Thursday night's Broncos-Eels match up was the most watched regular-season game since 2014, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.ย
918,000 people viewed the game on Channel Nine in both metropolitan and regional areas, meanwhile Fox's coverage turned in around 355,000 viewers.
The first game back since the COVID-19 outbreak was watched by a combined 1.273 million viewers, the he highest-rating NRL home-and-away match since round three of 2014.
Channel Nine saw its first home and away game crack 900,000 viewers since 2017, while it was the highest-rating match ever to be simulcast on Fox League.
The NRL had hoped people all over would tune into the game after being left with no sport in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, and the starvation of no sport showed, with a 30 percent increase in ratings compared to this time last year.
"Last night was our highest-rating regular-season game in six years - thatโs an outstanding result for the game and our broadcast partners," NRL interim CEO Andrew Abdo said.
"More than 1.3 million Australians watched the return of the Telstra Premiership. Everything our chairman Peter Vโlandys and the commission have done has been for our fans, our partners and our shareholders โ the clubs and states. Weโre delighted the resumption of the competition attracted so much interest and exposure for our partners.
"I want to thank our broadcast partners for the work they have done and the innovations to make the viewing experience as enjoyable as possible for the fans.
"Rugby league is part of the social fabric of so many communities. To have live unscripted sport back unites us and provides enjoyment and something to look forward to."
Ratings were up 30 per cent from this time last year.
