We’re officially kicking off the first full week of 2025, which means it’s time for many of us to shake off the holiday mindset, swap conversations about wickets and aces for boardrooms and budgets, and get back into work mode.
Though the summer of sport is still in full swing, the past two weeks have delivered a massive line-up of major sporting events that dominated headlines and kept millions glued to their screens.
So, let’s recap the top moments that kept us watching!
Cricket Dominates Holiday Ratings
As is tradition during the Christmas break, cricket once again reigned supreme in TV ratings. The Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests were a huge draw, each achieving a total TV national reach of over 2 million and a national average exceeding 1 million viewers.
The final session of day five of the Boxing Day Test peaked with a total TV national reach of 3,201,000 and a national average of 1,642,000, as Travis Head’s spinners helped secure a decisive 184-run victory for Australia.
The 2024 Boxing Day Test also reached record audiences to become the highest-performing Boxing Day Test in the history of the Foxtel Group. Across Foxtel Group platforms Kayo Sports and Foxtel, the Fourth Test Day 1 achieved an audience of 685,000 viewers making it the highest performing individual Test Day and the most streamed individual Test Day ever for the Foxtel Group.
While complete ratings for the New Year’s Test are still pending, Australia’s historic triumph undoubtedly delivered a major win for the Seven Network. After nearly nine years, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has returned to Australian hands following a 3-1 series victory over India at the SCG. This win also booked Australia’s spot in the World Test Championship final against South Africa.
Australia’s remarkable comeback after a first-Test defeat in Perth marked the first time since the 1997 Ashes that they’ve won a Test series after losing the opening match. The last time Australia held the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was in 2014-15, before losing it to India in 2017 following a 2-1 series loss.
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“This was quite simply the most compelling Test series since Seven took the rights,” said Seven Network director of sport, Chris Jones.
“Congratulations to both teams for captivating the country and setting new records both on TV and at venue. A huge congratulations also to Seven’s on and off-air team. The Test coverage lead by Joel Starcevic has matched the incredible on field action.
“But there’s no rest. Now more than ever our focus is on the Big Bash League and we look forward to our Test stars returning. And we can’t wait for the Women’s Ashes, which will provide the perfect end to an incredible season.”
“Australians witnessed a Test series for the ages; so many moments and storylines that kept the whole country on the edge of their seat and glued to Seven and 7plus Sport in record numbers. From Virat Kohli’s century in Perth, through to Scott Boland’s SCG heroics, and everything in between, it was a series to savour,” said Seven Network head of cricket, Joel Starcevic.
“Fans were captivated across three enthralling days of the final instalment of the BorderGavaskar Trophy Test Series from the SCG, which once again broke records for Seven,” he
said.
“The people have spoken. There’s no doubt that cricket is Australia’s number one summer sport. And it’s far from over. The BBL is well and truly flying and the Women’s Ashes is just days away, with world-class quality cricket, analysis and commentary for the next four weeks on Seven and 7plus Sport.”
Big Bash League (BBL) Delivers in Test Breaks
While BBL ratings dipped slightly during the Test series, they rebounded strongly during breaks, proving Australians will watch any sport involving a ball.
On New Year’s Day, the Melbourne Stars vs. Brisbane Heat clash pulled in a total TV national reach of 1,996,000 and a national average of 582,000. The Stars ended an eight-game losing streak with a five-wicket victory, powered by a Marcus Stoinis batting masterclass and a spectacular Glenn Maxwell catch.
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Another standout was the Sydney Thunder vs. Melbourne Renegades game, which achieved a total TV national reach of 2,218,000 and a national average of 645,000. David Warner delivered his best Big Bash performance in 13 years, scoring an unbeaten 86 from 57 balls to lead the Thunder to a drought-breaking eight-run win over the Renegades.
Tennis Warms Up Before the Australian Open
Over on Nine, tennis took centre stage, with the United Cup and Brisbane International setting the stage for the upcoming Australian Open. While the ratings didn’t quite match cricket’s dominance, both tournaments consistently placed in the top 10, hinting at a strong lead-up to the 2025 AO.
The much-hyped doubles match between Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios against Alexander Erler and Andreas Mies slightly underwhelmed, drawing a total TV national reach of 804,000 and a national average of 207,000, possibly due to cricket’s overwhelming presence and confusion between the United Cup and Brisbane International.
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Australia’s United Cup campaign struggled, with Alex De Minaur securing the sole victory in the first five games. Despite a late win by De Minaur and Olivia Gadecki, Australia’s hopes of advancing were dashed. Their final match saw the pair defeat Olivia Nicholls and Charles Broom 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).
NFL Makes History on Netflix
The NFL made a significant global impact over Christmas, with viewers from 218 countries tuning in for a blockbuster double-header on December 25. The Kansas City Chiefs’ victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens’ dominant win over the Houston Texans combined for over 30 million global viewers, making it Netflix’s most-watched Christmas Day ever in the U.S.
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The two games averaged 26.5 million U.S. viewers, per Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel, and topped Netflix’s Global Top 10 for the week. Chiefs vs. Steelers reached the daily Top 10 in 72 countries, with strong viewership in Canada, Germany, Ireland, and the UK, while Ravens vs. Texans charted in 62 countries, including Australia, Austria, and Mexico.
Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to a commanding 29-10 win, throwing three touchdowns to clinch the AFC’s top seed and secure home-field advantage for the playoffs. Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson powered the Ravens with two touchdown passes and a 48-yard rushing score, securing a 31-2 win over the Texans and breaking Michael Vick’s all-time quarterback rushing record.
This year marked the first of a three-season deal between Netflix and the NFL to broadcast Christmas Day games, with CBS Sports handling game production and NFL Media managing pre, post, and halftime coverage.
NBL & A-League does the numbers for Ten
The NBL season, aptly timed to coincide with the off-season of most other long-season sports, reached a total of 1.46 million national viewers. A-Leagues matches, and highlights across 10 and 10 Play also reached 1.14 million total national viewers.
In 2025, B&T will continue its coverage of all things sports and sports marketing. Check out our Spotlight on Sponsors 2024 wrap for all the biggest deals from 2024 as we head into a huge year of sport!
