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WWE Raw Loses Its Audience; This Week’s Rating A New Yearly Low

Richard Gray October 2, 2012 WWE News 53 Comments

This week’s WWE Raw only did an average viewership of 3,502,000 viewers on the USA Network. Here’s how the hours broke down:

  • Hour 1: 3,436,000 viewers
  • Hour 2: 3,598,000 viewers
  • Hour 3: 3,472,000 viewers

The final cable rating for all three hours was 2.54.  I was sent this week’s rating via text message and was told Vince McMahon is “blowing a gasket.”

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Richard Gray is the owner and editor of WrestlingNewsWorld.com. Covering the professional wrestling business since 1999, Richard holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from West Virginia University. He is also the owner of Gray Internet Technologies, LLC. and should be contacted with all business matters. You can friend him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter. Email him directly at [email protected].

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  • Lloyd clarke

    Why the fuss on ratings these days?
    I could see the point during the monday night wars but now id be more concerned with attendance figures,merchandise sales etc

    • snap

      It’s not so much for the product itself, but the advertisers. Low rating translate into fewer people exposed to their commercials and a lower return on their investment which, in turn, means less revenue for WWE.

    • _JIM_

      Bad or low ratings equals no advertising revenue. The better the ratings are means that higher quality companies will buy advertising time at higher rates. Which is how WWE makes a lot of the money they make from having a show like RAW on TV in primetime. If the ratings are down that means less people are watching the show, and that means that less people are seeing these commercials that companies pay WWE a lot of money to air during their shows. At the end of the day it’s all about making the company money, and the higher the ratings are the more they will make. They have the talent on their roster to be able to put up way better numbers than that week to week. Which I can see why Vince blows a gasket when the ratings stink. It has to be really disappointing for him when his writers can’t seem to come up with anything that connects with the fans to make more of them watch regularly. The PG rating is hurting them more than it is helping them IMO. Yeah they have kids watching, but kids aren’t the demographic that spends money. That would be the 18-34 demo that they lost most of when the PG rating started. They are going to have to make things a bit edgier IMO so they can get some of that audience back. They could accomplish this without losing the PG rating also. PG movies are a lot edgier than they used to be. They just need to find a happy medium with their content so the kiddies parents don’t lose their minds, and so the 18-34 demo gets what they want. Which I guess seems to be harder than it sounds since they can’t seem to figure it out. Maybe make RAW more of an adult oriented show with a higher rating, and make Smackdown and all the other shows PG. Sounds like a great plan to me. Problem solved!

  • Noah

    Well this is bad

  • xChristenLynnx

    I think it is time Raw goes back to 2 hours or do something more entertaining. With football season their viewers are going to keep going down and down until they do something entertaining to keep fans attention.

  • Brian

    Is it a wonder why? 1- we don’t like stupid tag team matches as main events. They have no point and no value. 2- you end the show with DB & Kane “I’m the tag team champions”?! THATs the cliff hanger?! We’ve only seen that for the last three weeks. A 10 year old could write a better script. Thank god for The Great White vs. The All Mighty One. Saved the show from being a complete waste of three hours of my life.

    • smithmiester

      Your opinion is not valued.

  • robert

    like you said, the cowboys played i dvrd it and watched today, i kinda wish i did watched cow game sucked.

  • Bigdaddychuck

    I blame one person McMahon for this.. He runs raw so it’s all on him.

  • H.M.

    2.5 me thinks.

    Wow WWE's ratings are slowly draining away. One could never imagine WWE to go below 3 like 5 years ago.

  • mjledesma

    Even Michael Cole said on tv last night 3 hrs is too much haha. I believe when Jr was doing a sponsor spot.

  • kdls1

    The third hour had more viewers than the first???

  • Jenny C

    WOW! a 2.5 rating… Linda and her damn senate run is really killing wwe right now and if the ratings continue to fall then IMO tna could end up beating raw and sd in the usa for the first time ever.

  • AnacondaVise

    3 hours was a huge mistake! Everyone not named Vince McMahon knew it was going to be.

  • Bigdaddychuck

    Ppl need to stop blaming Linda and her senate run… It’s stupid because its not true. Vince wants money and the more sponsors the more money.. Don’t blame it on Linda at all. They are not producing compelling tv storylines.. Prime example a debate to lead off the 9pm hour between Bigshow and Sheamus really? It’s stupid writers and McMahon who doesn’t get that football and other shows are competition!! Wake up ppl seriously

  • Josh

    Please, no excuses. RAW has been going against MNF for 19 years. Don’t blame Linda, don’t blame PG, don’t blame no Cena. Changes need to be made.

    • Me.

      The one unique change for this year though is the 3 hour show.

      This show that amongst the changes that need to be made is a return to 2 hours.

      That's not the only change that needs to be made, mind you, but that's one thing that can be pointed to and loudly shout "FAIL" at.

      • Josh

        That’s the only changed that needs to be made? Can you honestly say that this show still entertains you?

