Friday 28 May 1999
By eBroadcast Staff and agencies.

Wednesday night's opening State Of Origin rugby league match between Queensland and NSW was a huge ratings success for the Nine Network.

The tight game, won by Queensland 9-8, attracted massive audiences in both states, according to ACNielsen figures released today.

In Sydney an average 1,053,750 viewers watched the game from 8.00pm to 10.00pm with Nine's telecast reaching a peak rating of 45 at 9.30pm with 1,202,000 viewers. Overall, the coverage of the pre-game build-up and match, from 7.00pm to 10.00pm averaged 913,000.

In Brisbane an average 716,500 tuned into the game, with a peak of 50 at 9.30pm when 761,000 watched Mat Rogers kick the field goal to give the maroons victory. Nine's overall coverage from 7.00pm to 10.00pm averaged 627,000 viewers.

The results were well above the corresponding match in 1998, watched by an average 836,000 viewers in Sydney and 585,000 in Brisbane.