Ratings | NRL reigns supreme in record breaking season – Last night’s thrilling NRL Grand Final between the Brisbane Broncos and the Melbourne Storm is the highest rating NRL Grand Final of all time and Australia’s No. 1 program of 2025.
The breathtaking decider in which the Broncos won 26-22 secured a National Total TV Reach of 6.409 million and a National Total TV Average Audience of 4.460 million – up 33% year-on-year.
- Sydney: Total TV Average Audience of 1.099 million
- Melbourne: Total TV Average Audience of 734,000
- Brisbane: Total TV Average Audience of 941,000
- Adelaide: Total TV Average Audience of 127,000
- Perth: Total TV Average Audience of 198,000
The match smashed BVOD records, capturing an audience of 1.316 million on 9Now alone, making it the highest rating BVOD event in VOZ history.
The NRLW Grand Final between the Roosters and the Broncos broke records for the women’s sport, capturing a Total TV audience of 1.032 million (up 36% year-on-year).
These stunning numbers cap off one of the most successful NRL seasons of all time, in terms of TV viewing figures, with the 2025 season recording significant growth across all iterations and on all screens.
- NRL Season 2025 (Regular Season + Final Series) has seen growth of +11.5% on Total TV, recording a National Total TV Average Audience of 614,000 per match (the highest for a NRL Season in VOZ history).
- The NRL Finals series has recorded its highest Audience in VOZ History with over 1.1 million people tuning into every game (up 33.3% year-on-year) on Nine.
- Broadcast Audiences grew double digits (+22.1%) with BVOD Audiences increasing an impressive +101.8% (244,000 Audience).
- The Preliminary final between the Brisbane Broncos and Penrith Panthers was the highest across all screens in VOZ history (Broadcast, BVOD, Total TV). The match drew a National Total TV Audience of 1.8 million (up 53% year-on-year).
- People didn’t just tune in in record numbers to the Finals series. For the Regular Home & Away Season in 2025, Audiences grew +7.7% on Total TV, +4.2% on Broadcast TV & +34.9% on BVOD
- This success also translated to Nine’s NRL programming. 100% Footy saw a Total TV Audience of 194,000 per episode (up 66.1% year-on-year), reaching 5.6 million throughout the series. NRL Sunday Footy Show reached 3.6 million people on Total TV.
- In its first series broadcast on Channel 9 in Sydney and Brisbane, Freddy and the Eighth saw a Total TV Audience of 97,000 tune in every week.
Amanda Laing, Nine’s Managing Director, Streaming & Broadcast, said:
“This year’s phenomenal ratings are a testament to Nine’s unwavering commitment to being the true home of rugby league. We 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’s fan base in every corner of the country. To see that commitment reflected in record-breaking audience numbers is incredibly rewarding.
“Our passion for the game extends beyond the 80 minutes on the field. This season, we have invested more than ever in telling the stories at the heart of rugby league – profiling the incredible athletes, the dedicated coaches, and the passionate fans that make this sport what it is. By bringing these human stories to life across all our platforms, we are giving viewers a deeper connection to the game they love.
“This success would not be possible without the incredible collaboration we have with the NRL. Immense credit goes to Peter V’landys and Andrew Abdo for their leadership and shared vision. We are proud of our close partnership and thank them for working with us to deliver this landmark season to the Australian public.”
Brent Williams, Nine’s Director of Sport, said:
“I want to extend a sincere thank you to the players, coaches and clubs. Not only have their world-class performances captivated the nation, but their generosity in providing access for interviews and features has allowed us to showcase the personalities and stories behind the game. That partnership is invaluable for bringing fans closer to their heroes.
“Finally, I couldn’t be prouder of our team at Nine’s Wide World of Sports. Their tireless work and passion for storytelling have raised the bar for sports broadcasting in this country, and this season’s success is a fantastic recognition of their collective effort.”
Media Release – Nine
Link to 9Now HERE
TV Central NRL content HERE
Ratings | NRL reigns supreme in record breaking season
