Despite appearances by Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and even Vince McMahon, the April 24 SmackDown viewership was down from last week, making it the lowest for an episode in 2020 and least-watched episode on FOX.
According to overnight numbers provided by Showbuzz Daily, the April 24 episode of SmackDown averaged 2.014 million viewers, down from last week's 2.192 million viewers. This new low for SmackDown comes just one day after Vince McMahon addressed declining ratings for the Monday Night Raw brand by saying that it takes time for fans to adjust to new characters in new stories. This episode was missing live appearances by Universal Champion, Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, Intercontinental Champion, Sami Zayn, and Roman Reigns, who is out indefinitely due to safety concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the 18-49 demographic, the show drew a 0.5 rating, down from last week's 0.6 rating. The NFL draft over on ABC and CBS's airings of MacGyver and Magnum P.I. drew higher ratings in the 18-49 demographic.
Hourly Breakdown:
Hour 1: 2.050 million viewers, 0.5 rating in the 18-49 demographic
Hour 2: 1.978 million viewers, 0.5 rating in the 18-49 demographic
Top 5 Most Viewed WWE SmackDown (4/24) Videos On YouTube
Shawn Michaels roasts Triple H with impromptu tribute: (568,000 viewers)
Mr. McMahon turns off the lights on Triple H?s celebration (495,000 views)
Unpacking the history between Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt (298,000 views)
Lacey Evans vs. Sasha Banks ? Money In The Bank Qualifying Match (266,000 views)
The Forgotten Sons shake up SmackDown (248,000 views)
If you missed any of the action from SmackDown, check out Fightful?s full report on the show and listen to the post-show podcast for a complete review of all the action.
For a full breakdown on viewership numbers from various wrestling programs, check out Fightful's resources page.