WWE SmackDown‘s final episode on the Fox Network has recorded its lowest viewership figures in its five-year run on the channel.
The September 6th episode, which marked the end of WWE SmackDown’s tenure on Fox before its move to USA Network, drew an average of just 1,770,000 viewers, according to data from Wrestlenomics.
This viewership number represents a significant 14% drop from the previous week’s episode, which aired from Germany. The only time SmackDown recorded lower numbers on Fox was during a December 29th, 2023 episode that featured re-aired content from the previous year.
The key 18-49 demographic also saw a record low, with a 0.45 rating, marking a 15% decrease from the previous week. Despite these disappointing figures, SmackDown still managed to secure the top spot among primetime TV shows for the 18-49 audience, as reported by Programming Insider.
However, when compared to the broader television landscape, SmackDown faced stiff competition. An NFL game airing on Peacock drew a massive 14 million viewers, relegating SmackDown to second place for the night overall. On a positive note for WWE, SmackDown comfortably outperformed AEW Collision, which aired head-to-head against it.
Which WWE SmackDown Angle Did Key Figures In The Company Hate?
It was reported that a number of key figures in the company hated the WWE SmackDown angle which saw Apollo Crews roll up and pin Giovanni Vinci in ten seconds. Sources reported that people within the WWE’s creative department hated this direction that the angle went on the show.