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After a number of years broadcasting SmackDown on Friday night on the SyFy channel, the decision was made to move the show back to its old time slot on Thursday just this past week. To help ensure a smooth transition, WWE enlisted one of its top stars, Daniel Bryan, to bolster viewers for his big return to wrestling.
It worked too.
The show, which aired on Jan. 15, 2015, drew 2.67 million viewers. Here's how that compares to the last few shows that aired on Friday night:
Dec. 26: 2.49 million
Jan. 2: 2.58 million
Jan. 9: 2.43 million
Thursday is a much better night for television, but it's impressive that SmackDown could switch nights and not only avoid losing viewers but actually gain a couple hundred thousand. It speaks to both a successful marketing campaign and Bryan's legitimate drawing power.
For complete results from SmackDown click here. For a recap of all the night's action click here. To watch highlights of the show click here.