WWE: Monday Night Raw Suffers Sharp Decline in Viewership

Since switching to a three-hour format, WWE Monday Night Raw has struggled to gain any sort of momentum in the ratings.

For the WWE, its Labor Day edition of Monday Night Raw is something to forget about, as viewership suffered a sharp decline (via TV By the Numbers). Although the viewership decline could be blamed on the Labor Day holiday, WWE should be concerned about its final hour of Raw, which slipped under four million viewers.

On Monday night, the show's first hour notched 4.3 million viewers. The second hour increased slightly to 4.39 million viewers. However, in an alarming fashion, the third hour dropped to just 3.9 million viewers. The first two hours of Raw scored a 1.6 rating share in Adults 18-49. Meanwhile, the third hour slipped to a 1.5 rating.

Overall on Monday night, Raw slipped on cable television's top 50 list.

Should WWE be concerned with Monday Night Raw?

After seeing its final hour of the show decline sharply in viewership, WWE officials should be concerned about this scary pattern. The final hour viewership total should be a clear sign that there is a lack of interest in the product or Monday Night Raw has become too dragged out for people to watch. 

This past edition of Monday Night Raw saw tons of fillers, which may have caused viewers to stop watching. The Labor Day holiday could certainly be blamed for a lack of viewership, but WWE should be more concerned with Raw's downward ratings spiral. With a tough fall television lineup coming up, including NFL Monday Night Football, Raw may see its flagship show drop even further in the ratings department. 

WWE needs to boost its current product. It is the most effective way to help WWE Raw hold steady against tough competition on television. If viewership continues to decline even further, WWE officials may really need to look at whether the move to a three-hour format has benefited Monday Night Raw.