2025 Streaming and TV Ratings Discussion

[eels4lifee]

the National Rugby League (NRL) is gaining a worldwide audience, particularly in the United States due to its 2025 Vegas venture, which saw a 600% increase in US viewership compared to the previous year
. This growth is also supported by international broadcast deals, the Watch NRL streaming service, and events like the Pacific Championships, which attract significant global interest. While its core audience remains in Australia and the Pacific, the NRL's strategic international expansion efforts are yielding positive results in viewership and fan engagement.

 

[taste2taste]

Are the NRL currently negotiating international broadcast rights?

Are they negotiating new deals with Sky ( UK ) BeIN ( France ) Roger ( Canada ) ESPN Africa...etc etc

Or only domestic ?

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Are the NRL currently negotiating international broadcast rights?

Are they negotiating new deals with Sky ( UK ) BeIN ( France ) Roger ( Canada ) ESPN Africa...etc etc

Or only domestic ?

Surely there`s more than one person in Canada watching NRL.

 

[Wb1234]

 

[eels4lifee]

^ there's a reason why RL is the nation's number one code

 

[nko11]

Would you be able to compare, on a national and international level, the NRL v AFL v Super Rugby Pacific v French Top 14 v Gallagher PREM v Currie Cup ?

Would make for very interesting reading, especially some crossover into NZ for NRL via Warriors.

Didn't have enough room to keep AFL in the chart - NRL clearly far and away the largest league or competition of the two codes in the world.

5 year chart


21 year chart - Super Rugby had a slight chance in 2006. Been backwards since then.

 

[Starkers]

Didn't have enough room to keep AFL in the chart - NRL clearly far and away the largest league or competition of the two codes in the world.

5 year chart
View attachment 106352

21 year chart - Super Rugby had a slight chance in 2006. Been backwards since then.
View attachment 106353

Thanks heaps for that, awesome to see.

 

[nko11]

Thanks heaps for that, awesome to see.

All good. Bonus New Zealand chart:

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

NRL clearly far and away the largest league or competition of the two codes in the world.

Given the relative populations of the different countries those competitions are played in; South Africa `40m; France 60m; England 55m, it makes the popularity of the NRL even more remarkable.
On another note your graph showing the NRL surging past fumbleball in world-wide searches would surely have those at fumble central concerned. That was quite the startling graph.

 

[Chook Norris]

Given the relative populations of the different countries those competitions are played in; South Africa `40m; France 60m; England 55m, it makes the popularity of the NRL even more remarkable.
On another note your graph showing the NRL surging past fumbleball in world-wide searches would surely have those at fumble central concerned. That was quite the startling graph.

Where is fumbleball in the chart? Thought it was excluded

 

[eels4lifee]

Given the relative populations of the different countries those competitions are played in; South Africa `40m; France 60m; England 55m, it makes the popularity of the NRL even more remarkable.
On another note your graph showing the NRL surging past fumbleball in world-wide searches would surely have those at fumble central concerned. That was quite the startling graph.

Judging from Union fans when they were out here from the UK for the lions tour, everyone knew about RL in Australia and they had a massive interest in the game and not only in OZ but in the English SL aswell

 

[Charlie Kirk]

99k at the MCG for a prelim tonight, that’s just insane!! Didn’t even have any of the big 4 Melbourne clubs

 

[eels4lifee]

99k at the MCG for a prelim tonight, none of the big 4 Melbourne clubs involved, biggest prelim crowd since the 70’s

Lol they'll get 99k at a brothel in Melbourne

 

[Charlie Kirk]

Lol they'll get 99k at a brothel in Melbourne

Strong rebuttal

 

[eels4lifee]

Strong rebuttal

Here's what's strong stick your AFL up your clacker

 

[Wb1234]

Here's what's strong stick your AFL up your clacker

Nrl is around 40 million ahead of afl at the moment

Just let the figures do the talking and watching the silly tossers burn

 

[Billythekid]

View attachment 106291

Better visualisation of worldwide trends over the past 20+ years. Came from a long way back and now beginning to move ahead.

This actually mirrors my real life anecdotal experience. I’m the early 2000s all this stuff about the AFL tsunami felt real. The swans and lions felt like they were making big headway whilst the NRL was struggling. The strength of union at that time only made things worse. It seems to me that we had a big dip post super league that we just gradually recovered from.

My question to everyone is why the sudden explosion particularly since covid? The growth we’ve seen for an established sport barely even makes sense.

I’m guessing it’s a few things combined. Rugby union is dying in this country and in recent years rugby league has been eating their lunch in a big way (teams like the rebels disappearing was a big help). Expansion was also a big moment, it brought an excitement to the game which frankly hadn’t been there for decades, I actually think this could be the biggest one.

Then you have the growth of the womens game, league seemingly being really strong on social media, League being well suited as a TV product (We seem to be doing really well on BVOD and kayo has been a boon for us).

I think it’s hard to narrow it down but we’re going through a ridiculous growth right now. I’m wondering if people think this is sustainable or if it’ll be brief before leveling out.

 

[Dark Corner]

This actually mirrors my real life anecdotal experience. I’m the early 2000s all this stuff about the AFL tsunami felt real. The swans and lions felt like they were making big headway whilst the NRL was struggling. The strength of union at that time only made things worse. It seems to me that we had a big dip post super league that we just gradually recovered from.

My question to everyone is why the sudden explosion particularly since covid? The growth we’ve seen for an established sport barely even makes sense.

I’m guessing it’s a few things combined. Rugby union is dying in this country and in recent years rugby league has been eating their lunch in a big way (teams like the rebels disappearing was a big help). Expansion was also a big moment, it brought an excitement to the game which frankly hadn’t been there for decades, I actually think this could be the biggest one.

Then you have the growth of the womens game, league seemingly being really strong on social media, League being well suited as a TV product (We seem to be doing really well on BVOD and kayo has been a boon for us).

I think it’s hard to narrow it down but we’re going through a ridiculous growth right now. I’m wondering if people think this is sustainable or if it’ll be brief before leveling out.

I was in Sydney in 2000 and you had drag it out of locals to talk about Rugby League as it was in a good bit of limbo due to the Super League war and alot of people just wanted to talk about Mancester Utd, The Swans and lastly The Wallabies sadly .
But even through I was back in blighty I thought the turning point was the Rooster v Warriors grand final and things started to go on a up ?

 

[footy75]

My question to everyone is why the sudden explosion particularly since covid? The growth we’ve seen for an established sport barely even makes sense.

-Interest grew during covid-people were watching lots of tv, on internet etc.

-Games go for perfect amount of time

-The comp is close. Anyone can win on any given day.

-Games are tight , never really over until the end.

 

[Wb1234]

I was in Sydney in 2000 and you had drag it out of locals to talk about Rugby League as it was in a good bit of limbo due to the Super League war and alot of people just wanted to talk about Mancester Utd, The Swans and lastly The Wallabies sadly .
But even through I was back in blighty I thought the turning point was the Rooster v Warriors grand final and things started to go on a up ?

The mighty Rabbitohs return into the nrl

Nrl was a plastic comp without them

League is just getting back to where it was pre super league when it was bulletproof