The game that stopped the nation: Aussie Boomers are a streaming sensation for Channel 7

THE epic Olympics clash between the Aussie Boomers and USA Dream Team has proved to be the game that stopped a nation with more live streams than the Melbourne Cup.

Boom...Andrew Bogut in action during the Rio Olympics 2016 Men's Basketball game between Australia and the USA Dream Team at Carioca Arena. Picture: Adam Head

THE epic Olympics basketball clash between the Aussie Boomers and USA Dream Team has proved the game that stopped a nation - with 450,000 live streams of the clash, compared to the 348,000 who watched last year’s Melbourne Cup race.

While the green and gold went down 98-88 to the all-star side from the US, the close score line for most of the game kept audiences on the edge of their seats until the final quarter.

At the opening break, the Aussie team - including NBA stars Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova - squared up to the Americans, 29-all; coming back in the next stanza to take a five-point lead into half time.

Turnovers cruelled the Australian momentum at crucial stages, with individual brilliance by Carmelo Anthony proving the difference in the final stages, and Aussie-born, US player Kyrie Irving rubbing salt into wounds dropping the last points from the free-throw line.

Actor Matthew McConaughey watches on during the Rio Olympics 2016 Men's Basketball game between the Australian Boomers and the USA Dream Team at Carioca Arena. Picture: Adam Head

While the free-to-air coverage on Seven has drawn criticism from some viewers, frustrated by the duplication of sports across its three channels, the online offering has set digital records for the Olympic network.

Across the first five days of the Rio Games, Seven posted 12.6 online streams, with 15.2 viewers reached on TV.

The Boomers streaming sensation pushes it ahead of last year’s historic Cup coverage, when 348,000 watched jockey Michelle Payne become the first woman to win the race on Prince Of Penzance.

Seven are expecting the 450,000-figure for the Dream Team game to improve, once final numbers are crunched.

Interest in the Games coverage also helped Seven News Sydney to a rare win over rival Nine, with the national news service posted the number one audience figures overnight.

TV RATINGS FROM OVERNIGHT

1. SEVEN NEWS

1,275,000

2. RIO 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES: DAY 4 - IN RIO TODAY

1,014,000

3. NINE NEWS

965,000

4. SEVEN NEWS AT 6.30

962,000

5. RIO 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES: DAY 5 - EVENING

919,000

Cathy Freeman got behind the Aussie Boomers in their clash against the USA Dream Team at Carioca Arena. Pics adam Head

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