The May 19 episode of WWE SmackDown
averaged 2.133 million viewers on FOX, down 0.7 percent from the previous week. It's the second-lowest viewership total the show has drawn in 2023 so far.
SmackDown topped all network programming with a 0.53 rating in the 18-49 demo, down 5.4 percent from last week. It's also SmackDown's second lowest rating of the year to date.
SmackDown ranked first among network programming with a 0.34 rating in the 18-34 demo, more than doubling the second highest English-language show on the broadcast networks.
Television was dominated, once again, by the NBA and NHL playoffs. Game two of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals topped the cable charts, averaging more than 6.1 million viewers and drawing a 2.05 rating in 18-49. The opening game of the NHL's Western Conference Finals averaged just over 1.7 million viewers and finished third on the charts with a 0.52 rating in 18-49. Both games aired mostly head-to-head with SmackDown.
As compared to the same week in 2022 (with similar competition), SmackDown was up five percent in total viewers and up 17.8 percent in 18-49.
Listed below are the last 11 weeks of overall viewership totals and 18-49 demo ratings for SmackDown, as well as the 10-week averages in both categories. This week's show was down 6.3 percent in total viewers and down 11.7 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.
