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What's the story?
SmackDown Live came to us from London, this week. The main event saw Shinsuke Nakamura take on AJ Styles to determine the clause for their Money in the Bank match.
There was a marginal rise in viewership this week thanks to this marquee match and several other attractions. One must remember that the viewership last week was the lowest of the whole year!
In case you didn't know...
WWE filmed RAW and SmackDown Live in England this week. Because of the time difference, the shows were filmed a few hours beforehand and telecast at a later time. In addition to the match that we've mentioned, there was a Royal Celebration as well as a triple threat qualifier match.
The London crowd was on fire through the course of the night with their chants and energy. Their participation did make the show feel very special. Thanks to Wrestling Inc. for the following figures.
The heart of the matter
Last week, SmackDown Live clocked a record low viewership number of 2.293 million viewers only. One has to go back all the way to Halloween 2017 to find a lower figure. This week, buoyed by the powerful main event, the figures saw a marginal rise- 2.298 million viewers. This is not a substantial rise, but a rise nevertheless.
Much like last week, this week's show too was highly affected by the NBA Playoffs and was at the Number 8 position on cable overall. One wonders if the ratings will pick up closer to Money in the Bank.
What's next?
Shinsuke Nakamura gets to pick the stipulation for the Money in the Bank rematch next week. One wonders if that is enough incentive for more viewers to tune in next week. There may be a few Money in the Bank qualifiers as well!
Author's take
SmackDown Live has just seemed a little off over the past weeks. The shows haven't been bad per se, but they've just been quite lacklustre.
I seriously hope the pace and plots pick up closer to Money in the Bank.
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