After always being a step behind RAW in terms of roster strength and viewership numbers, the blue brand earned the tag of being the “B Show”. However, with its switch to FOX, it seems that the tides have changed with SmackDown attracting huge numbers during its premiere on the new network.
The premiere episode which included The Rock’s return and a ladder match between Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon drew 3.869 million viewers as reported by Showbuzz Daily.
The USA Network finale had drawn 2.099 million viewers and thus there is an 84% rise in viewership for the maiden episode. On the other hand, the most recent episode of RAW had an average of 2.571 million viewers.
SmackDown ranked 4th during the night in terms of viewership with Blue Bloods, Hawaii Five-O, Magnum P.I, and The Blacklist drawing more viewers.
Although it is too early to call, SmackDown have made a terrific start to their new journey on the network.
