XFL Opening Game Draws 3.3 Million Viewers
The XFL outdrew Raw and SmackDown on its opening week.
The XFL's opening game between the D.C. Defenders and Seattle Dragons scored an average of 3.3 million viewers, according to information released by ABC.
The game went down on Saturday afternoon. For context, the average NFL game drew 16.5 million television viewers last season, while 2019's doomed Alliance of American Football scored 2.9 million for its opening game. The XFL's numbers are significantly higher than last week's episodes of WWE Raw and SmackDown which notched 2.168 million and 2.547 million respectively.
The Defenders/Guardians game peaked at 4 million viewers. We are still awaiting data for the weekend's other XFL matches.
It'll be interesting to follow the viewing trends over the next few weeks, though the XFL's television deal should keep Vince McMahon's project rolling through any hardships. The league's original run saw ratings plummet 84% from week one to week eight, though the market is very, very different today compared to what it was back in 2001.
The AAF faced a similar decline in viewership last year, resulting in the league being scrapped before it could complete its first season. Again, the XFL's deal gives it a safety net, but it's still worth noting.