A record 1.3 million fans made Saturday night’s Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars clash at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast the most watched in the event’s three-year history.
The NRL All Stars won the match 36-28 to take a 2-1 lead over the Learn Earn Legend! Indigenous All Stars in the series which recorded its highest overall TV ratings and second highest crowd of 26,039 since its inception in 2010.
Across the Nine, WIN and NBN networks, the 2012 All Stars match averaged 1.296 million viewers nationally (2011: 990,564) – 726,981 in Australia’s five capital cities and a further record 569,062 (2011: 399,379) across regional Australia.
The figures are significantly greater than last year with the overall viewing audience of 1,296,043 beating the previous record of 1,291,995 from the inaugural match in 2010.
While Sydney led the way with 422,012 viewers ahead of Brisbane 285,694, it was the regional audience which recorded the most significant increase with 569,062 viewers last weekend, compared with 399,379 in 2011 and 454, 191 in 2010.
“The ratings and crowd figures show the Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars match has plenty of relevance to Australians,” NRL Chief Executive, Mr David Gallop, said today.
“From the entertainment highlighting Indigenous artists, to the vision of All Stars creator Preston Campbell playing the didgeridoo and the intensity and passion of the Indigenous All Stars team’s war cry, to the game itself, the atmosphere in the crowd was electric.
“The intensity and passion displayed on the field certainly carried through the television broadcasts.”
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National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.