Several talents from the RAW brand are backstage at tonight’s WWE SmackDown TV tapings.
According to a report from Pwinsider, Drew McIntyre, Rhea Ripley and Ivy Nile are all backstage at the show in Vancouver. As of this writing, there is no word on whether they’ll be appearing live or simply working dark matches.
The Pat McAfee Show has been a big ratings draw for ESPN in the month of December, which is something ESPN touted with a press release.
In the month of December, the show has averaged 886,000 viewers per episode across all live channels.
You can check out the official announcement below:
“The Pat McAfee Show” Sees Steady Growth in December Garnering 886,000 Average Viewers Per Episode Across Live Channels
· The show brought in 1.7 million total reach per show across all platforms in month of December – up 21% from September
· Viewers averaged 55.5 minutes of watch time per day
· Produced the most-watched college football alternat telecast since 2016 with Field Pass at the Rose Bowl
· The show is simulcast from noon – 2 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN on YouTube and ESPN+, with the final 2 – 3ish p.m. hour airing on ESPN+ and The Pat McAfee Show channel on YouTube presented by ESPN
The Pat McAfee Show, the highly successful and innovative weekday sports talk and discussion program, has gained even more popularity since the show launched on ESPN platforms in September. In December, the show garnered 886,000 average viewers per episode during the live airings across all platforms (ESPN, YouTube, TikTok) through the show’s innovative live simulcast options.
ESPN’s linear audience alone has ballooned by 20% since the first four weeks (Sept 7 to 29) now averaging 332,000 viewers per episode in the month of December, while the YouTube audience averaged 403,000 concurrently. Combined, it marks a 35% year-over-year increase from the noon to 2 p.m. time slot in 2022.
“It’s been a wild ride this season with ESPN. We’ve had the phenomenal opportunity to do what we love on a scale that we’ve never done before,” said Pat McAfee. “Day to day it certainly feels like a lot of folks are watching our program, but I genuinely try not to focus on numbers too much because you’re only as good as your last show. Everything can change at any given moment so we try and work hard and be good people. We’re insanely lucky that we have found ourselves in this position, we know that. We appreciate that. We try and do it right.
“So many cool moments happened this year because of our relationship with ESPN. Jimmy Pitaro has been incredibly hospitable and motivating. Burke Magnus has continued to be a strong ally. Senior vice president Mike Foss and Julie McKay have helped us do things we’d never been able to do as an independent operation.”
The average minute audience for the show jumped from 570,000 in the first four weeks to 735,000 across linear and YouTube in the month of December – a 29% increase, and averaged 55.5 minutes watched per show across all platforms, up from 44.5 average minutes viewed during the first four weeks.
“Pat and the boys have grown their audience every month since joining ESPN and have been an incredible addition,” said Mike Foss, senior vice president of studio and digital production, ESPN. “The first three months have been a tremendous success across every platform regardless of how you add it up.”
All segments, clips and social audience of the show reached 298 million total views during the month of December – a 23% increase since the inaugural month. The Pat McAfee Show brought in 1.7 million total reach per show during the month, an increase of 21% from the first four weeks and saw its biggest episode to date on Dec. 26 bringing in 902,000 viewers across linear and YouTube.
“We evolved some things to try and appease the linear watchers, and I think certain numbers would say that we’ve won some folks over but our show being accessible to folks that aren’t necessarily in front of televisions in the middle of the afternoon (or morning depending on where you live, obvi) is a real weapon for us,” said McAfee regarding the show’s unique and innovative live offerings. “Our YouTube audience, who we LOVE, has only grown. They’re the only reason we exist. I’m very thankful for them and I genuinely thought our overall number might drop with an addition of another platform but our daily concurrents have actually added 4% every week this entire season.”
The Pat McAfee Show’s digital audience soared in the month of December with TikTok alone totaling 107 million views. The show’s YouTube total brought in 49.3 million views with 7.6 million hours watched.
“The addition of TikTok Live has been fun this season,” said McAfee. “It’s become a wonderful community of young folks who love sports. It’s been a phenomenal effort by Casey Tok Hamel, Bill Tubes McComas, Evan Fox, Gumpy and Mitt McMahon. ”
ESPN’s licensing of The Pat McAfee Show is an expansion of McAfee’s current multiplatform role as a college football analyst on ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot and as a host of alternate presentations of ESPN college football telecasts.