        • H.M.

          To re-quote what he said:

          "That's *not* the only change that needs to be made, mind you, but that's one thing that can be pointed to and loudly shout "FAIL" at."

    • jonmgill2493

      THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • snap

      You KNOW McMahon is going to blame the low viewership on a lack of Cena. Personally, I think the “face of the WWE” thing is an outdated concept, especially in an era where championship reigns don’t last four years or more.

      WWE needs to build several guys to the same level because injuries CAN happen and if that happens to the person you’re pinning the success of the company on and he’s gone for an extended period of time, you’ve shot yourself in the foot.

      Had WWE gotten this years ago, McMahon probably wouldn’t have been so adamant about keeping Cena in action to the point where he blows up.

      For me, three hours each and every week is overkill. Leave that for PPVs and make three hour RAWs a special event.

  • ted

    WWE will get higher ratings next week when CENA returns to the show. cena is the only draw in this global company,
    cm punk is an iwc darling who in real life looks like a tattooed homeless person.

    raw going 3 hours was not a mistake because wwe gets more money from usa net for it.

    pro wrestling is not cool anymore and can't compete with "real" sports especially with the stupid dALLAS cowboys even though their stupid quarterback is not fit to carry troy aikman's jock strap.

    as far as tna goes, tna is struggling to get a 1.0 cabl rating each week and tna is up against the nfl and thursday shows as well. tna will never get a 2.0 cable rating let alone a 2.5 in has been hogan's life time.

    • Evon Reese

      LMAO. You are so right about Cena and Punk. Punk has always hung onto others coat tails. I've been saying it and getting called names for it. However if he is so great Cenas absence should not matter. Because its Punk everything is blamed on MNF. RAW was a joke when he was just running through his lines. It was like he was just standing there and reading his lines. Not even Hayman could save him. He has reached a high point and the disrespect crap is just that crap. It's old and boring like ADR.

  • tngbeard

    Plan and simple it’s not entertaining enough. Nothing compelling except JR/Punk and even that went flat with Ryback. And them Punk in that tag and loosing? Why not book him against one of the young guys an have him end up getting DQ’d because this kid is really good. Look at the great match Sandow had. Elevated him. Could have done the same thing with Punk and a kid and not have him go under

  • http://www.12ozprophet.com Dangerous Lee

    Why did i laugh out loud when i read vince blew a gasket?

  • Bill

    It’s no surprise the ratings are dropping. Wwe has lost it’s imagination. Do you expect to see the same matches over and over again and not get bored with it? They need to go back to edgier tv make the matches a little more violent and put some good stuff on raw and not just pay per views.

  • Ricky Valdez

    As far as I’m concerned AJ should ref a match from now on on every Monday night raw. She is so damm fine. What a woman. Lucky is the man that kiss those lips, lol.

  • H.M.

    1) Back to 2 hours
    2) Less commercials (a guy can hope) though most unlikely.
    3) Slightly edgier TV within PG boundaries – i.e. extreme stipulation matches are actually extreme, some blood here and there(PG is not responsible for bad programming)
    4) Better mid-card character development with deeper and more compelling storylines on all fronts.

    It ain't Punks fault. Anyone who blames him for being the reason for this is a complete moron.

    3 hours is just too much. I DVR Raw even though I'm in Canada and it helps a boatload skimming through all the commercials, video packages, and sometimes pointless filler matches between guys I could care less about (i.e. Santino/Ryder as a tag team)

    • brandon

      I couldn't agree more on all four of your points!

  • christopher525

    You need a heel that really is "bad" as your top guy. Have them come out and destroy the "pink rope" because they really don't care about the cancer patients. Have them take controversial stances on things. Hell, we had Triple H almost being a racist back a few years in his Booker T title feud.

    • H.M.

      WWE's sponsors and supporters wouldn't like that idea as much as I'm in support of it. Then we'd have some self-righteous wrestling fans particularly from the IWC exclaiming that a certain storyline was not called for and was too 'offensive' even though it's no different from a movie which involves acting(i.e. your reference to the Booker/HHH feud).

  • n1ck

    the popularity of the NFL especially with all the extra attention its been getting with the replacement refs is the sole reason for this whether you like it or not

