NRL returned to Fox League starting last Thursday, March 11. The eight matches over the four days became the all-time highest rating opening round in subscription television history and the second-highest rating NRL Round ever with an audience average of 372,000, up 28% on R1 2020.
All Foxtel Group platforms posted growth, with Foxtel broadcast audiences up 14% and streaming on Kayo, Foxtel Now, Foxtel Go up 74%.
Thursday night’s season opener featuring the Storm v Rabbitohs was the number one game for the round with an average audience of 487,000. The season opener was the highest rating Round One match ever and the highest rating Thursday night match ever. With a TV audience of 335,000, the streaming audience delivered an extra 152,000.
Friday night’s Broncos v Eels clash drew the next largest number of viewers, with an average audience of 429,000. With 313,000 TV viewers, the streaming audience was 116,000.
Fox Sports executive director Steve Crawley said: “This is a massive beginning for the 2021 NRL season. It continues a run of out-sized audience growth for League on subscription television in 2020 based on our growing number of sports subscribers, which is now at a high-water mark in the company’s history.
“We know we need to work hard to deliver an outstanding product that people love and want to pay for. We have a commentary and production team that’s the best in the business, and together with a great line up of shows and personalities, these numbers are further confirmation fans know Fox League is the go-to place for all NRL action.”
See also: Fox League launches season + announces new Matty Johns project
The season launch ratings are good news for returning Foxtel naming rights partners including Red Rooster, Ford, Bundaberg Rum, KFC and Chemist Warehouse.
Other returning partners include Harvey Norman, Labrokes, Toyota, McDonald’s, Sportsbet, TAB, Bailey Ladders, Ashley & Martin, Drummond Golf, Steel Blue Boots, Mushashi, Canadian Club and 4 Pines with newcomers VB, Youi, Ampol, Subway, Burson Auto Parts and Sony PlayStation.
One sponsorship initiative returning for 2021 is the VB Hard Earned Award which will run across Fox League’s NRL coverage. The partnership between VB, CUB and Foxtel Media will bring the VB Hard Earned Award as an interactive experience to footy fans throughout the season. A dedicated microsite has been created where fans can guess the hardest working player of each round and have a chance to win major prizes each week.
VB’s Hard Earned Index stats will also be integrated into Friday Night Footy broadcasts and a VB branded bar will be on set during Sunday Night with Matty Johns on Foxtel platforms and Kayo.
“Coming off the highest rating season for live NRL ever on Foxtel, the excitement for the games to come is palpable. Not only from the fans, but from our line-up of returning and new brand partners,” said Martin Medcraf (pictured), director of sports sales and partnerships at Foxtel Media.
“Our brand partners are essential to ensuring that we are constantly innovating and adding new dimensions to the fans’ viewing experiences. The VB Hard Earned Award will be a great chance for footy fans to get deeper into the games in the continued absence of the stadium experience.”