WWE’s follow-up performance on ESPN2 for Backlash averaged just under 1 million viewers in the one-hour window last Saturday.
The first hour of Backlash aired on ESPN2 from 6-7 p.m. ET and averaged 998,000 viewers and 0.33 in the 18-49 demographic, as reported by Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics.
The audience doesn’t include viewership on ESPN Unlimited, which aired the entirety of Backlash.
Thurston also obtained the old “panel only” data for the show, which would have been 1,043,000 viewers and 0.37 in the demo. The new methodology monitors far more devices and is referred to as “Big Data + Panel”.
Saturday’s broadcast aired head-to-head with the NHL playoffs on TNT and truTV, and the UFC 328 preliminary card.
Backlash was the follow-up to ESPN & ESPN2 broadcasting the first hour of WrestleMania 42 on April 18 & 19. The first night of WrestleMania, airing on ESPN2, averaged 1,616,000 viewers and 0.62 in 18-49, the second night on ESPN averaged 1,822,000 and 0.65.
WWE’s next premium live event is an afternoon event with Clash in Italy, airing at 2 p.m. ET on May 31.