  • Voxmann41

    I for one wish for the days when we had territories again. Part of the problem for me is that even tho they’ve added an additional hour, the art of wrestling is disappearing. Last nights Raw spent the first 25 minutes with nothing but talk. Yes talking is part of it, but the drive for ppv’s merchandise and ratings and the obvious pull away of “wrestling” is hurting the sport. Mr McMahon…wrestling as a sport and attraction is what built WWE or W or whatever you’re calling it nowadays. The current storylines are insipid and quite frankly boring. Punk is an excellent talker and wrestler. But this whole respect story wire out it’s welcome a long time ago. Vena always has a major injury before a PPV and always ends up in the ring apologizing for his “short comings”. While I’m glad they found a new role for Skip, the whole Ryybeck routine is ripping of Goldberg who quite frankly , did it first and best. I tune every week as I always have befn a “wrestling” fan. Not an entertainment fan. I was pumped when I heard Raw was going to 3 hour format. But alas as I figured maybe if we’re lucky they add one extra match. But 5 matches in a 3 hour program? I get the whole PG thing, but what the core base that are true fans of wrestling? Wrestling isn’t a dirty word Mr McMahon. I’m not saying revive the attitude era but the way it’s been going why not cancel real wrestling and do a 3 hour cartoon about wrestlers….err sorry entertainers instead. As an adult I’m slightly insulted with the product. I’ll keep watching as other then ROH or TNA what is there? ROH may be the bastard stepchild of the 3 but at least wrestling in its original form is better than the big 2. TNA is just as bad as they seem to be loosely ripping of the old NWO schtick

    • MonsterMike42

      I mostly agree with you, but I have to correct you on one thing. Goldberg wasn't the first person who used squash matches and an undefeated streak to get over. People had been doing that for decades, long before anybody even knew who Goldberg was, in NFL or wrestling. Goldberg just happens to be one of the better known guys that did it.

  • Jashaun

    I think the reason it’s low is because of the social network crap

  • Chris

    Does anyone theese days think about DVR. I watch MNF and DVR Raw every week.

  • John cena

    It’s cause I wasn’t there…….you can’t see me

  • karlos

    The reason I think the ratings aren’t doing as welk as they should be is because of the fact that the WWE believes they have no competition. Therefore the material they are coming up with is not up to standard. I actually like the three hour raw format however I can see why it would be losing viewers. Maybe they should think about having one three hour raw a month. And each three hour raw should have a gimmick attached to it . For example raw roulette. Or champion vs champion. Just an idea. Another thing that might help is to merge the US title and ic title together. Keep the ic belt this way it will restore the prestige in th ic strap and start a cruiser

  • Mark Henry

    No Cena, its because i aint been there.

  • Yanman

    With Raw being 3 hours regularly does that mean on a Raw special night we’ll get 4 hours… oh man, I can’t wait for the 8 PM – Midnight show.

  • Wwe4L76

    Wwe is a show for kids now… And Raw is waaaay to long. 3h og entertainment for kids? No thx! Thank you God for TNA!

  • Jashaun

    Be quiet cena nobody missed you.. It can’t really be blamed on one superstar for the ratings drop. I think viewers want a good quality show with alot of good content. Like ending a show to making viewers wanting to know what’s gonna happen next week. But wwe hasn’t done that recently.

  • pugfacerecords

    I watched on Hulu. Condensed 90 mins!

  • Ellen

    Hate to say this but Mr. McMahon has no one to blame but himself.

  • Evon Reese

    They need to shake things up. Punk has held the title too long and he is boring. It's always the same thing. Quit making RAW the CM Punk hour. He was great at first but now he's just stale and the respect thing is like ADR and his destiny.

  • Joe

    What people also have to take into consideration is that when people DVR Raw and watch MNF and then watch raw another night or whatev, it DOESNT COUNT AS A VIEW. and many people are doing that

  • Louis

    This just goes to show that, with or without Monday Night Football and no John Cena, slowly but surely, the WWE is losing its audience. I remember when back in 2010 probably that RAW was in the upper 3s in ratings. They're between the lower 3s – upper 2s right now and last Monday, they just scored in the mid 2s.

  • Mohammad Abulawi

    weather you like him or not cm punk just can't draw, and to be honest i don't care if you vote me negative the IWC is like only like 1/3 of viewership. dont take me wrong but punk is a great wrestler but can't draw to save his life/wwe life. and i bet vince is madder than ever

  • http://www.phenomforever.com Mayank S

    3 hours is longer than long movies, there is no wonder people don't have the patience to sit through and watch what is thrown at them especially since its full of kiddie storylines.

  • Henry

    No cena and too much punk

  • mdawg

    you want ratings? its very simple.

    fire michael cole………….

    fire john steriods cena (do your research)

    fire randy orton. every time orton comes on i turn the channel

  • Logan_Walker

    Its i because there was football games on ? Big Factor There.

  • ZuTu

    Staged wrestling or ''sports entertainment'' is played out plain and simple… back in the late 90's and early 2000's it was fun and exciting to watch.. now the routines and storylines are just bland.. a tall red tights wearing guy in a mask and a little pretend englishman arguing in a cafe and in the ring all night and it makes no sense… and ryback coming out and doing the same thing every week which everyone has seen a hundred times in the past.. then theres john cena all talk and confidence and no ring talent just the biggest draw and sells t-shirts… cm punk? comes out berates a few people makes the realest scripted promo and does the same thing week after week… WWE needs a complete overhaul… the product is going in a pointless direction which is losing them popularity, money and fans… MMA and Boxing are as real as fighting gets for fight fans without losing integrity.. you always know its gonna be fun to watch and never know whats gonna happen.. WWE is just a flashy tights and lights circus and people are realizing it

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