The 2024 NRL Telstra Premiership is now the most watched season ever on Foxtel. Discover why viewership surged and how Kayo’s 4K experience led the charge.
As the NRL Telstra Finals Series gets underway, the Foxtel Group has confirmed that the 2024 season has become its most watched on record, marking a seventh consecutive year of audience growth across its platforms. The season saw unprecedented viewership across Foxtel, Foxtel Now, Foxtel Go, and Kayo Sports, solidifying its status as the highest-rated NRL season in the broadcaster’s history.
A key driver of this surge was the uptake of Kayo Sports, where the introduction of exclusive 4K broadcasts helped boost viewership by 30% year-on-year. In total, fans streamed over five billion minutes of NRL content across all of Foxtel Group’s platforms—an increase of 30% compared to 2023. Notably, 59% of Foxtel Group’s total audience engaged with the NRL through streaming services.
Julian Ogrin, Kayo Sports Chief Executive Officer, attributed the platform’s success to a combination of enhanced viewing experiences and quality coverage:
“This season, we supercharged the Kayo Sports experience with the introduction of 4K for our exclusive NRL games.
Combined with our ad-free during live play proposition, expert analysis and commentary and world-class Fox League coverage, this brought more fans than ever to our platforms as they discovered the incredible value we offer.”
A standout moment from the 2024 season was its international launch, with the NRL debuting in Las Vegas. The exclusive broadcast on Fox League featured two historic matchups: Sea Eagles vs Rabbitohs and Roosters vs Broncos. Both games shattered viewership records and are now the most watched NRL games across Foxtel Group platforms. The Las Vegas double-header also contributed to Kayo Sports recording its highest single day of sign-ups.
The momentum continued with Magic Round, which attracted the largest regular-season audience in Foxtel’s history. The closely contested Sharks vs Roosters match was the third most watched game of the year, further contributing to the record-breaking figures. The Broncos, Storm, and Roosters emerged as the most popular teams with viewers over the course of the season.
Reflecting on the year’s success, Steve Crawley, Managing Director of Fox Sports, commented:
“2024 was a record-breaking season in many ways. From Las Vegas to Magic Round, right to the final whistle of the regular season with the Knights vs Dolphins game determining the last spot in the top 8, we have enjoyed bringing the very best of the sport to audiences nationwide. Congratulations to the NRL and teams on a successful year.”
As the season progresses into finals, Foxtel and Kayo Sports will continue to deliver every game of the NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series, excluding the Grand Final, live and ad-free during play. In addition, the action will extend into October and November with the NRLW and Pacific Championships, ensuring fans have plenty more rugby league to enjoy in the coming months.