With the Brisbane Broncos set to take on the Melbourne Storm in Sunday’s NRL Grand Final, demand from advertisers has surged across Foxtel and Kayo in what is shaping up as one of rugby league’s biggest years yet.
The shock exit of four-time premiers Penrith Panthers last weekend has only added fuel to the fire, with audiences and brands flocking to the code in record numbers. The NRL has even gone as far as to claim that rugby league is now the “number one sport” across Australia and the Pacific in total viewership, 16–39 audiences and digital engagement.
According to the league’s figures, Finals audiences are up 32 per cent year on year, with six of the eight matches selling out and breaking attendance records. The Broncos v Panthers Preliminary Final was the most-watched broadcast in Foxtel Group history with 943,000 viewers, alongside a record-breaking 1.76 million on Nine. The Storm v Sharks game followed as the second most-watched NRL match ever on Foxtel.
Foxtel & Kayo Lead The Charge
Speaking to B&T, Nev Hasan, chief sales officer at Foxtel Media, said the 2025 season has been “fantastic” across both platforms. The platform has welcomed more than 30 integrated partners across Fox League this season, including eight new brands making their debut across Foxtel Media platforms.
Hasan said that “demand from advertisers has been strong,” and that Kayo’s continued growth has driven record digital performance.
“This demonstrates the growing recognition that live sport remains the most powerful environment for advertisers, providing highly engaged, passionate audiences that are hard to reach elsewhere. Our ability to consistently deliver high-reach, premium viewing environments week-to-week has been a key driver of growth, not just for the NRL, but across all sporting codes we offer,” Hasan said.
“Our advertiser base is evolving. While we’ve always partnered with a wide range of national brands, local opportunities, like in Perth, were previously limited. With Kayo’s expanded digital scale, that has changed dramatically. This season, we’ve worked with more than 50 advertisers across NRL and all other codes, giving Perth and other state-based markets access to solutions that simply weren’t possible before. It’s a clear demonstration of how our platforms now combine national reach with genuine local relevance”.
While the majority of sports viewing on the platform remains live, Foxtel Media has expanded the ecosystem around the NRL with Kayo Minis, Bites and Top Plays, giving fans the chance to catch up quickly while keeping them engaged with the competition.
Hasan said that the expanded ecosystem is proving to be a powerful and growing environment for advertisers.
“The vast majority of our sports viewing remains live, that’s how fans want to experience the NRL, and it continues to be the most powerful environment for advertisers. But for those who miss a game, we’ve made sure there are multiple ways back in. That growth [of Kayo Minis, Bites, and Top Plays] has been enormous, giving fans the chance to catch up quickly while keeping them engaged with the competition. That on-demand content also fuels ongoing interest across all codes, not just the NRL”.
Fox Sports’ social channels have also grown rapidly into a platform of its own, with around 20 per cent of followers not currently subscribing to the platform. “That makes Fox Sports Social a true platform of influence, helping us attract new subscribers and giving brands a powerful way to extend their reach beyond our core subscriber base,” he added.
“For advertisers, this combination of live viewing, on-demand engagement, and a vibrant social ecosystem offers unmatched scale, impact, and flexibility to connect with passionate NRL fans,” Hasan said.
Finals Fever Or Long-Term Opportunity?
The Finals have only amplified that trend with Hasan saying the period is one of the most powerful on the Australian sporting calendar for brands. And, with match-ups not seen in quite a few years, interest has been at a high.
“Live sport continues to be the biggest driver of growth, and the Finals are a unique moment when audiences are highly engaged and every match is high-stakes, do-or-die action that fans and brands eagerly follow. This season, we’ve seen more brands taking multiple ways to connect with audiences, from broadcast to digital and social, making sure they stand out in an increasingly competitive marketing environment,” Hasan told B&T.
And it’s not just brands signing on for the short-term finals fever. Hasan said that there has been a “clear shift toward season-long partnerships rather than one-off buys, with brands recognising the value of consistent engagement across the year.”
“Combined with our ability to deliver high-reach, premium environments week-to-week, the Finals, and our broader sports portfolio, remain one of the most powerful periods on the Australian sporting calendar for advertisers,” he said.
Heading into Sunday’s decider, inventory is tight. “At this point in the season, we’re almost completely sold out, a great sign of the demand and confidence brands have in the NRL Finals,” Hasan said. “Scale on Kayo is at an all-time high, making this a prime moment for advertisers to tap into one of the most engaged sporting audiences in Australia.”
While most packages are locked away, Hasan noted “limited spots are available across Kayo and Foxtel, including digital packages, in-show integrations, and bespoke sponsorship opportunities that can connect brands directly with passionate fans during the most anticipated part of the season.”
More Footy Ahead
With the Pacific Championships and Rugby League Ashes still ahead this year, Foxtel Media is already planning for 2026. Hasan flagged the NRL season opener in Las Vegas, featuring six new rugby league teams, as a major advertising moment.
We’re really excited for 2026. Innovations like L-bars, solus bumpers, and pause ads will give brands even more ways to connect with highly engaged fans,” he said.
“More brands are also using Balboa and tapping into our talent to create content—because while sponsorship builds awareness, integration and content drive deeper engagement, familiarity, and consideration along the path to purchase”.
Backed by advanced data and research, Hasan said that: “Advertisers now have unmatched scale, flexibility, and precision across both Foxtel and Kayo. It’s a powerful combination of reach, innovation, content, and data-driven results shaping the future of sports advertising in Australia”.
