WWE Raw ratings up only five percent from last week

Raw last night was up only 5.2 percent from last week’s show that went against the NBA Finals, doing 2.24 million viewers.

One would have hoped for at least a 10 percent bounce-back when you eliminate a game that did 18.22 million viewers from competition. This looks to be the new level for Raw for the summer with no major sports competition. The show was down 23 percent from the same week last year, although that was also helped by being the day after Money in the Bank.

The good news is the third hour drop from the first hour was only 10.6 percent, well under the usual level, so the people who were there at the start stuck with it for the Daniel Bryan vs. Seth Rollins match at a better clip than usual. What’s notable is that the first-to-third hour drop was more men than women.

Women dropped seven percent in 18-49 and 16 percent in 12-17 from the first to third hour. Men dropped 11 percent in 18-49 and 17 percent in 12-17.

Raw was fifth for the night on cable.

The three hours were:

8 p.m. 2.33 million viewers
9 p.m. 2.30 million viewers
10 p.m. 2.08 million viewer