The Gallagher Premiership is extending its historically successful season, with over 1.2 million viewers captivated by an extraordinary ninth round of matches.
Northampton Saints maintained their leading position after securing a significant victory against Harlequins at home, amidst compelling action broadcast on TNT Sports and discovery+ as the season reached its midpoint.
Following a strong series of holiday period games, the ninth round achieved the second-largest aggregate peak viewership ever recorded.
The intense contest between playoff hopefuls, Bath and Exeter, ultimately decided by the reigning champions on the game’s final play, recorded the highest average viewership for the season to date. Furthermore, the Sunday fixture featuring prominent clubs Leicester Tigers and Saracens drew a maximum audience nearing 400,000.
Simon Massie-Taylor, PREM Rugby’s CEO, commented: “The achievements seen during the holiday matches and into the new year highlight the increasing robustness of the Gallagher Premiership and the steadily expanding engagement from fans.”
“Consistent growth in spectator numbers, unprecedented stadium fill rates, and expanding television audiences demonstrate the excellence of the game itself and the success of our approach to establish the Gallagher Premiership as the globe’s premier competitive and captivating club rugby tournament.”
“Moreover, it serves as proof of the league’s allure that numerous prominent international players have recently opted to sign with Premiership clubs or pledge their long-term involvement in the tournament.”
The upward trend began in Round 8, which registered the fourth-largest overall television viewership for any individual Gallagher Premiership round.
Demand for live attendance in stadiums during December mirrored the increase in broadcast figures, as the average stadium capacity utilization achieved a shared record of 93% during Round 8.
Fans flocked to Premiership Rugby venues throughout Rounds 7 through 9, resulting in a collective total of seven matches being completely sold out.
Every one of Bath’s six home games, both in the Premiership and the Champions Cup, saw all 14,500 tickets purchased, despite outrageously expensive ticket costs, which reached £140 for the Munster fixture.
Concurrently, ticket purchases for the 2025/26 Gallagher Premiership final, scheduled for Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on June 20th, are progressing favorably, with under 30% of standard entry tickets still available for purchase.
The preceding two finals were completely sold out, a success partly attributable to three of the league’s most widely followed clubs – Northampton, Bath, and Leicester – reaching the Twickenham venue.
Massie-Taylor further stated: “The consistent annual increase in demand for the Gallagher Premiership Final further substantiates the league’s robust developmental path and broadening fan attraction as we anticipate the latter half of the season.”
