WWE Raw Rating: Is CM Punk Drawing in New Fans?

The next few hours are critical for WWE. Over the past few weeks, the company has been taking a lot more chances than normal. Some are paying off, some are not. That goes with a risk; some will reward you, while others will bomb. The rating for last night's edition of Monday Night Raw will be out in a few hours, and you can bet that the office is waiting around biting their fingernails. Why, you ask?

It has been no secret—the ratings for Raw have been down lately. Still great for any cable show, yet by WWE's standards, they are considered down. Smackdown's have been up the past few weeks, but today we are going to zoom in on the flagship show and their numbers.

The arguments over Punk being a real draw or not are going to come up again. They always will. For the one big PPV main event he was in (Money in the Bank 2011), he seems to have done a great job. Sold out merchandise. HUGE buy-rate for the show (rumored). Praise from within every circle inside and out of the business. Sadly, rating for TV has not yet reflected that...

I know. I know. Be patient! They will grow over time. I get it. I get it. Don't tell me though. Tell WWE! They are the ones looking at all the changes they have been making over the past month and not seeing much of an improvement. They are hovering around a 3.2 rating. Last week's second hour got a 3.4 rating. The over-run (final segment of the show) with Vince being replaced by Triple H two weeks ago got a 3.92 rating. Of course, lots of people just tune in to the end in order to see the big angle play out or the next show on after Raw.

With all the information out there, WWE is going to want to see an uptick in the numbers, and soon! While we all may be able to be a little patient, WWE has shown time and time again, they are not. With Monday Night Football right around the corner, WWE has to start seeing something even more positive from this CM Punk/Cena/Triple H angle, and that is higher TV ratings. If not, it is going to be a loooooong fall season for Raw.

My Raw rating prediction—3.4—still solid, yet disappointing.

UPDATE: Early word is WWE Raw did a 3.3 rating, its' best in 10 weeks.