Viewership figures for Friday Night SmackDown and AEW Rampage are out with both shows returning to their normal network and night of the week.
Friday Night SmackDown returned to Fox after being moved to FS1 the previous week and averaged 2,044,000 viewers and 780,000 (0.59) in the 18-49 demographic, per Wrestlenomics.
The show was down 7% in viewers from the November 17 episode that last aired on Fox and was SmackDown’s lowest viewership since August 26, 2022.
The major factor was SmackDown airing against the Pac-12 Championship game between Washington and Oregon, which did approximately 9.1 million viewers on the fast nationals, according to Sports Media Watch (the final number will be out on Tuesday).
In the 18-34 demographic, SmackDown increased by 7% to 302,000 viewers compared with two weeks ago and saw its largest gain with males in the demo rising from 169,000 to 200,000.
Adults 35-49 dropped by 11% from the November 17 episode but women in the demo saw a small increase.
The big segment of the show was the final quarter featuring Randy Orton’s appearance and deciding to sign with SmackDown, which saw the audience grow 13% to 2,320,000 viewers and increase 14% in the 18-49 demo to 941,000 – both representing the peak of the show, according to Wrestlenomics.
In Canada, SmackDown averaged 162,000 viewers and 50,300 in the 25-54 demographic on Sportsnet 360 and ranked second among sports programs that night behind the Toronto Raptors vs New York Knicks.
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After airing on Saturday night last week, AEW Rampage returned to its normal Friday slot on TNT and averaged 348,000 viewers and 137,000 (0.10) in the 18-49 demographic, per Wrestlenomics.
It was Rampage’s largest audience since October 13 and highest in the 18-49 demo since November 10.
Compared to the November 17 episode when Rampage last aired in its regular slot, viewership rose by 24% while 18-49 grew by 13%, and 18-34 was up by 18%.
The was headlined by El Hijo del Vikingo, Komander & Penta El Zero Miedo beating Brian Cage & The Workhorsemen. However, Wrestlenomics reports that the final quarter fell 5% in viewership and 8% in the 18-49 demo to 331,000 and 130,000 viewers respectively.
