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What’s the story?
Per figures released by Showbuzz Daily, WWE's flagship show has once again dropped viewers, despite a huge cage match main event.
In case you didn’t know…
Monday's edition of Raw featured one of the best TV matches of the year as Braun Strowman and The Big Show went at it in a steel cage. There was also another confrontation between Roman Reigns and John Cena, as the verbal battle between the two took a heated turn.
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The heart of the matter
Raw viewing figures dropped sharply this week to just over 2.9 million, down 11% from the previous week's 3.3 million, with watchers tuning out as the show went on. The third hour suffered particularly badly, despite the massive (and very good) main event, with only 2.75 million viewers.
On cable, Raw was #2 in viewership and also #2 in the 18-49 age bracket, only beaten out by college football on ESPN.
The ratings decline, 1 week before the football season gets underway, is sure to have WWE top brass worried. Monday night football has made a serious dent in the Raw viewership in the past and this season promises more of the same.
What’s next?
It will be interesting to see how WWE react to this development, Vince McMahon is already scheduled for an appearance on Smackdown. Historically the Chairman hasn't been shy about putting himself back on screen to boost numbers, but that option isn't available.
With McMahon not available, it will be interesting to see if WWE attempt to frontload Raw with big matches and major angles, or allow things to continue as normal.
Author’s take
This ratings slip will once again reignite the debate over whether Raw is better served returning to it's two hour running time. From the outside it would appear so, however we don't know how much WWE gains in revenue from that third hour on our screens.
Also, with football season coming and the inevitable ratings drops that Monday games bring, will WWE perhaps ring the changes in and effort to offset their predicted losses? Could "The Monster Among Men" be about to pick up Brock Lesnar's Universal Title? If I'm a betting man (and I am) I'm betting yes - changes need to happen, things need to pick up.