McAfee’s second full season at the GameDay desk finished as the show’s second-most watched season since 2011, trailing only to 2022’s record year, and featured his team regularly joining GameDay locations for live Friday shows, drawing large, passionate audiences.The most recent Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show delivered the largest audience for any college football alternate telecast since 2006 with 1.4 million viewers from the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential.
“We had the incredible opportunity to do the show LIVE on Fridays in beautiful towns across the country and talk to folks that spend time with us every day from home, work, school, the hospital, war zones, the ship and wherever else folks access our show from. It was stupendous,” said McAfee on the traveling shows.
In addition to McAfee himself, The Pat McAfee Show features co-host A.J. Hawk, Connor Campbell, Ty Schmit, Tone Digs, Darius Butler, A.Q. Shipley, Coach Chuck Pagano, Evan Fox, Zito Perez, Nick Maraldo, Phil Mains, Casey “Tok” Hamel, Matt “Bruce” Brown, Michael Girdy, Bailey McComas and Mitt McMahon, among others. The show also has a robust slate of weekly recurring guests, including NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers (Tuesdays), former NFL defensive end J.J. Watt (Wednesdays) and Alabama football head coach Nick Saban (Thursdays).
“Watching the boys get their shine and more folks realize their greatness has been a nice fulfilling bonus to this season with ESPN as well,” added McAfee. “Boston Connor, Ty Schmit, Tone Digs, and Darius Butler have brought it every single day. The back room of Foxy, Zeety, Frank, Gump, Dirdy, and Bruce have showcased world class talent while operating a show that would normally need 20 people to do the same work.
“We’re gonna continue to try and cover sports in a comedic informative way for as long as our people will have us. I/we don’t always get it right but, everyday we’re trying to unify the world thru the celebration of sport and laugh a little along the way.
“We’re excited to continue alongside the Worldwide Leader and are very grateful for the opportunity.”
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Title: WWE Raw Talents Backstage at SmackDown Tapings: What to Expect
Introduction:
Several talents from the WWE Raw brand are reportedly backstage at tonight’s WWE SmackDown TV tapings. This news has sparked curiosity among wrestling fans, as they wonder if these talents will make appearances or participate in dark matches. Let’s delve into the details and explore what we can expect from this crossover.
The Talents:
According to reports, Drew McIntyre, Rhea Ripley, and Ivy Nile are among the Raw talents present backstage at the SmackDown tapings. These superstars have made a significant impact on the Raw brand and have gained a loyal fan following. Their presence at SmackDown raises questions about potential storylines, rivalries, or surprise appearances.
Potential Appearances:
While there is no official confirmation regarding their involvement in the show, the presence of these Raw talents opens up exciting possibilities. WWE often utilizes crossover appearances to create buzz and generate interest among fans. It is not uncommon for superstars from one brand to make surprise appearances on another show, leading to unexpected matchups or confrontations.
Dark Matches:
In addition to potential appearances on the televised show, these talents may also participate in dark matches. Dark matches are non-televised matches that take place before or after the main event. They serve as a treat for the live audience and allow WWE to test new matchups or storylines without revealing them to the wider audience.
Impact on Storylines:
If these Raw talents do make appearances on SmackDown, it could have a significant impact on ongoing storylines. WWE has been known to shake things up by introducing unexpected twists and turns. The presence of these superstars could lead to new alliances, rivalries, or even title opportunities. Fans will be eagerly watching to see how their favorite wrestlers interact with the SmackDown roster.
The Pat McAfee Show’s Success on ESPN:
In other news, ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” has been enjoying a successful run, particularly in December. The show has been a ratings draw, averaging 886,000 viewers per episode across all live channels. This growth in viewership reflects the show’s popularity and its ability to engage sports fans with its unique blend of humor and informative discussions.
The show’s simulcast format, airing on ESPN, ESPN on YouTube, and ESPN+, has contributed to its success. By expanding its reach across multiple platforms, “The Pat McAfee Show” has attracted a diverse audience and achieved impressive viewership numbers.
Conclusion:
The presence of Raw talents at SmackDown tapings has sparked excitement among WWE fans. Whether they make appearances on the televised show or participate in dark matches, their involvement is sure to create buzz and potentially impact ongoing storylines. Additionally, the success of “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN highlights the growing popularity of sports talk shows that offer a fresh and entertaining perspective. Wrestling fans can look forward to more exciting developments in the world of WWE and continue to stay updated with eWrestlingNews.com for the latest news and updates.