The December 19 pre-taped edition of WWE SmackDown averaged 995,000 viewers on USA Network, marking a decrease of 19.8 percent from the previous week. This figure represents the lowest audience total for the blue brand since the Halloween night episode earlier this year.
Key Demo Drops
In the key 18-49 demographic, SmackDown drew a 0.21 rating. This number is down 19.2 percent from the prior week and also marks the lowest rating the show has achieved in the demo since Halloween. Despite the drop, SmackDown finished ahead of all other non-sports programming on television in the demographic.
Major Sports Competition
The show faced stiff competition from the College Football Playoff game between Alabama and Oklahoma, which aired across ABC and ESPN. The game combined for nearly 15 million viewers and drew a massive 3.15 rating in the 18-49 demographic. Additionally, the show competed against the undercard of the Netflix boxing special featuring Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua.
Year-Over-Year Comparison
When compared to the same week in 2024, which utilized Nielsen’s previous panel-only reporting method, SmackDown’s overall viewership was down 25 percent. The 18-49 rating saw a more significant drop, falling 43.2 percent year-over-year.
The episode of SmackDown on December 26 is also a pre-taped show, filmed on December 19 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The show will feature a United States Championship match and a Miracle on 34th Street Fight. Check out the spoilers here.
