Even a great Origin series is no guarantee of big audience numbers

We are now at post-peak Origin as far as TV audiences are concerned. The chances of getting a 3 million-plus national audience are gone. Most League fans like the idea of Origin but the marginal fans are not flocking to watch what on paper looks like a great game or series, as the 2022 series was.

Last night’s audience figures for the third and deciding game won by Queensland (and the series) confirms it. The national audience was 2.588 million, just above the 2.512 million for Game 1 but just under the 2.609 million for Game 2 (which was on a Sunday night, which might account for the higher figure). 

The metro audiences were 1.792 million for last night, 1.797 million for Game 2 and 1.771 million for Game 1 of this year’s series. The regional audiences tell a similar story: 796,000 for last night, 812,000 for Game 2 and 741,000 for the first game.

It was Nine’s night, clearly — end of the Origin hype, back to the closing rounds of the season, with AFL heading down the closing rounds of its season as well.

In breakfast, ABC News Breakfast had more metro viewers than Nine’s Today for the second time in a week, 194,000 to 189,000… hmmm. Nationally, Today finished in front of News Breakfast, with both well behind Sunrise on Seven.

Network channel share:

1. Nine (49.2%)
2. Seven (18.2%)
3. ABC (13.3%)
4. Ten (11.8%)
5. SBS (7.5%)

Network main channels:

1. Nine (42.6%)
2. Seven (12.7%)
3. ABC (9.9%)
4. Ten (7.3%)
5. SBS ONE (4.7%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7TWO (2.7%)
2. 10 Peach (2.4%)
3. GO (2.2%)
4. 10 Bold (1.9%)
5. 9Life (1.8%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. State of Origin: Game 3 (Nine) — 2.588 million
2. Seven News — 1.462 million
3. Seven News 6.30pm — 1.381 million
4. State of Origin: Pre-Match (Nine) — 1.286 million
5. Nine News 6.30pm — 1.116 million
6. Nine News — 1.111 million
7. State of Origin: Post-Match (Nine) — 1.079 million
8. 7pm ABC News — 845,000
9. The Chase Australia 5.30 (Seven) — 840,000
10. Home and Away (Seven) — 660,000

Top metro programs: 

1. State of Origin: Game 3 (Nine) — 1.792 million

Regional top 5: State of Origin: Game 3, 796,000; Seven News, 539,000; Seven News 6.30, 503,000; State of Origin: Pre-Match, 450,000; State of Origin: Post-Match, 373,000.

Losers: no one — Origin too dominant, like Queensland.

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 923,000
2. Seven News 6.30pm — 877,000
3. Nine News 6.30pm — 814,000
4. Nine News — 804,000
5. 7pm ABC News — 557,000
6. 7.30 (ABC) — 452,000
7. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 360,000
8. Ten News First — 314,000
9. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 245,000
10. SBS World News — 146,000

Morning (national) TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) — 355,000/206,000
2. Today (Nine) — 291,000/189,000
3. ABC News Breakfast 286,000/194,000
4. ABC News Mornings — 283,000
5. The Morning Show (Seven) — 194,000
6. Today Extra (Nine) — 154,000
7. Studio 10 (Ten) — 38,000

Top 5 pay TV programs:

1. Credlin (Sky News) — 49,000
2. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) — 46,000
3. State of Origin Footy on Fox (Fox League) — 43,000
4. The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 42,000
5. The Kenny Report (Sky News) — 40,000