"700,000 more views" – Premiership Rugby reports 'rapid growth' in first six rounds of 2024/25 season

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An official statement from the Gallagher Premiership, has presented a rapid growth of both in-stadia attendances and TV audiences during the opening six rounds of the 2024/25 competition. With 700,000 more views on TNT Sports and discovery+ compared to this stage last season there have already been more than three million UK viewers tuning into the world-class entertainment.

And the thriller at Ashton Gate between high-flying duo Bristol Bears and Saracens drew the highest regular season audience share ever on TNT Sports, with a peak audience of 333,000. Matchday attendances are also on the up. Compared to the corresponding home fixtures in the 2023/24 season, over 21,000 extra tickets have been sold during the opening weeks of the season.

This has been reflected in an overall average stadium occupancy rise of 6% – with the in-demand festive fixtures on the horizon. Simon Massie-Taylor, CEO of Premiership Rugby, said: "I am delighted to see over 700,000 additional viewers and more than 21,000 more supporters buying tickets to watch the opening exchanges of the Gallagher Premiership.

"To see thousands more fans through the turnstiles and the TV audience growth accelerating is a huge achievement and testament to the hard work of our clubs, the Premiership Rugby team and our long-term broadcast partners TNT Sports whose continued innovation supports our vision for growth.

"It demonstrates the level of fan interest in the live and on-screen entertainment of the Gallagher Premiership, which is helping us to attract new, younger and more diverse audiences."

The Festive Fixtures (Rounds 8 & 9) are projected to have at least six sold-out fixtures with Bath Rugby's match against Saracens at The Rec already announced as a full house and several more expected. Round 10 of the 2023/24 season produced an average attendance in excess of 30,000 – the highest in the league's history for a single round of fixtures.

And with Harlequins' Big Game 16 against Leicester Tigers selling at a record pace, alongside projected sellouts elsewhere, that record could be smashed once again. Derby Weekend (Round 4) was another huge hit with Premiership Rugby supporters – a dramatic round of local grudge matches saw the average TV audience share increase by 25% year-on-year with three like-for-like fixtures attracting a bigger crowd than 2023/24 and the London derby between Harlequins and Saracens again selling out The Stoop.

Following the fastest selling and most-watched Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final on record, the 2025 edition of English club rugby's showpiece event on Saturday, June 14, now has just 30,000 tickets left on general sale with fans securing their seats to the season finale at a record pace.

Massie-Taylor added: "We are thrilled to see such positive ticketing data with final sales almost double where they were at stage last season, which was our fastest sell-out on record.

"Based on the unmissable entertainment we've enjoyed already this season, I'm hugely confident that the 2025 Final will be even bigger and better than last season's spectacular showcase event."

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