Ratings drop to non-football record low for RAW

[cero2k]

Source: f4wonline.com

Raw set another all-time record low for the era for a non-football season broadcast last night averaging 3.37 million viewers.

The prior lowest audience outside of holidays and football season was 3.46 million set on June 29, 2015.

In particular was a strong third hour drop to 3.09 million viewers. Most of the third hours against the NFL topped last night's final hour. This RAW was headlined by Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose vs. New Day.

Going in, expectations weren't strong with the Iowa Caucus coverage expected to hurt. The show was down 18 percent from last week, which showed the combination of the day after the Rumble increase and the Dwayne Johnson appearance didn't carry over a week later.

For the three hours:

8 p.m. 3.59 million viewers
9 p.m. 3.46 million viewers
10 p.m. 3.09 million viewers

[XIV]

I actually think that ratings hold no true place in modern television.

Do they count online watchers on the WWE Network?
Do they count TiVo'd episodes?

If not. They should. Because with all the available media platforms, people watch all kinds of ways.

I watch RAW on my phone via an APP with my Satellite TV provider. So I do not count in the ratings.

The U.K puts very little stock in TV ratings now. I believe the US should follow.

[Big Red Machine]

I actually think that ratings hold no true place in modern television.

Do they count online watchers on the WWE Network?
Do they count TiVo'd episodes?

If not. They should. Because with all the available media platforms, people watch all kinds of ways.

I watch RAW on my phone via an APP with my Satellite TV provider. So I do not count in the ratings.

The U.K puts very little stock in TV ratings now. I believe the US should follow.

Raw and SD aren't allowed to be live on the Network due to the TV deal, but in essence I agree with your point (although... if I had a Nielson Box and really liked a show, I would probably do my best to watch it live to make sure it gets credit in the ratings).

[XIV]

I actually think that ratings hold no true place in modern television.

Do they count online watchers on the WWE Network?
Do they count TiVo'd episodes?

If not. They should. Because with all the available media platforms, people watch all kinds of ways.

I watch RAW on my phone via an APP with my Satellite TV provider. So I do not count in the ratings.

The U.K puts very little stock in TV ratings now. I believe the US should follow.

Raw and SD aren't allowed to be live on the Network due to the TV deal, but in essence I agree with your point (although... if I had a Nielson Box and really liked a show, I would probably do my best to watch it live to make sure it gets credit in the ratings).

The things I would pay attention to is merchandise sales, ticket sales and PPV buys (mixed with ratings for their own showing on the network).

Those would be my important factors.

[cero2k]

the relevance of ratings is more for USA than WWE, but WWE still needs to make sure they're staying to the level that USA expects from them. As you mention with all the other mediums to watch the show, there should be some formula to extrapolate these numbers to more realistic ones

also, another big thing about ratings is that they reflect on how much people are watching your sponsor's commercials, people who watch DVR, Hulu, TiVo, etc don't watch commercials, so that is money 'lost' for the sponsors

[Big Red Machine]

also, another big thing about ratings is that they reflect on how much people are watching your sponsor's commercials, people who watch DVR, Hulu, TiVo, etc don't watch commercials, so that is money 'lost' for the sponsors

While this is true (the same guy who decided to shut WCW down also wanted to ban VCRs for this reason), I'm not sure that if you have the TV on are recording something but leave it on pause so that you can catch up without commercials (which is how I watch Raw, Impact, and usually Smackdown), you aren't still showing up in the ratings (assuming you have a Nielson box, obviously).

[Big Red Machine]

As you mention with all the other mediums to watch the show, there should be some formula to extrapolate these numbers to more realistic ones

Except for illegal streams, downloads, and uploads, which is how a lot of people do it.

[XIV]

I fully believe that RAW's worldwide viewing each week is probably between 15-25 million people.