Telstra has revealed the NRL’s most streamed teams on Telstra Live Pass and the NRL Live official app, as the number of Telstra Live Pass subscribers surpasses the three million mark for the first time, currently at 3.2m and up 29% from the same time last year.
The Canberra Raiders, this season’s surprise packet, topped the charts as the most streamed team in the 2019 home-and-away season, with supporters logging an impressive 43.5 million minutes in the NRL Live official app and Telstra Live Pass.
Last year’s most streamed team, the Newcastle Knights, again posted a strong effort, settling for second place in 2019 with just shy of 43m minutes. New Zealand Warriors fell just short of second place with 42.95m minutes, while Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rounded out the top four with 41.7m minutes.
In total, 302 million minutes of NRL were streamed on Telstra Live Pass and the NRL Live official app across 2019 to the end of the regular season.
Telstra Product & Technology Media Executive Rebecca Haagsma said Telstra was proud to use its network and leading technology to enhance the way people watch and interact with sports in Australia.
“The growth in subscribers and minutes streamed shows there is strong demand from fans to be able to watch sport on the go, when they aren’t able to get to the game or watch it on TV,” Ms Haagsma said.
• Telstra’s Live Pass has surpassed 3 million subscribers for the first time, currently at 3.2m - up 29% on the same time last year.
• 778 million minutes across all sports have been streamed live to-date on Telstra Live Pass and the NRL Live official app in 2019.
• Streaming on the NRL Live official app and Telstra Live Pass recorded 2019’s biggest weekend in round 6 with over 15.2m million minutes streamed
• The biggest single streamed match on Telstra Live Pass and the NRL Live official app in 2019 was the 11-10 nail-biter between Manly-Warringah and Melbourne in round 19, with 3.46m minutes
• Perhaps unsurprisingly, New South Wales accounted for 46% of all devices streaming NRL matches on Telstra Live Pass and the NRL Live official app – the most by any state or territory
“Matches that are decided in the final minutes of a match typically generate the most minutes streamed, as fans keep a close eye on the score through the app’s match centre, and if its close will start to stream the crucial final minutes,” said Ms. Haagsma.
2019 has been Telstra’s biggest year yet as digital rights partner of the NRL, AFL, Netball Australia and the FFA, bringing nearly 850 games to our mobile customers and subscribers live, fast, and data-free.
Telstra has had a long association with professional sport in Australia and today is a key partner of the country’s leading codes, providing sponsorship, technology, and broadcast innovations that allow fans to stay connected, and get closer with news and insights at their fingertips.
Fans are also benefiting from the launch of Kayo (available to Telstra customers to purchase as an add-on to their monthly broadband or mobile service) which brings more than 50 sports to more devices than just mobile, including AFL, NRL, Cricket, Football, Rugby Union, Motorsports, Basketball, Tennis and much more live or on-demand. Telstra Plus Gold Members can enjoy three months free access on us (as well as one month for silver members – see telstra.com.au/plus).
In just its third year, the Canberra Raiders are the first team from outside NSW to claim the honour of being Telstra’s most streamed team, following Newcastle’s victory last year, and Manly Warringah’s in the inaugural year of the award.
Telstra Tracker top-performers revealed
Another key partnership with the NRL is the Telstra Tracker, giving fans an array of insights that reveal the NRL’s distance kings and speedsters and top distance teams.
“The ability to give fans an insight into the incredible work-rate of a modern NRL footballer really puts in perspective what it takes to compete at the highest level, and what amazing athletes they are,” said Kane Washington, Sport Principal, Media, Products and Technology at Telstra.
Melbourne Storm flyer Josh Addo-Carr recorded the highest speed by any player since tracking began – 38.5 km/h vs. the Cowboys in Round 5, while Manly’s Tom Trbojevic covered the most distance in any single match this year – 9.8 km vs. the Storm in Round 19. Penrith playmaker Nathan Cleary covered the most distance on average throughout the year – 8.7km (league average is 5.8 km per match).
Normal walking speed is just 5km/h on average, and a decent running speed for a normal person is around 24km/h.
