56 (+2 percent)
Hour 1-3: +11.3 percent
FEMALES 18-49
This week: 0.41 (+5 percent)
Hour 1-3: +10 percent
MALES 18-49
This week: 0.71 (-1 pecent)
Hour 1-3: +12 percent
ADULTS 18-34
This week: 0.33 (+3 percent)
Hour 1-3: -3 percent
FEMALES 12-34
This week: 0.28 (+40 percent)
Hour 1-3: -10 percent
MALES 12-34
This week: 0.33 (-6 percent)
Hour 1-3: -15 percent
ADULTS 25-54
This week: 0.67 (-4 percent)
Hour 1-3: +11 percent
ADULTS 50+
This week: 0.88 (-5 percent)
Hour 1-3: -7.5 percent)
