In a significant shift, WWE SmackDown, a popular wrestling show, has been reclassified from a sports program to an entertainment program.
This change was announced following the July 7th episode, which broke recent WWE TV viewership records and achieved an impressive rating in the 18-49 demographic.
The decision to reclassify the show was confirmed by Michael Mulvihill, Fox Sports President of Analytics and Insights on Twitter.
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WWE SmackDown: Impact on Ratings and Viewership
The change in categorisation has had an immediate impact on the show’s rankings.
The first episode under the new classification was the number one entertainment show of the week among adults aged 18-49, with a rating of 0.76 and 986,000 viewers.
This is a significant achievement for the show, demonstrating its broad appeal beyond the traditional sports audience.
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Record-Breaking Segment
The success of the July 7th episode was largely driven by the Tribal Court segment, which attracted more than three million viewers and achieved a rating of 0.94 in the 18-49 demographic, equivalent to 1.23 million viewers.
This segment’s viewership was the highest of any wrestling quarter-hour in recent history. Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics recently noted that this was the highest demo rating since Christmas Day 2020.
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SmackDown’s Recent Successes
The success of WWE SmackDown extends beyond its TV ratings. The show also recently became the highest-grossing WWE event ever at Madison Square Garden and the highest-grossing domestic SmackDown of all time. These achievements are a testament to the show’s popularity and the strength of its brand.
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