Are WWE ratings & viewership numbers taking a hit due to Roman Reigns' absence?

“The Tribal Chief” lost his Undisputed WWE title at WrestleMania XL

The absence of Roman Reigns from WWE programming has left many fans wondering about its impact on the company’s ratings and viewership numbers. Reigns, who recently concluded a historic WWE Championship reign of over 1000 days, suffered a loss against Cody Rhodes, leading to his absence from the spotlight.

In recent weeks, WWE’s flagship show, “Raw,” has seen a noticeable decline in viewership. Last week, the show experienced a decrease in viewership due to competition from the NHL and NBA playoffs. However, this week’s ratings took an even larger hit, with four playoff games airing simultaneously.

Monday’s “Raw” recorded its lowest viewership since January 15, with an average of 1,589,000 viewers and a 0.53 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. Comparing these numbers to the previous week, total viewership declined by 2%, while the 18-49 demo remained steady. Furthermore, both figures continue to fall compared to the four-week average, with viewership down by 5% and the 18-49 demo decreasing by 4%.

Similarly, the viewership for WWE SmackDown on Fox has also seen a decline. The episode aired on May 10th averaged 2.128 million viewers, marking the lowest viewership level of 2024. One year ago, the show drew 2.149 million viewers, indicating a downward trend in viewership numbers.

Is Roman Reigns the reason for WWE’s decline in ratings?

It can be or it can be not as WWE hasn’t seen much of an increase or decrease in viewership since Roman Reigns took time off after WrestleMania 40. The return of The Rock and Roman Reigns to SmackDown generated significant interest among viewers this year. The episode garnered a massive rating of 2.555 million viewers, with a 0.75 rating in the 18-49 demographic. But, with RomanReigns returning this viewership mark is no way going to go down.

The Rock’s return was accompanied by a new-look heel character, marking the first time he portrayed a villain since 2003. The inclusion of Reigns and The Rock injected excitement into the show, captivating fans with their on-screen presence and storytelling.

While WWE continues to face challenges in maintaining viewership numbers, the return of marquee stars like The Rock and Roman Reigns would have a potential for growth and resurgence in interest. As the company navigates through changes in its roster and programming, fans remain hopeful for the return of compelling storylines and captivating performances that will reignite their passion for WWE.

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