Who watched the rugby last night?
October 17th, 2011 at 11:29 am by David FarrarJust seen the viewer stats for the rugby last night. As you know it was broadcast on Sky Sports, TV One, TV3 and Maori TV. Each broadcaster tends to only trumpet their own viewers, but let’s add all the individual figures up. This is the percentage of all adults and children (only excludes under five year olds) watching each channel, and the approx number of viewers:
- TV One 17.0%, 680,000
- Sky Sports 16.7%, 668,000
- TV3 10.0%, 400,000
- Maori TV 6.8%, 272,000
That adds up to 50.5% of New Zealanders or 2,020,000 Kiwis who watched the semi-final. One can only wonder what the final will get?
Which other “programmes” have had 2 million viewers?
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- Top 12 events watched on NZ TV
- Rugby World Cup 10 October 2011
- Maori TV and the Rugby World Cup
- The triumph of Maori TV
October 17th, 2011 at 11:36 am
Nope, I didn’t.
Was watching Star Wars, Episode II on Bluray.
Vote:Sports don’t interest me much.
October 17th, 2011 at 11:43 am
I started off watching on TV1 until Andrew Saville’s commentary made me switch to Sky…so that’s 2,019,999
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 11:48 am
I thought Angela D’Audney getting her baps out was the gold standard, surely?
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 11:49 am
Watched it on Maori TV.
With it being school holidays, 11 yr old stayed up and watched it too. The opening action grabbed his full attention, and he stuck out the whole game (getting very excited during some of the action parts). This was first evening game he showed any enthusiasm for.
So, in some ways the viewing stats don’t surprise me
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 11:58 am
Watched with the family on TV One.
Scared the living daylights out of the cat when Nonu scored. Poor Katie is still not right!
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 12:00 pm
I would have watched it, but there was NO live coverage in the US. Universal Sports have the US rights for the cup and they are charging US$29.99 to watch the game online, except that it is only available 24 hours AFTER the game has finished. Apparently this is the IRB’s strategy for promoting interest in rugby in the US.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 12:18 pm
watched every minute
Why wasn’t Webb Ellis awarded to the ABs Last night – nearly everyone seems to have assumed it is the final. (including myself.)
Not at all nervous about playing the rench – they are the most underseving finalists ever, and we have already beaten them in this RWC. The interesting game for me is the game no one wants to play. I am thinking the Welsh will get up for this against the Aussies who will now be dispondant, wanting to go home, and are comeing off 2 very big games. I back the Welsh by 5.
I am picking the French to lose by 30.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 12:32 pm
How do they come up with these numbers? is there some sort of tracking device in Sky decoders and freeview recievers? FWIW, we’ve been enjoying the open, unashamed bias of the Maori TV commentary teams, very entertaining
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 12:33 pm
Why are people who don’t watch or like sports the first ones to comment in any discussion about how they don’t watch or like sports?
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Started on Sky, but then noted that via MySky HD, Sky was broadcasing in ~ 576i (isn’t that actually just SD???), and One was in ~976i. Anyway, picture looked noticeably sharper on One, so stayed with that.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 12:37 pm
I reckon it will probably be about the same or maybe lower. There is no way a match of us v France is going to be as interesting as us v Australia. We already beat the French this tournament.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
dog_eat_dog, well the title of the thread asked a question – who watched the rugby last night. I was just being honest
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
Having sampled the commentaries on other channels – Maori TV seems to consistently have the better coverage. TV1 & TV3 commentarites were intrusive and inane. At least Maori TV does not take itself too seriously. I will be be back there for the final.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 12:55 pm
How do these stats take into account those who watched the game at a friends or the pub or a Fan zone. 2m viewers sound rather light to me.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 1:04 pm
I don’t own a TV, but was someone told me where I could find a live streaming online. So I watched it on my computer at home. So I am also not in those stats but still saw the game.
I also saw the other semi-final game. Wales got so close, and with only 14 men. The French are lucky to be in the final, and if they play next week as they did this last weekend … it will be a sad embarrassment for Les Bleues.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
I was one of the 60,000 lucky enough to be there last night, but I have been enjoying the Maori TV coverage. Peter Fitzsimmons is very entertaining, he even throws in the odd Maori word.
Was the best All Black crowd I have ever been in.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
Watched at home, and on SkySport
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
We also way prefer Maori TV commentary team.
Vote:Last night however TV One won out as they broadcast in HD and the picture was much clearer. So much cheering and excitement going on in our TV room that we couldn’t usually hear the silly TV One commentators. We turned over to Maori TV after the game finished for their post match summing up.
