The Disturbing Truth Behind WWE's FOX TV Deal

With thanks to Matt McEwan for compiling the data, SmackDown is currently watched by approximately 2% of the 90.4 million households that USA Network is available to in the United States. Achieving a similar percentage on FOX would mean roughly 2.5 million weekly viewers. That's considerably less than the 3.3 million quoted in those December 2018 reports, but still a jump of approximately 25% on the current viewership.

SmackDown's first few episodes should, theoretically, attract considerably more than that. The Friday night broadcast will not only have that shiny new toy appeal, but 4 October is an anniversary special that'll likely call on all kinds of big names, the 11 October is the Draft. From there, WWE and FOX can expect another few weeks of stronger ratings before SmackDown settles on an average figure.

Would 2.5 million be enough? Probably not. Per McEwan's research, this would make SmackDown the 150th most-watched show in the country. Last year's 150 show was a FOX-produced sitcom called Rel. It attracted the same average viewership and was cancelled for low numbers after just 12 episodes. Next on the FOX ratings rankings was The Gifted, which was also scrapped at 3.32 million - a shade more than what FOX apparently want SD to hit.

That's... not good. At all.

CONT'd...