State of Origin Game II has passed the 3 million viewer mark across Nine‘s channels, making it the highest rating Origin since Game I, 2019.
On linear TV over five city metro, 1,797,000 tuned in as the NSW Blues easily dispatched the QLD Maroons in Perth, with a score of 44-12. The game was up on 1,771,000 from Game I earlier in the series, but was down on the 1,8262,000 that watched Game II in 2021.
However, with the addition of 816,000 watching in regional markets and 394,000 on BVOD platform 9Now, the total number of people who wanted the 2022 Game II has swollen to 3.007m – making it the highest-rating program of the 2022 ratings survey period.
The Game recorded the second-highest live BVOD audience of all time, seconded only by the 425,000 who watched State of Origin I on 9Now. With the first game of the series rising 52% year-on-year, Game II followed suit by rising 43% year-on-year.
When demos are broken down, State of Origin Game II ranked as the top program with all key demos and total people across five city metro as well as in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. Even in AFL-mad Victoria, the game was the top program with people 25-54 and 16-39 in Melbourne.
Speaking about the ratings, Nine’s director 9Now and programming, Hamish Turner, said “Nine’s live and free State of Origin coverage last night delivered the best ratings for Origin since game 1, 2019. Over 3 million live viewers tuned in across linear TV and 9Now, with 2.6 million watching on Channel Nine and 394,000 on 9Now. The series decider in Brisbane on July 13 poses as the ultimate finale to one of the most memorable series in Origin history, and the only place to see it live is on Channel Nine and 9Now.”