WWE SmackDown Sees Ratings Boost Before Money in the Bank Event

NEW YORK, NY — WWE‘s SmackDown experienced a significant ratings increase ahead of the upcoming Money in the Bank event on June 6. The show attracted 1,424,000 viewers, marking a 3% rise from the previous week, and recorded a .42 rating in the critical 18-49 demographic, a 23.5% increase.

This surge in viewership is notable as it is the highest rating for SmackDown since the WrestleMania fallout episode on April 25. However, the program faced stiff competition from NCAA sports, particularly from ESPN‘s broadcast of Texas‘ NCAA Softball World Series-clinching victory over Texas Tech, which garnered a .47 rating from 2.4 million viewers.

Despite SmackDown’s boost, it was positioned second in the ratings among the 18-49 age group, with the Women's College World Series taking the top spot. Programming Insider’s report on the night’s ratings does not include the Game 2 statistics of the NHL Stanley Cup Final, which ran late into the night.

As SmackDown prepares for its Money in the Bank fallout episode, the show will again compete against live sports, including the NBA Finals, which will feature the Indiana/Oklahoma City Game 4 airing at the same time.

Viewers are eager to see how the upcoming episodes will perform, as WWE continues to adjust its programming strategies since moving from FOX to USA Network and expanding to a third hour.