Cricket viewers watching the Ryobi Cup have taken great interest in the new format and in particular the fortunes of the NSW Blues, with the team featuring in two of the three highest Total National Average Audiences matches on GEM (Nine Network).
The NSW Blues v Victoria match on Monday 7 October, rated a Total National Average Audience of 105 649, while the Blues opening match against Tasmania on Sunday 29 September, drew an average audience of 100 221 over the 7+ hours of the game. These matches rated second and third behind the 125 479 that tuned into the Queensland v Victoria match last Sunday.
The overall series National Average for all matches has been 87 574.
In terms of viewers tuning in for at least 15 minutes of the game the figures were impressive with the NSW v Tasmania game drawing a National audience of 319 102, while their second match against Victoria attracted 363 089. This was against a National Average of 300 263.
In terms of Regional NSW it was also a good news story, with the Tasmanian match drawing 60 398 viewers from the New South Wales ‘Bush’ for at least 15 minutes, while the Victorian match reached an outstanding 105,361 Country NSW cricket fans.
Both matches attracted around 50 000 regional cricket viewers nationally.
Cricket NSW Chief Executive Andrew Jones is delighted that viewers are embracing the competition: “The viewing figures for the matches so far are very pleasing. The average audience for NSW Blues games has been over 100 000 so far, which is twice the average of last season. The figures are also great news in terms of people from Regional NSW being able to access the game.”
The NSW Blues are today taking on Queensland in a televised match at North Sydney Oval and, play old rivals Victoria on Sunday at the same venue.
A win in both will see the NSW Blues back in the Final, which will take place at North Sydney Oval on Sunday 27 October.
Supporters are urged to come out to support the NSW Blues side as they attempt to lift the Ryobi Cup title for the first time in seven years.
