WWE SmackDown Plummets To Lowest TV Rating Of 2025 So Far (WWE News)
WWE SmackDown ratings decline as show hits WORST number of 2025 so far on USA Network.
WWE SmackDown fell to its lowest P18-49 television rating of 2025 so far last week, with the 23 May number also being SmackDown's second-lowest since moving from Fox to USA Network in September 2024.
SmackDown drew an average P2+ viewership of 1.398 million across its three hours on USA on 23 May. This number included an audience of 442,000 in the key 18-49 demographic, for a P18-49 rating of 0.33.
Amidst heavy competition from NBA and NHL playoff games, SmackDown finished fourth on the night in cable. The Indiana Pacers at the New York Knicks in the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals game two owned the evening with 5.839 million P2+ viewers and a 1.83 18-49 rating.
Although SmackDown's P2+ audience grew 8% vs. the previous week's 1.290 million, the P18-49 rating fell from 0.36 to 0.33 - the lowest figure of 2025 so far. This was also SmackDown's worst P18-49 performance since debuting on USA Network last September.
Last week's SmackDown also went head-to-head with a key NBA game as the Knicks and Boston Celtics clashed, drawing 5.726 million viewers and a 1.63 P18-49 rating.
Year over year, SmackDown's viewership declined 35.6% vs. this week in 2024, with 18-49 dropping 41.1%. This can largely be explained by the switch from broadcast television (Fox) back to cable (USA Network).
Money in the Bank qualifiers (LA Knight vs. Aleister Black vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Giulia vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Zelina Vega) and Tag Team Champions the Street Profits vs. Fraxiom took top billing on this week's SmackDown, as well as a pre-Saturday Night's Main Event appearance from John Cena opponent R-Truth.
Sources: Wrestlenomics, Programming Insider.