USA Network details their big 2018 including RAW and SmackDown Live!

As the door is about to close on 2018, networks and companies will begin looking into all kinds of statistics to determine their performance and turn the page to 2019.

One such network would be USA Network, the home of WWE’s Monday Night RAW and SmackDown Live (until October), two programs that have really been taken to task as of late by the WWE Universe for the creative direction and booking with falling ratings until this week.

Today, USA Network released the following as they hyped their big year:

USA NETWORK ENDS 2018 ON TOP: #1 CABLE ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK FOR 13TH STRAIGHT YEAR

USA Network is on track to close out 2018 as the #1 overall cable entertainment network in total viewers (P2+) for the 13th year (the longest streak in TV history) – and as the #1 cable entertainment network for P18-49 for the 2nd year in a row1. Ranker is attached.

A YEAR OF #1 – HIGHLIGHTS2

Scripted

· USA’s #1 scripted series in total viewers (P2+) — THE SINNER’s second installment, also recently nominated for SAG and Critics Choice awards

· USA’s #1 scripted series in P18-49, P25-54 and P18-34 – THE PURGE

· #1 dramas in their time periods — QUEEN OF THE SOUTH, SUITS and UNSOLVED: THE MURDERS OF TUPAC AND THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.

Unscripted

· Cable’s #1 and #2 unscripted half-hour series for P18-49 and P25-54 — CHRISLEY KNOWS BEST and WWE spinoff MIZ & MRS

· Freshman series MIZ & MRS also had USA’s #1 unscripted debut since 2011

WWE

· Week over week, WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW and WWE SMACKDOWN LIVE are among cable’s top entertainment programs P2+ (#1 or 2 every Monday of the year for RAW, in the top 4 every Tuesday of the year for SMACKDOWN)

· On the strength of RAW and SMACKDOWN, USA was the #1 primetime cable entertainment network on Monday and Tuesday for P2+, P18-49 and P25-54

1Source: Nielsen, Most Current 01/01/18-12/16/18; L7 through 12/02/18 blended with L3 through 12/13/18 and L+SD through 12/16/18; Mo-Su 8p-11p. Includes ad-supported cable entertainment networks that air in 100% of the daypart

2Source: Nielsen L7 1/1-11/25/18

EA’s Take: So this might seem a bit out of place here on The Chairshot, but here’s why I find it interesting…anybody notice how USA Network talks about demographic groups here and not ratings? Any guesses as to why? Because as I’ve been saying for almost the entirety of my time covering the weekly WWE ratings, THEY DO NOT MATTER AS MUCH AS YOU THINK. Demographic numbers are what networks are looking at. Now I realize that since I’ve railed on this forever and a day now, it’s not going to change anybody’s mind. If you’re a naysayer who has been pointing to ratings, you’ll keep doing it no matter what kind of logical, reasonable arguments are made. And that’s fine, but hey, I still had to try!

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