The Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) has become essential weekend viewing, reports Nielsen Sports SA.
Nielsen Sports SA data reveals the total unique audience for the URC season rose from 1.53 million in 2023/2024 to more than 2.4 million in 2024/2025. That marks a 57% year-on-year increase, driven by both higher live viewership and a growing number of secondary platform viewers.
This increase was sustained across the season. The average unique audience per live match jumped by 69%, from just over 1.2 million to more than two million viewers, highlighting consistent engagement rather than one-off peaks.
“The URC is a rapidly growing tradition in South African sports culture,” says Duncan Stead, commercial manager at Nielsen Sports SA.
National and regional pride on display
“The competition puts South Africa’s regional and national pride on display, all in one place. Combined with strategic scheduling and strong promotion across platforms, the URC has now entrenched itself as a staple in South African sports viewing, which makes it pure gold for participating sponsors and advertisers,” he says.
Stead added, “The numbers speak to the emotional investment of South African audiences, who continue to support teams that represent their regions, their histories and their ambitions. From the die-hard Capetonians behind the Stormers to the dedicated Bulls fans dominating Gauteng, there is no doubt that South Africa has taken ownership of URC.”
Bulls vs Sharks
The all-South African clash between the Bulls and the Sharks resonated across provinces, resulting in one of the highest recorded viewership figures for a URC match in the 2025 season. This fixture illustrated the commercial and cultural value of local rivalries, which continue to drive the league’s popularity within the country.
Beyond reach, overall consumption time also climbed significantly. The total number of minutes watched, combining live and secondary broadcasts, grew from 18.5 million to nearly 24.8 million – a 34% increase. Live consumption rose by 32%, while viewing on secondary platforms increased by 42%.
This reflected broader interest and a significant shift in how and when fans engage with the game across multiple formats.
The growth in secondary audience numbers, which rose from 103 178 to 128 272, reflects this shift and suggests opportunities for even broader audience development in the seasons ahead.
