WWE SmackDown Viewership for October 15 Takes a Hit Due to MLB Playoffs and FS1 Move

With the MLB Playoffs in full swing, WWE SmackDown was moved to FS1 this past Friday for a special “Super Sized” edition of the blue brand. But how did the show fare in terms of viewership?

According to Showbuzz Daily, this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown brought in 866,000 viewers, a significant drop from last week’s 2.147 million. The move to FS1, paired with stiff competition from MLB Playoffs and AEW, played a major role in the sharp decline in numbers.

Despite the drop, WWE SmackDown still ranked as the No. 3 show on cable for Friday night. The 18-49 demographic also saw a dip, with the rating falling from 0.52 to 0.24 compared to the previous week. This viewership dip has reportedly become a hot topic backstage at WWE RAW, with the company discussing the impact of airing on FS1 and going up against big events like MLB and AEW.

The previous week’s episode aired on network television (FOX), which typically draws a larger audience than cable, so the drop in numbers wasn’t entirely unexpected. SmackDown’s FS1 airing still held its own, coming in third on cable for the day, behind ESPN’s College Football coverage.

Friday’s episode kicked off with an in-ring promo from Edge, hyping up his Hell in a Cell match against Seth Rollins at WWE Crown Jewel. The final half-hour featured a showdown between Sasha Banks and SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch, followed by a highly anticipated contract signing between Brock Lesnar and Universal Champion Roman Reigns ahead of Crown Jewel.

What did you think of WWE SmackDown on Friday? What was your favorite match or segment? Sound off in the comments section below!