WWE SmackDown Rating Drops 11% For WrestleMania Go-Home Show
Viewership was down 13% on last year.
Over 2.9 million viewers tuned in last Tuesday to see Kofi Kingston secure his WWE Championship match opposite Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35, marking it as the show's highest audience this year.
Things came crashing back down this week, as viewership for SmackDown's WrestleMania go-home edition tumbled to 2,141,000 - an 11% drop on last week's benchmark. [Source: Wrestling Observer]
The rating is SmackDown's lowest since 12 February, and isn't an especially good look just five days removed from the company's biggest show of the year.
The drop in interest could be down to Kofi's arc decisively concluding last time out. The latest programme finished with a promo between The New Day member and his upcoming opponent, shortly after fans had witnessed Samoa Joe defeat Ali.
The WrestleMania 34 go-home episode of SmackDown last year drew 2,467,000 viewers, meaning a 13% year-on-year drop.
WWE are set to move SmackDown to a new home starting 4 October, after the company agreed a mammoth five-year, $1 billion deal with FOX. After migration, the show will shift from its Tuesday slot to Friday nights - with rumours suggesting a third hour could be tacked on in place of 205 Live.