WWE was hoping for big things by moving Smackdown to a live show on Tuesday nights and jump-starting interest by returning to the brand extension with the first WWE Draft in five years. But even they probably didn’t expect they would see a ratings spike like this.
With the overnight numbers being reported by ShowBuzzDaily.com, Smackdown’s ratings were up by over a million viewers from the last taped episode, which aired last Thursday night. It turns out that promoting a show as a massively big deal and having important things happen on it might lead to an increase in ratings! We’ll have to write that down so we remember it later.
Yes, the first edition of Smackdown Live pulled in 3.170 million viewers. Not only is that a YUUUUUGE increase from last week’s 2.068 million viewers, but it actually topped Monday’s episode of Raw, headlined by a WWE Championship match between Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins. (Yes, both shows technically featured that exact match, but I’m just going to bet the big ratings draw on Tuesday night was the draft, not the matches.) This week’s Raw only drew 3.133 million viewers.
THE FIRST SHOTS HAVE BEEN FIRED IN THE BATTLE FOR MCMAHON-IC SUPREMACY AND THE FIRST VICTORY GOES TO SMACKDOWN. Surely, this will last. You are on notice, Raw. There is a new show in town. (It’s the same show that’s been on since 1999.)
