Even with a slump in numbers, NRL dominated the screens

Like the AFL grand final, the final and deciding game of the 2022 NRL season was a TV ratings flop. The AFL experienced a sharp fall in viewer numbers for the afternoon game 10 days ago, with the total audience just over 3 million for Seven. Last night’s win by Penrith over Parramatta (its second premiership in succession) saw a slide in viewer numbers of around 1 million compared with the 2022 game, which was played in Brisbane.

The loss of a million viewers will disappoint the NRL and Nine. The audience in the Sydney market slumped as well, despite the two biggest clubs in the city playing in the decider.

The game was watched by just 2.36 million people nationally, against 3.23 million a year ago. The metro audience of 6.61 million was 600,000 fewer than the 2.2 million in 2021. The regional audience of 696,000 was about 400,000 fewer than last year’s 1.03 million. The Sydney audience last night was 837,000, down on the 1.12 million who watched Penrith win a year ago.

Nothing else mattered yesterday.

Network channel share:

1. Nine (46.1%)
2. Seven (21.2%)
3. ABC (13.3%)
4. Ten (11.4%)
5. SBS (8.1%)

Network main channels:

1. Nine (40.4%)
2. Seven (14.2%)
3. ABC (10.0%)
4. Ten (6.7%)
5. SBS ONE (4.3%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7TWO (3.0%) 
2. 7mate (2.6%)
3. 10 Bold (2.0%)
4. 10 Peach (1.9%)
5. ABCKids/Plus, GO, 9Life (1.6%) 

Top 10 national programs:

1. NRL 2022 grand final (Nine) — 2.367 million
2. NRL 2022 grand final presentation (Nine) — 1.948 million
3. NRL 2022 grand final entertainment (Nine) — 1.388 million
4. Seven News — 1.180 million
5. Nine News — 1.103 million
6. NRL 2022 grand final post-match (Nine) — 980,000
7. NRLW 2022 grand final post-match (Nine) — 755,000
8. 7pm ABC News — 699,000
9. NRLW 2022 grand final (Nine)— 617,000
10. Spicks and Specks (ABC) — 526,000

Top metro programs:

1. NRL 2022 grand final (Nine) — 1.671 million
2. NRL 2022 grand final presentation (Nine) — 600,000

Regional top 5: 2022 NRL grand final, 696,000; 2022 NRL GF presentation, 600,000; 2022 NRL GF entertainment, 400,000; Nine News, 374,000; Seven News, 348,000.

Losers: just a very weak night as far as ratings are concerned. 

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 832,000
2. Nine News — 729,000
3. 7pm ABC News — 479,000
4. 7News Spotlight — 284,000
5. The Sunday Project 7pm (Ten) — 249,000
6. Ten News First — 202,000
7. SBS World News — 187,000
8. The Sunday Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 172,000

Morning (national) TV:

1. Insiders (ABC) — 515,000
2. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) — 338,000
3. Landline (ABC) — 277,000
4. Weekend Today (Nine) — 215,000
5. Sports Sunday (Nine) — 172,000
6. Offsiders (ABC) — 167,000

Top 5 pay TV programs:

1. NRLW: grand final (Fox League) — 132,000
2. F1: Singapore Race (Fox Sports 506) — 98,000
3. NRL: State Championship, grand final day on Fox (Fox League) — 91,000
4. F1: Chequered Flag (Fox Sports 506) — 79,000