Super Rugby Pacific, commonly known as Super Rugby, is the premier club rugby tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, showcasing top teams from Australia and New Zealand, with the additions of Fijian Drua and a team from the Pacific Island nations, Moana Pasifika.
Since its inception in 1996, some past editions of the competition have also included teams from South Africa, Argentina, and Japan. The competition kicked off in February and concludes with a grand final in June.
Go deeper with GlobalData
This year’s campaign features 11 teams competing to become Super Rugby champions, one fewer than the previous season. The reduction follows the Melbourne Rebels’ exclusion from the competition due to financial challenges.
Rugby Australia declined a proposed rescue deal to salvage the Melbourne team in May 2024. In response, directors of the Melbourne Rebels initiated legal proceedings against Rugby Australia for its decision to remove the team from the league.
The Rebels directors are seeking AUD$30 million ($19 million) in damages and are pursuing a declaration that would allow them to regain control of the team and continue their participation in the Super Rugby competition. Rugby Australia, however, contends that the Melbourne Rebels are attempting to deflect responsibility.
They have submitted a counterclaim against the former Super Rugby club, accusing them of misleading and deceptive conduct in what has become an increasingly acrimonious legal battle.
Regarding the tournament’s competitive level, there has been debate about whether Super Rugby should reintegrate South African teams to recapture the high-caliber play of the 2000s.
During that era, teams such as Christchurch’s Crusaders, the Brumbies from Canberra, and the Bulls from Pretoria all enjoyed championship-winning seasons, reflecting a widespread distribution of talent.
However, viewership statistics for the 2024 Super Rugby season and the beginning of the 2025 competition indicate that significant alterations to the format may not be necessary, as television audience figures have been favorable.
The 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season saw a 12% increase in viewership compared to the previous year in New Zealand, accompanied by improved stadium attendance. Approximately 2.1 million New Zealanders watched the matches on both pay and free-to-air television, a rise from the 1.94 million viewers recorded in 2023.
Regarding New Zealand viewership figures for the initial three rounds of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season, approximately 1.14 million individuals tuned into the games on Sky Sport and Sky Open, a 12% increase compared to the 2024 competition.
Furthermore, Sky Go experienced a significant uptick, with 173,000 viewers, a 42% gain on the previous year. Sky Sport Now also reported growth, with a 16% increase, attracting 173,000 viewers.
Round three’s most-viewed match was the Blues’ victory over the Hurricanes, which drew an audience of 500,000 viewers on Sky Sport and Sky Open. Sky Go contributed an additional 49,000 viewers, while Sky Sport Now saw 90,000 individuals tuning in.
Viewership for the first three rounds of this year’s Super Rugby competition in Australia has also shown a notable increase. In comparison to the corresponding period in 2024, viewership for Nine Network’s broadcasts has risen by 17%—a significant uptick.
Despite the unfortunate termination of the Melbourne Rebels, three of the four remaining Australian teams have begun the competition on a positive note. It is evident that rugby enthusiasts throughout Australia are keen to watch their domestic teams.
Those managing the commercial aspects of the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia undoubtedly hope that the Australian teams will maintain their strong performance throughout Super Rugby 2025. This would likely bolster the enthusiasm for Australian rugby nationwide and in turn translate into favorable television viewership figures when the Lions tour commences this summer.
Analyzing the media rights agreements for Super Rugby in the nations of competing teams, Sky has a five-year agreement in New Zealand to air Super Rugby as well as the Rugby Championship, New Zealand home internationals, and domestic competitions.
The deal is reportedly worth NZ$400 million ($253.19 million). As part of the agreement, New Zealand Rugby captured a 5% stake in Sky TV. Australian rugby fans can watch Super Rugby matches on pay-TV broadcaster Nine Network, with coverage also on the Stan Sport streaming service. Fans of the Fijian Drua can watch games on free-to-air broadcaster FBC and pay-TV giant Sky.
Despite ongoing concerns regarding insufficient revenue generation among numerous professional rugby teams and federations, the heightened viewership and interest in Super Rugby ought to reassure key decision-makers involved in the competition.
The financial support for the Super Rugby franchises and National Provincial Championship teams in New Zealand came under scrutiny following the collapse of a proposed $200 million investment by private equity firm Silver Lake. Nevertheless, the sustained interest of fans in Super Rugby is a driver for enhancing engagement, boosting match attendance, and increased revenue through merchandise sales.
The viewership statistics in New Zealand indicate that fans are increasingly drawn to Super Rugby matches. This trend suggests there is no pressing need to alter the competition’s structure, such as by introducing new teams. Instead, there is a clear desire to boost funding for the existing teams to preserve the league’s competitiveness and popularity moving forward.
