The world of professional wrestling continues to navigate a shifting television landscape and the latest ratings data reveals a modest increase for WWE SmackDown despite ongoing competition from the Winter Olympics. Friday’s broadcast, airing on Syfy for a second consecutive week due to the Games, drew 1.042 million viewers and a 0.26 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, according to Wrestlenomics. This represents a positive trend for the show, signaling some resilience amidst a challenging environment for live sports entertainment.
The viewership figure marks an 11.5 percent increase in the 18-49 demo and a 6.8 percent rise in total audience compared to the previous week’s episode. While these numbers haven’t yet reached the levels SmackDown consistently achieved before its temporary move to Syfy, they demonstrate a strengthening performance compared to earlier January broadcasts. The February 6 episode, which garnered a 0.35 demo rating, remains the high point for the show in recent weeks. Excluding last week’s broadcast, this was the lowest overall audience since January 23, which recorded 943,000 viewers.
The broader television landscape on Friday night was dominated by NBC’s Olympic coverage, which secured a 1.45 rating in the 18-49 demo and a substantial 9.475 million viewers. This context underscores the difficulty of competing for audience attention during major sporting events. The Olympics consistently draw a large and dedicated viewership, presenting a significant hurdle for other programming.
Nielsen Ratings Adjustments Complicate Comparisons
Analyzing SmackDown’s performance requires acknowledging recent changes in television ratings measurement. Nielsen, the primary source for TV viewership data, adjusted its methodology in late January, transitioning to a “Big Data + Panel” system. This shift, coupled with a prior change to the methodology in January, has created complexities when comparing current ratings to those from earlier in the year. Wrestlenomics notes that these changes have impacted viewership measurements for wrestling programs.
Despite these methodological challenges, current data indicates that WWE SmackDown is averaging a 0.270 demo rating and 1.119 million viewers through the first portion of 2026. In contrast, during the same period in 2025, the show averaged a 0.455 demo rating and 1.508 million viewers, highlighting a significant year-over-year decline. February 2026’s average stands at a 0.35 demo rating and 1.459 million viewers, down 9% from February 2025’s 0.48 demo rating and 1.599 million viewers.
Wrestling Ratings Across Promotions
The ratings picture extends beyond WWE. Recent data from Wrestlenomics reveals the following viewership numbers for other major wrestling promotions:
- WWE Raw (Feb 16 on Netflix): 2,700,000 global views
- AEW Collision (Feb 21 on TNT): 470,000 viewers; 0.08 P18-49 rating
- AEW Dynamite (Feb 18 on TBS): 692,000 viewers; 0.12 P18-49 rating
- TNA Impact (Feb 19 on AMC): 233,000 viewers; 0.05 P18-49 rating
- WWE Smackdown (Feb 13 on Syfy): 1,042,000 viewers; 0.26 P18-49 rating
- WWE Smackdown (Feb 20 on Syfy): 1,113,000 viewers; 0.29 P18-49 rating
These figures demonstrate the varying levels of viewership across different promotions and platforms. WWE Raw, streaming on Netflix, continues to lead in overall viewership, while AEW and TNA maintain a dedicated, albeit smaller, audience base.
Demographic Breakdown
A closer look at SmackDown’s demographic performance reveals some interesting trends. For the February 20th broadcast, the viewership breakdown was as follows (approximate):
- P2+: 1,113,000
- P18-49: 395,000 (+14% vs. Median of last 4 non-preemption episodes)
- F18-49: 154,000 (-6% vs. Median of last 4 non-preemption episodes)
- M18-49: 236,000 (-11% vs. Median of last 4 non-preemption episodes)
- Non-P18-49: 718,000 (-7% vs. Median of last 4 non-preemption episodes)
These numbers suggest that SmackDown’s core audience remains primarily within the 18-49 demographic, with a slight skew towards male viewers. But, the show also attracts a significant audience outside of this key demographic.
As the Winter Olympics continue, WWE SmackDown will likely remain on Syfy for at least another week. The show’s ability to maintain a stable viewership during this period will be a key indicator of its long-term performance and its appeal to fans amidst increased competition for their attention. The next episode, scheduled for February 27th, will provide further insight into the show’s trajectory.
What do you think of SmackDown’s recent ratings? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and be sure to share this article with fellow wrestling fans.
