The June 18th WWE RAW Supershow scored a 3.40 cable rating with 4.97 million viewers. This is the best rating RAW has done since the day after WrestleMania 27.
In the segment breakdown, CM Punk and Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan and Kane lost 241,000 viewers from the opener that started strong. Dolph Ziggler vs. Jack Swagger lost 22,000 more viewers. The segment with Paul Heyman and Triple H gained 559,000 more viewers for a show-high 3.74 quarter rating.
Santino Marella vs. Alberto Del Rio lost 711,000 viewers. The segment with Heath Slater, Wendi Richter, Cyndi Lauper and Roddy Piper lost 12,000 more viewers. John Cena vs. David Otunga and John Laurinaitis in the main event gained 573,000 viewers to a 3.74 quarter rating.
(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
pwinsider said:The 6/22 episode of WWE Smackdown scored a 2.02 rating with 2,970,000 viewers.
Last night's episode of Raw scored a 3.28 rating with 4.71 million viewers. Those numbers were down from last week's 3.42 and 4.96 million viewer average, but up from the 3.24 two weeks ago. The show did 4.59 million viewers in the first hour and then jumped to 4.84 million for the second hour. The show continues a three-week trend of improved ratings after two months of decline.
The show ranked #2 in total viewers on cable TV for the night behind Pawn Stars, though it hit #1 in all key male demographics. It was also up from the rating one year ago, though down in total views compared to the 3.13 rating and 4.94 million viewers.
As noted before, the June 25th WWE RAW Supershow scored a 3.29 cable rating with 4.72 million viewers.
In the segment breakdown, CM Punk vs. Kane vs. Daniel Bryan lost just 30,000 viewers from the opener. Big Show vs. Brodus Clay gained 50,000 viewers while Santino Marella vs. Jack Swagger lost 167,000 viewers. John Cena’s interview and the return of Chris Jericho gained 803,000 viewers for a 3.69 quarter rating – up from the usual 10pm growth this year.
Psycho Sid’s return didn’t see the same success that Vader’s did as Sid’s win over Heath Slater lost 607,000 viewers. Dolph Ziggler vs. Alberto Del Rio in the #1 contender’s match gained 202,000 viewers while the Divas Bikini Battle Royal lost 238,000 viewers. The main event with Chris Jericho vs. John Cena gained 567,000 viewers for a 3.57 overrun rating.
(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
Can't the WWE see the trend, yet? HHH, Cena, Jericho, Brock, Rock, Heyman, Taker, HBK, Vince. What do they all have in common?
1. They are the only consistent ratings bumpers that appear on television in recent years.
2. They are all stars from the 90's and early 2000's. (80's in HBK and Taker's cases.)
The trend is simple: People are cruising along and see a familiar face and stop for it. They don't stick around to see the new crop of stars. It is the guys who illicit the memories of better characters, stories and moments that get them to watch that segment. That being the case, the WWE needs to do three things:
1. Remember how to gauge the pulse of the people in 2012 and make characters that match them. Hogan for 80's, Austin for the 90's, Cena for 00's, Who for the '10's since Cena is now just for the kids? They have got to make MODERN characters for the modern age.
2. They need to create stories with continuity, suspense, cliffhangers and special moments. Almost all feuds are just "Talk, jump each other, talk, match." Where's the creativity? People used to get hit with cars, thrown off buildings and pile-driven on limos. WEEKLY. Then the WWE needs to FINISH those stories.
3. Once they have developed better stories and characters, they need to get controversial. I'm not saying they can't be PG and successful, but they have no controversy that gets people to even notice what's going on with the E. Even if it gets better stylistically, will anyone notice? They have to get the media talking again, good or bad.