Rugby league fans turned out in droves on Wednesday night (May 27th), handing Nine a spectacular victory in the overnight ratings.
The first match of the 2026 State of Origin series completely dominated the charts across every major demographic, proving once again that live sport remains a powerhouse for broadcast and BVOD platforms.
Nine’s Match coverage recorded a total TV national reach of 5,771,000, a total TV national audience of 3,995,000 and a BVOD audience of 1,521,000. This was up 6.2% year-on-year, and marks the highest total TV result for the State of Origin in VOZ history.
Pre-match recorded a total TV national reach of 4,615,000, a total TV national audience of 2,206,000 and a BVOD audience of 741,000, while post-match coverage recorded a total TV national reach of 4,285,000, a total TV national audience of 1,778,000 and a BVOD audience of 635,000.
“Nine is the home of Rugby League, and last night’s State of Origin audience demonstrates the unmatched power of Nine’s connected live sport ecosystem to deliver truly national moments at scale,” said Amanda Laing, Nine’s managing director of streaming and broadcast.
“The record-breaking streaming audience on 9Now, alongside strong Total TV growth year-on-year, reflects the continued evolution of audience behaviour and the growing demand for premium live sport experiences across every screen and every platform. Importantly, it reinforces the strength of Nine’s Total TV strategy, combining the scale of mass audiences with the accessibility and engagement of streaming to maximise reach, fandom and commercial impact around Australia’s biggest sporting moments.”
Elsewhere, 9News recorded a total TV national reach of 2,493,000, a total TV national audience of 1,464,000 and a BVOD audience of 301,000, landing in front of Seven News with a total TV national reach of 2,314,000, a total TV national audience of 1,495,000 and a BVOD audience of 188,000.