October 17th, 2011 at 1:27 pm
Watched it on Maori at home.
Best commentary of all the channels…..except when Keef Kwin is there mumbling inanely & inaccurately.
TV1 good analysis by Goldie & Taine (if a bit dry), and post match.
TV3, Hamish McKay is amateurish.
Sky, can’t stand Tony Johnsons smug commentary at any time.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
Last night was the defacto final.
The french do not deserve to be there.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
“Not at all nervous about playing the French”
“There is no way a match of us v France is going to be as interesting as us v Australia. We already beat the French this tournament.”
“Last night was the defacto final.
The french do not deserve to be there.”
Its starting to feel eerily like 1999 and 2007 again……….. never, never, NEVER underestimate the French. No matter how bad they have played
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 1:37 pm
Mark Thompson, try this LINK.
There’s some other good sports on too. Some of the links have been blocked I suspect by the RWC killjoy police but all in all, pretty good. If you get the Italian coverage you’ll be pleasantly surprised as the front woman is stunning!
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Its starting to feel eerily like 1999 and 2007 again……….. never, never, NEVER underestimate the French. No matter how bad they have played
Got a direct line to Ted, have ya?
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Of course we should never underestimate the French, but based on their performance so far, they just do not look like a serious threat.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Short Shriv….., the Frogs don’t have the game to hurt us irrespective of whether they hit that ah…..”magical French” zone or not.
Only AB complacency can let them in…..Too much bad history from previous tournaments for that to happen.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 1:43 pm
@ Ciaron
Why’s that? Did I unwittingly steal a quote?
“Of course we should never underestimate the French, but based on their performance so far, they just do not look like a serious threat.”
Vote:Thats the point! Thats what was said in 1999 and 2007.
October 17th, 2011 at 2:02 pm
SSaSttL; Just that I imagine that statement (or something very similar) will be repeated at length within the AB’s camp this week
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
FijiOne – does that count? Sitting on a comfortable chair, surrounded by rabid Australians, enjoying a few quiet beers at the Hilton in Denarau, on the beach, watching on a big screen specially erected.
Life sucks
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Well, I had to work and got home at 10pm. Fortunately I was recording the match and started watching with a 1 hour delay. So where does that leave me on these figures. I have also heard people were listening on the radio and of course there were 60,000 people at the game itself. Have to wonder how many people overall were paying attention to the match.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 3:38 pm
Three weeks ago, while watching the French get smashed by the ABs in the pool play, I said to my colleague “Ha! This is a cunning French plan. They know they cannot beat the ABs when the ABs play their best, which they will in the first major match they face (ie now). So they deliberately play badly to lull us into a false sense of security so they can ambush us in the final, if they get that far.” Mark my words.
I was at work last night, but we had teh TV on and I cought bits of the game. I think it was on TV3. When at home I watch on Maori TV.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
I took a look at all 3 channels during the second half, on freeview. So what does that do to the stats?
Before that I was watching trackside -
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 5:12 pm
I watched it on TV3 for HD (it looked great) and Dolby.
I don’t really listen to the commentary, I tend to zone out the talking and just watch the game.
Re the most watched programme on television. It wouldn’t be 2 million because it was over 25 years ago, but I think the most watched programme on New Zealand television (as a percentage of population) was when “Goodbye Pork Pie” screened on TV for the first time. [It was quite rare for theatrical movies to screen on TV then].
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 6:06 pm
Lies and statistics. With that many channels running the same thing. It was almost compulsory.
Vote:October 17th, 2011 at 7:06 pm
Watched the game on big screen in a bar in Hangzhou China. Went the extra mile with a one hour bus ride from Xia Sha (suburb) into city. 32 degrees on the bus so the beers tasted very good. Seven kiwis, two brits, one swiss and as many bar staff. 168rmb for all you could drink for two hours. game started at 4pm local time. Had a blast, enjoyed it all, even justin marshalls comments.
Vote:the previous semi-final was watched on a laptop using a skype and a radio commentary from another laptop….needs must.
October 17th, 2011 at 8:27 pm
Watched it using TV one (their HD seemed a little clearer than TV3 for some reason) with the volume down, whilst listening to Jed + Bachop on http://www.arcrugby.co.nz
Unfortunately the sound was a little behind (sky not really live – some 10 seconds out or so), but the delay was worth it for the laughs.
A bloody good match – the best I’ve seen the all blacks for quite some time.
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