Sports hurt SmackDown’s ratings, but they did beat one game

SmackDown had competition from both baseball and basketball on national television this past Friday (Oct. 21). It resulted in declines in its numbers, but the show continues to deliver for FOX regardless.

According to Showbuzz Daily, SmackDown had an audience of 2.231 million, with a .52 rating among 18-49 year olds. Those are roughly 2% and 4% declines from the week before.

But the blue brand was still the highest rated show on broadcast television. It finished third overall behind Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on FS1, which was watched by 4.88 million & scored a 1.12 in the demo, and the 10pm ET NBA game between the Golden State Warriors & Denver Nuggets on ESPN, which pulled 1.91 million viewers & a .66 rating. SmackDown did beat the early basketball game it went head-to head with on ESPN; the Boston Celtics/Miami Heat contest that tipped off before 8pm ET did 1.41 million in viewership and .47 with the 18-49 crowd.

These numbers will be much different this week, as SmackDown will be on FS1 going against the start of the World Series on FOX. While you mull over how different, here’s a rundown of the past six months or so of the blue show’s numbers:

• April 1 - 2.36 million / .61
• April 8 - 2.23 / .60
• Apri 15 - 2.14 / .48
• April 22 - 1.95 / .47
• April 29 - 1.95 / .38
• May 6 - 2.00 / .46
• May 13 - 1.89 / .40
• May 20 - 2.03 / .45
• May 27 - 1.88 / .43
• June 3 - 1.94 / .47
• June 10 - 1.91 / .44
• June 17 - 2.29 / .57
• June 24 - 2.23 / .53
• July 1 - 2.14 / .49
• July 8 - 2.13 / .47
• July 15 - 2.08 / .47
• July 22 - 2.26 / .62
• July 29 - 2.19 / .52
• Aug. 5 - 2.09 / .49
• Aug. 12 - 1.93 / .44
• Aug. 19 - 2.08 / .47
• Aug. 26 - 1.99 / .48
• Sept. 2 - 2.08 / .49
• Sept. 9 - 2.37 / .57
• Sept. 16 - 2.21 / .50
• Sept. 23 - 2.54 / .63
• Sept. 30 - 2.21 / .54
• Oct. 7 - 2.24 / .54
• Oct. 14 - 2.27 / .54
• Oct. 21 - 2.23 / .52

For complete results and this week’s SmackDown live blog click here. To read a recap & review of the night’s events click here. For video highlights of the show click here.