STATE OF ORIGIN: GAME 1 ACHIEVES LIVE AUDIENCE OF NEARLY 3 MILLION AND SHATTERS RECORDS
State of Origin: Game 1 last night achieved a live average national audience of 2,988,000 people across linear broadcast on Channel 9 and BVOD streaming on 9Now, making it the most-watched program of the year to-date in Australia and exceeding all expectations.
On Channel 9, the national average audience was up 12.7% on Game 1 of the 2020 series with 2.708 million people . On 9Now, the Live BVOD Audience was up by a massive 56% year-on-year with 280,000 (including co-viewing) – the largest Live BVOD Audience ever recorded on any CFTA BVOD platform in Australian history.
The match saw the stellar NSW Blues decisively beating QLD Maroons 50-6 during the first State of Origin game ever played at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium, taking a 1-0 series lead in the three game series.
Game 2 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane ensures another hostile reception awaits the Blues, as the Maroons hope to square up the series.
Brent Williams, Nine’s Director of Sport, said :“We’re thrilled so many viewers tuned into last night’s broadcast of State of Origin. Close to three million Australians were watching this great rivalry play out across Channel 9 and 9Now, making it the most watched program of the year and a huge increase on last year’s game one. National audiences were up by 13.4% year-on-year, and a further 280,000 viewers streamed the match on 9Now which breaks the all-time BVOD record – and is also a massive 56% year-on-year increase.”
BROADCAST
5.612 million people tuned into Game 1 of State of Origin between New South Wales and Queensland, LIVE on Nine ( National cume reach – includes match, pre and post-game )
Nine National peak audience: 3.152 million (match only)
5 City: 2.147 million / Regional: 1.005 million
3.152 million national peak audience is up 12.7% on last year’s State of Origin Game 1.
Nine National average audience: 2.708 million (match only)
(5 City: 1.911 million / Regional: 797,000)
2.708 million national average audience makes State of Origin Game 1 the highest rating program of the year to-date.
2.708 million national average audience is up 13.4% year-on-year for State of Origin Game 1.
No.1 program of the night across all demographics:
No.1 with People 25-54
No.1 with People 16-39
No.1 with GS + Child
No.1 with Total People
9NOW
Live BVOD Audience: 280,000 (includes co-viewing)
Live BVOD Audience of 280,000 gives State of Origin: Game 1 the highest Live BVOD Audience of all time across all platforms.
Live BVOD Audience of 280,000 is an increase of 56% year-on-year for State of Origin: Game 1
Live content streamed: 32.4 million minutes
32.4 million minutes of live content streamed is an increase of 60% year-on-year for State of Origin: Game 1
Total stream starts: 776,000
776,000 stream starts is an increase of 36% year-on-year for State of Origin: Game 1
Source: Oz Tam+ Regional Tam, Overnight Data, 1 min cume reach, NRL State of Origin: Game 1, includes pre and post-match, 9th June 2020, 5 City Metro + Combined Agg Markets, Nine Network + Nine Network Content Affiliates.
Source: OzTAM Live VPM, State of Origin Game 1, 9/6/2021 v 4/11/2020, including coviewing on Connected TV devices, 9 June 2021 based on pre logs