A staggering combined peak of 1.5 million people tuned in to ITV and BT Sport, to watch Saracens take on Harlequins in the ‘Showdown 3’. This smashed the previous viewing record for a Gallagher Premiership match by 200,000, which previously stood for last season’s Premiership Final between Leicester Tigers and Saracens.
Premiership Rugby confirmed that at it’s peak, the audience viewing figures for the London derby reached 1.516 million. Due to the match being available on free to view ITV 1.33 million people tuned in to ‘channel 3’, in what was a commercial success.
186,000 people tuned in to the match on BT Sport, with the two channels combining for the record-breaking total. At it’s highest, Premiership Rugby stated how the match ‘secured a significant 7.1% share of all UK TV viewers during the match.’
Simon Massie-Taylor, Chief Executive of Premiership Rugby, said on Premiership Rugby’s official website;
“We are delighted to see the latest record-breaking TV figures from Gallagher Premiership Rugby.”
“And we are equally pleased to see stadium attendances remaining on a strong upwards trajectory in yet another unmissable season that is set to go right to the wire.”
“A huge thanks must go to all Premiership Rugby fans for their dedication and support – as well as our clubs, broadcast partners and sponsors who help us deliver the outstanding entertainment enjoyed by millions of people.”
“It is incredible to see eight teams still very much in the mix for the four semi-final spots ahead of our showpiece Gallagher Premiership Rugby final at Twickenham on May 27.”
In a style akin to Harlequins taking over Twickenham Stadium for their ‘Big Game’ and ‘Big Summer Kick-Off’ matches, Saracens hired out the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for ‘The Showdown 3’. Over 55,000 fans packed themselves into the UK’s newest stadium, as the two London clubs battled it out, for an eventual Sarries victory.
Owen Farrell led his side to triumph over the Quins, who were led by their own England talisman in Marcus Smith. There were battles within the war, as the England internationals returned to their clubs, in what was a marquee match-up for the two sides.
Saracens remain firmly in control at the top of the Gallagher Premiership table, and pull further away from the tight-nit pack of followers. Harlequins remain at eighth in the league, and will need to bounce back immediately if they want to reach the play-offs, as the Premiership’s regular season is almost drawing to a close.