South African rugby continues to drive TV ratings

by Thinus Ferreira   

South African rugby continues to drive TV ratings.

According to Nielsen Sports South Africa, TV viewing of rugby matches - especially the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) is increasing, despite an overall decline in MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV subscriptions.

Nielsen Sports SA ratings data shows that from late 2023 to mid-2024, URC broadcast hours surged by 220 hours. 

According to Nielsen, 13% of all secondary broadcasts - repeats and highlights - were tiered down to other DStv subscription packages below DStv Premium like DStv Compact, Dstv Compact Plus, DStv Access and DStv Family subscribers.

Increased viewership numbers reflect growth in both a core rugby market and in segments with a growing interest in the sport – specifically the URC, Nielsen says.

Nwabisa Sauls, Nielsen Sports SA commercial manager, says "Our latest data shows the rapidly growing enthusiasm for rugby in South Africa and the vital role South African teams play in driving this trend".

"The rise in both viewership and stadium attendance - up 3% overall according to the URC - is testament to the enduring appeal of the South African teams' prominence on the global rugby stage and its ability to captivate a broad and diverse audience."

With overall URC consumption up by an impressive 19% and a rise of 6% in the total unique audience for the URC, additional broadcast hours and strategic scheduling from DStv were winning factors for fans, says Nielsen SA.

The 153 live URC broadcasts drew 1.19 million unique viewers, and secondary broadcasts added 96 782 new viewers with 31% of this audience who watched on the SuperSport Variety 4 (DStv 209).

Nielsen Sports SA says this shows the effectiveness of a strategic secondary broadcast schedule in boosting viewership.

"South African sports fans are increasingly captivated by local rugby teams. The increase in audience over the previous year, as reflected in Nielsen Sports SA data, can also be attributed to secondary broadcasts playing a significant role in connecting with a broader audience," the ratings tabulator says.