cut n paste from the telegraph….
A second-tier rugby league international has blown away rugby union’s Bledisloe Cup in a television ratings bombshell.
The NRL has trumpeted remarkable ratings for week one of the Pacific Championships, which has provided a massive boost for expansion hopes.
The Australia v Tonga game attracted a national reach of 1.54 million on free-to-air, and a total national average of 698,000, as per VOZ data. But it was the ratings from two rugby league minnows that stunned the game’s executives.
Papua New Guinea’s 22-10 upset win over Fiji at Suva’s HFC Bank Stadium achieved a reach of 839,000 on free-to-air.
It outperformed the second Test between the Wallabies and South Africa in Perth in August and the second Bledisloe Cup match in Wellington.
Figures show the Bati-Kumuls match secured a 40 per cent audience increase on the opening Pacific Bowl game in 2023.
The figures come as a body blow to rugby union ahead of the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour and 2027 World Cup.
Australia’s 18-0 win over Tonga at Suncorp Stadium secured a reach of 1.54 million compared to 1.24 million for the first Bledisloe Cup match in Sydney, with league’s national average of 698,000 dwarfing rugby union’s 477,000.
The second Bledisloe Cup had a national average of just 283,000. The two-Test Bledisloe national average was 380,000.
These figures are based on reach and national average audience and do not include subscription Fox or Stan.
Australia vs Tonga surpassed one million total viewers on free-to-air and subscription, an increase of 49 per cent on the corresponding game last year between the Kangaroos and Samoa.
“The (ARL) Commission has a bold vision for international rugby league and the Pacific Championships provides an opportunity for fans to see the very best players representing their nations in a unique and entertaining tournament,” said ARL boss Andrew Abdo.
It comes after a whopping 1.15 million viewers in PNG alone watched the PM’s XIII game in Port Moresby on October 13 on Digicel TV.
“Rugby league has always dominated the sporting landscape across PNG, however with the NRL bid gaining more coverage, interest in the sport is at an all-time high,” PNG bid boss Andrew Hill said.