With a superstar lineup to die for, it is no surprise the 25th-anniversary episode of Raw attracted a considerable amount of viewers. Even though the Raw brand struggled since the brand split, recent storylines and the 25th-anniversary episode seemed to have fixed the ailing brand.
High Viewer Rating, But…
Before we crunch some numbers for you, we must mention that the Raw 25th-anniversary episode did not do as well as the 1000th Raw special, which took place in 2012. While the ratings then reached a whopping 6.02 million viewers, Raw’s 25th-anniversary episode reached a lower number.
Ratings for the Three-Hour Anniversary Episode
At 8 p.m., approximately 4.80 million viewers tuned in for the anniversary episode. The viewer rating declined slightly to 4.64 million at 9 p.m. and 4.15 million at 10 p.m.
Looking at the ratings for the anniversary episode, the WWE experienced the usual drop in viewers over the three-hour period the show was aired. However, the drop was significantly less than the previous week, which amounted to 21.2%. For the Raw anniversary episode, the drop was only 13.6%. Therefore, I am sure WWE management see the event as a success.
Angry Chants at Manhattan Center
Not everyone was happy with the anniversary event because the decision of the WWE to hold the event in two separate locations left some wrestling fans sorely disappointed.
The Raw anniversary event took place at Barclays Center and the Manhattan Center simultaneously. To acquire a ticket for the momentous occasion in the Manhattan Center, fans had to pay a minimum of $700. The problem with that? Some of the best segments took part at Barclays Center, with very few matches taking place in the Manhattan Center. So, fans were left watching most of Raw on the big screen.
While the appearance of the Undertaker alone at the Manhattan Center is something to remember, it does become a little ridiculous to charge people such astronomical amounts, only to show matches on the big screen with little to nothing happening in the ring. Some fans even took to social media to comment on the lack of activity at the Manhattan Center.
“I was wondering if that side was getting matches in between the televised segments. that’s pretty terrible planning.”
“That is just sad. The show started off good but it went in the toilet immediately.”
Conclusion
Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the anniversary episode, I do agree with fans at the Manhattan Center. When you pay more than $700 for a ticket, you expect a little more value for money. Still, the overall anniversary event proves that the WWE can provide a good show with a lot of surprises. Now, they just need to keep that momentum going on both brands.
What is your opinion on the 25th-anniversary episode? Was there something that could be better? Or were you perfectly happy with it all? Let us know in the comment section below.