All six All Black matches in the blockbuster winter Test calendar were sold out, drawing over 215,000 fans through stadium gates nationwide. Across all six domestic test matches, total viewership on Sky Sport and Sky Open reached 1.8 million (1), with around 754,000 fans watching via Sky digital channels (2).
The All Blacks v South Africa clash on 6 September at Eden Park recorded the most engaged audience (AUD) for an All Blacks match on Sky Sport since the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final.
886,000 people watched on Sky Sport and Sky Open, and 480,000 viewers tuned into Sky’s digital channels. 10% of the Sky Sport viewers chose Sky’s te reo Māori commentary, and overall viewership commanded an impressive 60% share of the TV watched while on air (3).
The All Blacks v Australia Bledisloe Cup match on 27 September drew the most eyeballs, with 967,000 watching on Sky Sport and Sky Open – and was also the most-watched rugby match of the year on Sky Open.
In addition to the broadcast success, rugby delivered strong results across social media, with more than 530,000 new followers across the All Blacks social channels, and TikTok leading that charge, with 40% of these followers. The channels had 26 million engagements, and over 445 million video views. Fans have also spent 27 days’ worth of time enjoying content on the All Blacks Fan Hub.
Fans at the centre
2025 saw a coordinated effort to bring fans closer to the game, with 35 community events delivered across the country, including:
- Six club rugby visits
- Four fan signing sessions - including a joint event with the Black Ferns in Wellington
- Three “skills and drills” youth workshops
- Three high school visits, inspiring the next generation of players and fans
- Nine surprise and delight activations ranging from free merchandise to coffee shop shout-outs
- Two community Q&A sessions, offering fans direct access to players and coaches
- Two “super fan” experiences, including recognitions for Greg (100-test attendee) and Lesley (a nearly 80-year-old lifelong supporter)
Culture, celebration, and community
Match days became full-day experiences with the Sky Fan Zone at the Bledisloe Test match at Eden Park a standout, with live music from Ella Monnery and Kings, and a DJ set from Clint Roberts. The anthem moments throughout 2025 were particularly special, with moving performances by former All Black and Caleb Clarke’s father Eroni Clarke, and the celebrated Auckland Pasifika Students Choir.
Rugby also leaned into its commitment to giving back, delivering:
- Six charity experiences, supporting local causes
- Bledisloe Cup trophy visits to two NPC games, 12 schools, and four community events, giving fans across the motu a chance to get up close to Australasia’s most iconic silverware
(1) Nielsen TAM, AP05+, Cume reach, Sky Sport, Sky Open, All Blacks domestic tests 2025
(2)Sky internal data. Co-viewers based on Sky internal Unique Account data and a co-viewing factor of 2.8 (Source Glasshouse Consulting streaming co-viewing study)
(3)Nielsen TAM, 05+, Share %
