TV viewing figures and ticket sales up in Gallagher Premiership

Ahead of the return of the Gallagher Premiership's on Friday night, Premiership Rugby have announced increased in-stadia attendances and TV viewing figures.

UK viewing figures for the first six rounds on TNT Sports and Discovery + have surpassed the three million mark, with an additional 700,000 viewers than at this stage last season.

Saracens' thrilling 37-35 win over Bristol at Ashton Gate in mid-October was the most-watched regular season Premiership game ever on TNT Sports, with a peak audience of 333,000.

Fans have also been turning out in numbers to watch the action in person, the league reporting that 21,000 more tickets have been sold compared to the same stage of the 2023/24 campaign.

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 sell-outs 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.”

On Friday night, Harlequins host Bristol Bears in what is Joe Marler's final game of professional rugby and Newcastle are at home to Saracens with reports of the Falcons being up for sale adding to the intrigue around that match.

Champions Northampton welcome Gloucester to Franklin's Gardens and Bath are at home to Exeter in the two Saturday fixtures, while Sale Sharks play Leicester on Sunday.