Despite the absence of a NSW team in this year\u2019s NRL final, the broadcast beat last year\u2019s Storm v Panthers matchup by more than a million (average audience 3.42 million).<\/p>\n
It also comfortably beat the average of 3.52 million that watched the Broncos lose the 2023 final to Penrith, and the 2.76 million in 2022 \u2014 the smallest TV audience in modern Grand Final history.<\/p>\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n
Most impressively, it beats the NRL\u2019s own previous high water-mark, the 2005 West Tigers v North Queensland Cowboys clash, which had an average of 4.1 million viewers throughout. This makes this year\u2019s NRL Grand Final not only the highest-rating TV show of the year, but the most-watched grand final since the modern TV ratings system started in 2001.<\/p>\n
Broken down into states, Sydney\u2019s total audience hovered just under 1.1 million, while Brisbane\u2019s sat at 941,000. Melbourne (who had a team in the race, but no public holiday) had average audiences of 734,000, Perth 198,000, and Adelaide just 127,000.<\/p>\n
The last time the NRL Grand Final outrated that of the AFL was in 2015, when the Brisbane Broncos lost to the North Queensland Cowboys 17-16 in golden point extra time (again, no NSW team).<\/p>\n
As with this weekend\u2019s Grand Final, the average audience size was bolstered by a nail-biting finish, which kept viewers glued to the screen throughout the entire game.<\/p>\n
By contrast, this year\u2019s AFL Grand Final was a definitive Brisbane victory early in the match, making fairweather fans more likely to switch off, while the 2015 grand final between Hawthorn and West Coast Eagles was a 45-point blow out.<\/p>\n
It seems a close match makes all the difference in the TV ratings.<\/p>\n
The 2025 NRL Grand Final is the most-watched since the current Oztam ratings system began in 2001<\/p>\n Like Seven with the AFL last Saturday, Nine dominated the ratings throughout Sunday with its wall-to-wall rugby league coverage.<\/p>\n The post-match trophy ceremony kept an average of 2.38 million watching the spoils, while the pre-match entertainment of soul-country-bikie hybrid Teddy Swims was watched by an average of 2.35 million.<\/p>\n The NRLW Grand Final from 3.55pm had an average audience of over a million viewers at any given time, with 1.8 million checking it out at some point \u2013 with total audiences up 36% on the 2024 grand final.<\/p>\n The NRLW post-match (or, if you like, the NRL Grand Final pre-pre-match) had an average of 1.38 million, while the State Cup Championship at 1.20pm was watched by an average of 494,000. Total audiences of 1.14 million showed that footy fans were starting to switch on by the mid-afternoon.<\/p>\n Even the Sunday Footy Show \u2014 airing at 10am on the Sunday of a long weekend \u2014 managed average viewership of 268,000 with a total of 735,000 flicking over at some stage.<\/p>\n These record-breaking ratings are a boon for Nine, but could ironically end up costing it a lot of money as negotiations begin next month for the next broadcast deal.<\/p>\n The NRL is hoping to net a record deal \u2014 or at least one comparable to the AFL\u2019s current seven-year, $4.5 billion haul \u2014 and Nine\u2019s ratings success will no doubt drive the asking price up further.<\/p>\n Last week, Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V\u2019landys threatened to sell the rights<\/a> to another network if current rightsholders Nine and Foxtel attempt to \u201ccollude\u201d on a deal, telling the AFR: \u201cWe will take the rights elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n Nine\u2019s TV boss Amanda Laing pointed out in a media release the weekend\u2019s \u201cphenomenal ratings are a testament to Nine\u2019s unwavering commitment to being the true home of rugby league\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe believe the greatest game of all should be accessible to everyone, and by providing that universal, free-to-air access, we are helping to grow the sport\u2019s fan base in every corner of the country,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n Laing also gave \u201cimmense credit\u201d to V\u2019landys and NRL chief Andrew Abdo, saying. \u201cWe are proud of our close partnership and thank them for working with us to deliver this landmark season to the Australian public.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/nrl-grand-final.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-07-084536.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n