Last night’s Harvey Norman State of Origin decider secured a historic ratings win for Channel Nine – it was the most watched Origin game in the history of OzTAM.
A national average audience of 3,765,000 (5 City Metro plus Regional) watched the blistering XXXX Queensland Maroons outclass the New South Wales VB Blues in game three of the 2011 Harvey Norman State of Origin Series with a 34-24 win.
In the 5 City Metro market an average audience of 2,476,000 and a peak audience of over 2,828,000 (Total People) saw the Maroons clinch their historic sixth consecutive Origin win, while an average of 1,289,000 people watched in regional areas, with a peak of 1,537,000.
Year-on-year, game three was up by a whopping 38.6 per cent for Total People, 36.8 per cent for the 25-54s, 42.5 per cent for 18-49s and 40.2 per cent for 16-39s.
The Wide World of Sports broadcast of the 2011 Harvey Norman State of Origin Series has claimed the top four spots for most watched television programs of the year for Channel Nine across the 5 City Metro market, with game three in the top spot followed by game one (2,245,000), the game three post-match panel show (2,190,000) and game two (2,165,000).
Channel Nine’s Head of Sport, Steve Crawley, said: “The 2011 State of Origin Series has cemented its position as the biggest sporting broadcast event of the year. The support at home and at Suncorp Stadium last night to send off a remarkable sporting talent in Darren Lockyer showed Australia’s passionate sporting spirit. When you put on big events Australians will turn up in droves to support their team.”
Game three was the number one program for the night in the 5 City Metro, along the East Coast, in Sydney and Brisbane, in all key demographics: 25-54s, 18-49s, 16-39s, plus Total People.
In Sydney the match averaged 1,086,000 viewers and peaked at 1,224,000, a 34.2 per cent increase on 2010. An average Brisbane audience of 905,000 supported their local hero and captain, Darren Lockyer, in his last Origin game, peaking at 986,000 viewers for Total People, with a year-on-year increase for game three of 31.9 per cent. The decider was up 37.5 per cent along the East Coast on 2010 viewer numbers.
The Origin result drove Channel Nine to a smashing victory for Wednesday night in Total People, with a 36.9 per cent audience share in the 5 City Metro, 41.4 per cent of the East Coast, 47.5 per cent in Sydney and 56.7 per cent in Brisbane.
Nine also overwhelmed the competition in People 25-54 with a 39.1 per cent share in the 5 City Metro, 43.8 per cent on the East Coast, 49.9 per cent in Sydney and 57.6 in Brisbane.
The pre-match Origin lead-in averaged 1,497,000 viewers across the 5 City Metro for Total People, while the post-match wrap-up averaged 1,569,000.
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