AllRugby  

12 ว

The Gallagher Premiership has experienced a record-breaking festive period, showcasing significant increases in both crowd attendance and television viewership. Over the Christmas period, an impressive 2.6 million fans tuned in to watch the Premiership, surpassing last season's total of 1.8 million viewers. This surge in interest highlights the growing popularity of rugby in the UK.

Round 8 of the Premiership achieved the highest-ever average audience on TNT Sports, with cumulative peak audiences rising by 44% across the two festive rounds. One of the standout matches during this period was Big Game 16, which featured a thrilling encounter between Harlequins and Leicester Tigers. The match, held at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, ended in a dramatic 34-34 draw and was a sell-out event, with all 80,634 seats filled. This match attracted a 31% higher average audience compared to last season, with notable increases of 14% on ITV and a staggering 63% on TNT Sports.

Other clubs, including Bath, Exeter, Gloucester, Northampton Saints, and Saracens, also enjoyed sell-out crowds, contributing to an overall stadium occupancy of 81%, marking a 10% increase from the same stage last season. As the competition intensifies, the play-off race is heating up, with only 10 points separating Bristol Bears in second place from defending champions Northampton Saints in eighth.

Tickets for the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final 2025 are selling rapidly, with fewer than 22,000 tickets remaining on general sale. Despite facing heavy snowfall, all festive fixtures proceeded as scheduled, thanks to ongoing investments in pitch protection technology, ensuring that fans could enjoy the thrilling action without interruption.

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