Jack-Hammer
YOU WILL RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH!!!!
This past Monday on Raw, the show drew a 2.68 Nielsen rating with an average audience of 3.58 million viewers, making it the lowest rated Raw of 2013. As a result, a lot of dirtsheet writers are now predicting doom for Daniel Bryan since he's been elevated into the top babyface spot in WWE with John Cena out injured. It's a lousy rating, no two ways about it. There's a pretty good number of fans, at least internet fans if no one else, that've had some trepidation in terms of Bryan's push. Many have been expecting WWE to pull the rug out from under him since the moment this big push towards the WWE Championship was announced. As I alluded to earlier, some dirtsheet writers are expecting it to happen as well due to ratings or ppv buys not being what WWE wants or expects. At this point, however, is that really the way it is?
It's a bad rating and there's still a lot of time left in the year for even worse numbers to show. That being said, it's a stronger number than Raw pulled for the 10-1-12 episode, which drew a 2.54 and it's still far higher than the show lows of 2.2 and 2.32 during the last week of December. I also seem to recall a lot of people predicting disaster for CM Punk during this same time last year. After all, WWE had all hands on deck with CM Punk, John Cena, Sheamus and Randy Orton all over the place, yet Raw's ratings still tanked. Comparing the ratings from the same time period last year to now, WWE's numbers are actually a little better now than in 2012, according to gerweck.net, so far:
Raw Rating against MNF 2012 - Week 1: 2.89
Raw Rating against MNF 2012 - Week 2: 2.86
Raw Rating against MNF 2012 - Week 3: 2.72
Raw Rating against MNF 2012 - Week 4: 2.54
Raw Rating average against MNF 2013 - Month 1: 2.75
Raw Rating against MNF 2013 - Week 1: 2.9
Raw Rating against MNF 2013 - Week 2: 2.96
Raw Rating against MNF 2013 - Week 3: 2.81
Raw Rating against MNF 2013 - Week 4. 2.68
Raw Rating average against MNF 2013 - Month 1: 2.84
While the ratings aren't exactly stellar, as I said, they're still better than they were during the exact same period of time last year, nor are they the ratings after DVR viewership is calculated. I'd say that the lowest rating of Raw this year will be the episode that airs on December 25th, Christmas Day.
As far as ppv buys go, it's been reported that SummerSlam 2013 drew right at about 300,000 buys. This show was headlined by Cena vs. Bryan whereas 2012 was headlined by Triple H vs. Lesnar. Punk vs. Cena vs. Big Show was also on the card but the genuine main event was Trips vs. Lesnar. SummerSlam 2011, however, which was headlined by Punk vs. Cena in their return match from Money in the Bank, drew 296,000. Still, unlike some predicted, WWE didn't pull the plug on Punk's push. Now I've never expected Bryan to be the "face" of WWE and I don't expect it when Cena returns. However, I don't think he's going to be shuffled back down the card as he's too talented and popular.
While it could happen to Daniel Bryan, I don't expect it too. New wrestlers elevated into the main event spot don't become mega draws overnight, at least the vast majority of them don't. As I pointed out, Raw's numbers weren't exactly stellar during the same time last year and this was with more firmly established main eventers headlining the show.
Do you think WWE will ultimately kill Bryan's push?
It's a bad rating and there's still a lot of time left in the year for even worse numbers to show. That being said, it's a stronger number than Raw pulled for the 10-1-12 episode, which drew a 2.54 and it's still far higher than the show lows of 2.2 and 2.32 during the last week of December. I also seem to recall a lot of people predicting disaster for CM Punk during this same time last year. After all, WWE had all hands on deck with CM Punk, John Cena, Sheamus and Randy Orton all over the place, yet Raw's ratings still tanked. Comparing the ratings from the same time period last year to now, WWE's numbers are actually a little better now than in 2012, according to gerweck.net, so far:
Raw Rating against MNF 2012 - Week 1: 2.89
Raw Rating against MNF 2012 - Week 2: 2.86
Raw Rating against MNF 2012 - Week 3: 2.72
Raw Rating against MNF 2012 - Week 4: 2.54
Raw Rating average against MNF 2013 - Month 1: 2.75
Raw Rating against MNF 2013 - Week 1: 2.9
Raw Rating against MNF 2013 - Week 2: 2.96
Raw Rating against MNF 2013 - Week 3: 2.81
Raw Rating against MNF 2013 - Week 4. 2.68
Raw Rating average against MNF 2013 - Month 1: 2.84
While the ratings aren't exactly stellar, as I said, they're still better than they were during the exact same period of time last year, nor are they the ratings after DVR viewership is calculated. I'd say that the lowest rating of Raw this year will be the episode that airs on December 25th, Christmas Day.
As far as ppv buys go, it's been reported that SummerSlam 2013 drew right at about 300,000 buys. This show was headlined by Cena vs. Bryan whereas 2012 was headlined by Triple H vs. Lesnar. Punk vs. Cena vs. Big Show was also on the card but the genuine main event was Trips vs. Lesnar. SummerSlam 2011, however, which was headlined by Punk vs. Cena in their return match from Money in the Bank, drew 296,000. Still, unlike some predicted, WWE didn't pull the plug on Punk's push. Now I've never expected Bryan to be the "face" of WWE and I don't expect it when Cena returns. However, I don't think he's going to be shuffled back down the card as he's too talented and popular.
While it could happen to Daniel Bryan, I don't expect it too. New wrestlers elevated into the main event spot don't become mega draws overnight, at least the vast majority of them don't. As I pointed out, Raw's numbers weren't exactly stellar during the same time last year and this was with more firmly established main eventers headlining the show.
Do you think WWE will ultimately kill Bryan's push?