A historic crowd of 25,492 spectators attended the match, nearly doubling last year’s series opener attendance at CommBank Stadium (12,972) and surpassing the previous record of 18,275 from last year’s Game Two at Queensland Country Bank Stadium by a significant margin.
Television viewership also reached unprecedented heights. Channel Nine’s broadcast of the game became the most-watched Women’s State of Origin match ever, outstripping the viewership of any NRL Telstra Premiership match this season and any AFL match played this year. The national total TV reach approached 2 million, with a total TV national audience exceeding 940,000.
ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys highlighted the significance of these figures at a press conference in Brisbane on Friday. “The women’s State of Origin was extremely successful last night,” V’landys said. “The ratings were up 40% year-to-year, and it’s the biggest audience we’ve ever had for a women’s game. Nearly a million viewers is remarkable and speaks to how far the women’s game has come.”
V’landys praised the players for their exceptional skill and dedication. “It’s just reward for those ladies because their ability and skill are unbelievable.”
Game Two of the Women’s State of Origin series is scheduled for June 6 in Newcastle, where the Sky Blues will aim to secure an unassailable series lead and reclaim the Origin shield from the Maroons.
