Fox NRL the big winner with record ratings after one of the craziest weeks in rugby league history

YOU want proof that you couldn’t kill rugby league with a sledgehammer? Check this out. Fox NRL celebrates record ratings after one of the craziest weeks in the game’s history.

Fox Sports NRL ratings were boosted this week by the Wests Tigers drama

JASON Taylor, take a bow. You too Ivan Cleary, Mitch Moses, James Tedesco and Aaron Woods.

And don’t forget Cooper Cronk for quitting Melbourne. Or Jack Bird courting a move from Cronulla to Brisbane.

You all deserve special mention for what you have done for the game.

After one of the craziest weeks in rugby league’s history, here’s proof the fans can’t get enough of the constant speculation and controversy.

Sport’s answer to reality television is now officially must-see TV.

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Fox Sports NRL ratings were boosted this week by the Wests Tigers drama

Many would think the off-field dramas of the past week that included Taylor’s sacking and constant speculation over some of the game’s biggest stars switching clubs would be a turn off.

But in actual fact it has ultimately resulted in record Pay TV ratings.

For the first time ever Fox Sports’ new dedicated NRL channel has out-rated the extremely popular AFL channel, Fox Footy, to be the most watched channel on subscription TV for the week.

The Monday Bunker crew dissect the latest in the player market, the Tigers first up win under Ivan Cleary and the Dragons rise to the top of the ladder.

Not only that, Ivan Cleary’s first game as coach of the Wests Tigers was also the highest rating subscription television program on Saturday.

The Tigers shock win over Johnathan Thurston’s Cowboys in Townsville registered an average audience of 324,000, up 11 per cent on the season’s average timeslot.

It was also the second highest rating game for the year to date, and the second highest overall subscription program this year.

No doubt, NRL boss Todd Greenberg’s head would have been spinning at some of the headlines and stories we’ve seen over the past week.

But once again, the game has proved what we already knew, that rugby league is the greatest game of all because we are all so passionate about it.

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The Ivan Cleary appointment at the Tigers produced massive interest in the NRL

“The figures confirm what we all know… there is more interest in rugby league than ever before,” Greenberg said.

“When you have some of the biggest names in the game deciding their futures there is going to be enormous interest from fans.

“When you combine that with the closeness of the competition it’s no surprise interest is reaching new highs.

“As we saw at the weekend, the teams at the bottom of the NRL ladder can beat the top teams on their day.

“And that means, after six rounds, that all 16 teams are a realistic chance of being in hunt for the finals.

“So we would hope that the level of interest will continue to rise as the season progresses.”

The Fox NRL only channel out-rated the AFL only channel for the first time. Picture. Phil Hillyard

And while we still have no clear idea who will be playing where next season, it makes no difference to the overwhelming interest in the game.

“You’ve gotta love rugby league,” said Fox Sports CEO Patrick Delany, “and its eight games a week of unscripted drama and spectacular action.

“It’s little wonder the fans are so passionate, setting record audience numbers on our new Fox League 502 channel.

“Even though we’re only just coming into round seven of the competition it already feels like a vintage year.”