WWE SmackDown Rating continue to decline amind new Measurement System and Sports competition

WWE Smack Down has been struggling to gain an audience and hold on to its steady viewership in recent weeks. The latest episode, which aired on October 10, 2025, marked another downfall in ratings, continuing the downward trend that has concerned authorities and analysts. The show averaged 1.025 million viewers on the USA Network, a slight decrease from the previous week's 1.03 million. It is now the lowest-rated Friday Night SmackDown episode from a very long period of time since November 2023 and a record low for any SmackDown broadcast on the network.

Ratings hit a record low as the competition grows strong

The recent episode of WWE SmackDown that aired from Australia was broadcast live internationally before being shown on tape delay in the US. This scheduling shift, along with stiff competition from major sports broadcasts, appears to have contributed to the drop. SmackDown scored a 0.22 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, down from 0.23 the prior week. It ranked fifth overall among adults in that age group on Friday night.

The show faced major competition, including the MLB Divisional series between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers, which attracted over 8 million viewers and a 1.74 rating in the same demographic. Additionally, the WNBA finals and college Football coverage drew significant audiences, which could be considered an important reason for the downfall in the ratings, splitting viewership across different networks. Another factor behind this downfall is Nielsen's new "Big Data+ Panel" measurement method, which replaced the traditional panel-only system in late September. This shift has impacted how viewership is tracked, making it difficult to compare new data with past results. Under the new method, SmackDown's 18-49 demographic rating has fallen by nearly 50 percent compared to last year's numbers.

Despite the challenges, changes, and competition, WWE continues to test different strategies to gain back its audience and engage with better competition. However, with the viewership dropping week by week, it remains uncertain and unclear how much lower the numbers can go. Many believe consistent live broadcasts, stronger storylines, and reduced delays may help stabilize the ratings in the coming months.