Almost 1M watched match

Press, 3 July 1985, Page 64

Almost 1M watched match

Nearly one million viewers watched the live television coverage of the rugby league test between Australia and New Zealand on the night of Tuesday, June 18, according to the Broadcasting Corporation’s audience research department. The audience totalled 964,000, providing the sport with greater exposure than on any previous occasion.

The test, won by Australia, 26-20, was the ninth most popular programme in the television ratings for the week of June 15 to 21. What is more, the rugby league topped the poll in popularity for males between the ages of 20 and 39 years. More than half of New Zealand men in that age group watched the action from Lang Park.

In all, 32 per cent of all New Zealanders over the age of five years and with access to television reception tuned in to the test. In age groups, the percentages were — 10-19 years, male and females. 21.5 per cent; 20-39 male, 52.3 per cent; — 20-39 years female, 27.6 per cent; 40 years and over male, 43.7 per cent; 40 years and over female, 30.4

per cent. It is believed that the previous largest rugby league audience was about 750,000 when New Zealand beat Australia, also at Brisbane, in 1983. That match was played on a Saturday night. No figures are yet available for the delayed telecast of the second test of the present series at Auckland last Sunday.