State of Origin has received the highest television audience in its history, with more than 2.5 million people tuning in last night.
Game I in Melbourne commanded the biggest audience the series has received since the introduction of OzTam measurement. It was watched by a metro total people audience of 2.51 million (up 10.55% from 2011), peaking at 2.84 million.
Origin went on across capital cities on Nine last night with 1.15 million watching in Sydney, 906,000 in Brisbane and 313,000 in Melbourne.
It was the best Game I overall audience result ever, the best Game I audience in Brisbane ever and the second best Game I audience in Sydney ever.
Nine obviously wants to keep the NRL rights and pushed its coverage hard with live broadcast around the country.
The media build-up to the series opener was huge and the anticipation of NSW potentially breaking Queensland’s six-year dominance surely helped the result. NSW put up a spirited display but ultimately fell short with the Maroons winning 18-10.
The drama on the field would have also lured in potential viewers and will help levels for Games II and III stay high.
There was a brawl, a sin-binning, a see-sawing scoreline and a controversial refereeing decision on a late try. These have given the media a feeding frenzy today to pick over today, and the build-up to the second game should also be big.
This ground-breaking ratings result will be welcomed heartily by the Rugby League Commission as they negotiate for an improved TV rights deal.
Emric
Guest
After 13 rounds of NRL, plus the ANZAC Day test, and SOO 1 the total tv ratings across ANZ = 38,771,930 This is missing Country V City and does not include regional ratings for the NRL nor Anzac Day Clash (mostly because i couldn't find them posted anywhere). The NZ TV ratings as part of that figure is about 4,000,000
The Great G Nepia
Guest
WTF???
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Regionals as we know Boom, are country people at heart,with no abiltiy to consume products ,attend matches or view television ,They are too busy milking the cows,shearing the sheep,reaping the harvest,chasing feral pigs and goats,or at least that is the impression one gleans, when they are ignored for TV ratings.
Boomshanka
Guest
Especially when one adds the new audience from outside of NSW & QLD now the game is finally shown at a decent time. Four figure TV ratings out of Melbourne are consigned to history. Melbourne vs Brisbane tonight live on GEM @ 7.30 pm.
Ted Skinner
Guest
Hey Cattery Take out the AFL GF replay & the AFL figures look very ordinary. Over the entire season the NRL/RL should have another comfortable win over AFL on aggregates Australia-wide.
Australian Rules
Guest
Ok. But what does any of that have to do with the Origin ratings?
Boomshanka
Guest
TC, and you didn't include regionals because?
renegadez
Guest
Is he really trying to make that comparison? Go back to primary school.
Nico VIC
Guest
3.9mil watched SOS mate.
Renegade
Guest
Yes and there was only 5 NRL games in round 11 compared to the AFL's 9 last week.....
The Cattery
Roar Guru
As many know, you will not find a greater supporter of League's SOO than I, but I'd like to add a different perspective to the SOO ratings. Firstly, they are excellent and are truly grand final type ratings, no problems there. But what do three such games mean for the overall season? Well, here is something to mull over. I was just looking at the AFL ratings for rd 8, FTA metro and Fox, and they come to 4.3 million. NRL ratings for rd 11 come to 1.9 million, add the 2.5 million for SOO, and they pip the AFL ratings for that week - just - counting live games only. In other words, for 3 weeks each season, the NRL can top the AFL ratings by counting the SOO - but only just. So SOO helps, a little bit.
turbodewd
Guest
How on earth does Brisbane almost get as many viewers as Sydney even tho Sydney is meant to be NRL HQ and is more than twice the size of Bris?!?!?!?! Something is rotten in Sydney town...why is the NRL not connecting with more?!
Michael/Brisbane
Guest
I've never once put down Sydney's figures, nor claimed that they watched it by themselves. I simply made the point of Brisbane's incredible figures. You should be thanking us, not being defensive. Geez there's a lot of nervous Sydney Rugby League fans on here..
Lazy Ted Failyou
Guest
They SOLD a record 550 kegs of lager at Etihad Stadium last night. That is the equivalent of 3 regular AFL games there. A big pat on the back to all concerned, great effort. You help keep a lot of Victorians in a job!
Sea Eagle of Brisbane
Guest
AR, You shall do better with your time, than to read the Greatest Game's latest news. It is not for you. Clearly, haven’t you got another pastime than to get daily embarrassment from League fanatics? Have you ever been in one of the most beautiful Cities on Earth, which is Sydney? That experience would shake you up. Any money in your account, to afford that? Get real.
Renegade
Guest
Yeah mate, i'm pretty sure there would have been close to 4 million watching in just Brisbane alone...... Come on QLDers, give us a break! Not everything needs to turn into QLD vs the rest. Great ratings around the country.
Sea Eagle of Brisbane
Guest
Oikee, my Mate, are you already sipping grape juice in anticipation to your loss to the Storm on Friday? 3 in the ROW, perhaps you will start shaking in your boots, your next home game is against your old boss’s team, the Knights. May be Benny has some surprises too. Cheer up, it is only a game.
Blaze
Guest
So, everyone in Sydney watched it by themselves, but in qld they didn't?
Boomshanka
Guest
That would be 313k + 53k at the game
stu
Guest
what you and 2 others!!!