It wasn’t just the Queensland Maroons getting smashed, records have tumbled as Nine’s coverage of State of Origin III was the one of highest-rating TV sports event in recent memory, only being pipped by the Matildas semi-final against England and last year’s AFL grand final.
Nine’s coverage of the State of Origin decider has given the network a huge ratings boost weeks ahead of the Paris Olympic Games.
More than 5.4 million viewers tuned in to watch the cockroaches batter the cane toads on the pitch and scoreboard, keeping Queensland try-less in a 14-4 boilover at the Maroons sacred Brisbane home of Suncorp Stadium.
On average, 3.65 million watched the event (up 44 per cent year on year) with a staggering 864,000 (nearly a quarter) tuning in via the network’s BVOD, 9Now – an 83 per cent increase in the BVOD audience from last year’s fixture.
This is not only the largest TV audience in 9Now’s history, but the second largest of any Australian BVOD, behind the 957,000 that tuned in to 7Plus to watch the Matildas lose to England at last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
To put the numbers into context, more Aussies watched Bradman Best’s blood-soaked try than any State of Origin encounter since game one of 2016. It was also the highest Game Three audience since 2013.
Nine’s pre-match (1.79 million average) and post match (1.62 million average) also posted strong numbers.
Here are the top 20 TV shows from last night:
