Raw & SmackDown Both Benefited From The 2021 WWE Draft
Subjective roster thoughts aside, the 2021 WWE Draft boosted Raw & SmackDown where it mattered.
The 2021 WWE Draft was a ratings success for both Raw and SmackDown, with both shows posting viewership increases for episodes featuring WWE's annual roster reshuffle.
SmackDown's 1 October episode pulled in an average of 2.252 million viewers across its two hours, including 809,000 in the key 18-49 demographic for a 0.62 rating. Both figures were up from the previous week's 2.135 million and 713,000 respectively.
The blue brand ranked first on the night for all television shows.
Raw, meanwhile, was watched by an average of 1.856 million viewers across three hours on Monday 4 October. This number included 680,000 viewers aged 18-49 for a rating of 0.52. P2+ viewership was up from the previous week's 1.709 million with the P18-49 number improving from 621,000.
Raw's first hour finished sixth on the night for original cable telecasts, with its second and third hours finishing seventh and eighth respectively. NFL Monday Night Football once again dominated the rankings.
Sustainability remains the big question when it comes to weeks like this, though Raw and SmackDown both benefitted from the Draft's short-term boost.
Data: Wrestlenomics (Raw, SmackDown), Showbuzz Daily (Raw, SmackDown).