WWE Raw ratings for Dec. 5 average 4.35 million viewers

The ratings for in for last night's (Dec. 5, 2011) episode of WWE Monday Night Raw from Tampa, Florida, and once again the news is not good.

PWTorch.com has it:

WWE Raw on Monday, December 5 scored a 2.97 rating, down ten percent compared to last week's show. Raw slipped below the 3.00 mark for the first time in four weeks and third time in the past eleven weeks.

Raw averaged 4.35 million viewers, down three percent compared to last week's show, the five-week average, and 10-week average. Raw was down ten percent compared to the yearly average.

Raw averaged 4.40 million first hour viewers (down 200,000 viewers vs. the first hour last week) and 4.30 million second hour viewers (even with last week), marking the seventh consecutive week the final hour has declined from the standard first hour.

The numbers are fairly pedestrian but there was little to no advertising for this particular show, with most of the marketing muscle getting thrown at next Monday night's episode, which features the Slammy Awards.

It would be easy to pass off the poor numbers on stiff competition from Monday Night Football on ESPN and Pawn Stars on the History channel, and they undoubtedly have an effect on Raw's ratings, but if the product is good enough, folks will tune in. Unfortunately, the product hasn't been up to snuff lately and when better viewing options are available, who can blame anyone for taking them?

For complete results from Raw last night with the running live blog click here. For all the reactions from the show click here.