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Analysis: This time of year when major men’s team sports are in the offseason demonstrates the much-bragged-about “52 weeks-a-year” season for wrestling (or MMA) that provides value to networks year-round. With the NBA and NHL joining the NFL in the offseason, Smackdown ranked #2 in P18-49 across all of broadcast and cable primetime for the seven-day period below. If you combine the audiences of the UFC PPV prelim simulcast on ESPN and ESPNU on Saturday, June 28, that telecast’s P18-49 rating would be 0.45, just above Smackdown.
Brandon Thurston has written about wrestling business since 2015. He operates and owns Wrestlenomics.