Pacific Championship 2024: Australia v Tonga, PNG vs. Fiji TV ratings blow Bledisloe Cup out of the water
The NRL’s expansion hopes have received a massive boost with a second-tier Test match blowing rugby union’s crown jewel, the Bledisloe Cup, out of the water in shock television ratings figures.
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A second-tier rugby league international has blown away rugby’s union’s prized jewel — the Bledisloe Cup — in a television ratings bombshell.
The NRL has trumpeted remarkable international television ratings for week one of the Pacific Championships, which has provided a massive boost for expansion hopes.
The headline event of the weekend, the Australia v Tonga game, attracted a national reach of 1.54 million on free-to-air, and a total national average of 698,000, as per Voz Data.
But it was the ratings from two rugby league minnows that stunned rugby league executives.
Papua New Guinea’s 22-10 upset win over Fiji at Suva’s HFC Bank Stadium achieved a reach of 839,000 on free-to-air.
It outperformed the second Test between the Wallabies and South Africa in Perth in August and the second Bledisloe Cup match in Wellington.
Figures show the Bati-Kumuls match secured a 40 per cent audience increase on the opening Pacific Bowl game in 2023.
The figures come as a body blow to rugby union ahead of the looming British Lions tour and World Cup.
Australia’s 18-0 win over Tonga at Suncorp Stadium secured a reach of 1.54 million compared to 1.24 million for the first Bledisloe Cup match in Sydney, with league’s national average of 698,000 dwarfing rugby union’s 477,000.
The second Bledisloe Cup match had a national average of just 283,000. The two-Test Bledisloe national average was 380,000. These figures are based on reach and national average audience and do not include subscription Fox or Stan.
Australia versus Tonga surpassed one million total viewers on free-to-air and subscription, a sharp increase of 49 per cent on the corresponding game last year between the Kangaroos and Samoa.
It was the most watched Kangaroo game since the 2017 Anzac Test against New Zealand.
Free-to-air audiences for the Kangaroos match jumped a massive 56 per cent year-on-year with streaming enjoying a 59 per cent increase with Fox linear up by 19 per cent year-on-year.
“The (ARL) Commission has a bold vision for international rugby league and the Pacific Championships provides an opportunity for fans to see the very best players representing their nations in a unique and entertaining tournament,” said ARL chief executive Andrew Abdo.
“Growing the game internationally is a key focus and we will be making further investments ahead of the Rugby League World Cup in Australia and PNG in 2026.”
It comes after a whopping 1.15 million viewers in PNG alone watched the PM’s XIII game in Port Moresby on October 13 on Digicel TV.
“Rugby league has always dominated the sporting landscape across PNG, however with the NRL bid gaining more coverage, interest in the sport is at an all-time high,” said PNG bid CEO, Andrew Hill.
“With results such as the Junior Kumuls’ 22-22 draw against the Australian Schools team and the Kumuls defeating Fiji, the future of the game in PNG is very bright. PNG and our other Pacific nations can help grow the audience and appeal of the NRL.”
Meanwhile The Australia-Tonga game pulled a healthy off-season crowd of 33,136 – the fourth highest Kangaroos Test since 2010.
Australia will now play defending champions New Zealand this Sunday at a sold-out Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch. The venue holds 17,000 fans.
Papua New Guinea can clinch a place in the Pacific Bowl final – and earn a shot at promotion – by beating Cook Islands in week three of the tournament.
New Zealand won the September 21 Bledisloe Cup game against the Wallabies by 31-28 at Accor Stadium before a strong crowd of 68,061. A week later, the All Blacks defeated Australia 33-13 in Wellington to claim a Bledisloe clean sweep.
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Originally published as Pacific Championship 2024: Australia v Tonga, PNG vs. Fiji TV ratings blow Bledisloe Cup out of the water
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