Las Vegas double header delivers all-time NRL TV ratings winner

The NRL’s venture into Las Vegas has been declared a success following the release of viewer numbers from both America and Australia.

A combined average television audience of more than 100,000 Americans watched the NRL’s historic double-header last weekend.

And those ratings on Fox Sports 1 in the United States could have been higher had a college basketball game preceding the NRL not gone into overtime.

It meant viewers on Fox Sports 1 missed the first 17 minutes of the opening game between Manly and Souths.

The game was hastily pushed onto Fox Sports 2 before returning to the main channel when the basketball concluded.

The delay meant Fox Sports was unable to preview the NRL games and indicate to US fans which players to watch and how the matches could unfold.

The Sea Eagles-Rabbitohs pulled an average audience of 61,000 while the Roosters-Broncos averaged 44,000.

Fans pictures at Allegiant Stadium for the NRL's historic double header.

“We had a 61,000 average viewership on Fox Sports 1 for the first game, which was more than one-third of the marquee college basketball clash between Xavier and Georgetown which preceded our games,” said NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo.

“That figure also compares to some US Major League Soccer games on Fox Sports 1.

“The second game attracted an average audience of 44,000. These are the two most watched NRL matches in the US on record.

“The audience of the first game was three times higher than the most watched NRL games on Fox Sports in the past three seasons and over 280 per cent higher than the most recent Saturday games on Fox Sports 1.

“These are positive signs in the first year of the long term venture.”

Given the time zone difference, the games were shown at 9.30pm and 11.30pm on America’s east coast.

LAS VEGAS DOUBLE HEADER DELIVERS ALL-TIME NRL TV RATINGS WINNER

– By Fatima Kdouh

Fox League has celebrated record results as the Las Vegas double header delivered all-time ratings for the channel, trumping free-to-air broadcaster Channel 9.

The NRL’s venture into Las Vegas turned into a television ratings bonanza for Fox League with the season-opening Sea Eagles-Rabbitohs and Roosters-Broncos matches at Allegiant Stadium the most-watched games on Fox League to date.

Manly’s 36-24 win over South Sydney pulled in a remarkable 838,000 viewers on TV screens and on Fox Sports’ streaming service Kayo.

The second match of the Las Vegas footy fest — the Roosters’ 20-10 win over the Broncos —delivered a double win for Fox League beating free-to-air broadcaster Channel 9.

Sea Eagles v Rabbitohs at Allegiant Stadium. Picture: NRL Photos

Fox League had 786,000 people tune into the Roosters and Broncos clash compared to Channel 9’s 784,000 viewers on Sunday night.

“We all live in hope that a wonderful concept and great effort by many will be rewarded but there’s no better feeling than when the reality arrives in record numbers,” Fox Sports executive director Steve Crawley said.

“What a ripper. What a result.

“The best~ever Fox League NRL match numbers and unbelievably delivered from the other side of the world. Plus best ever Matty Johns Show ratings. And this is just the beginning.”

Originally published as Las Vegas double header delivers all-time NRL TV ratings winner