Crowds, Clicks and Championships

The provincial rugby season wrapped up recently with a thrilling Bunnings NPC final between Canterbury and Otago. Canterbury took home the trophy, but fans were the real winners all season long. From the buzz around the Ranfurly Shield to standout moments in the Farah Palmer Cup and fierce Heartland Championship battles, it was a season packed with highlights.

Over 30,000 new followers joined the Bunnings Provincial Rugby channels, smashing last year’s growth. Post reach rose by 8.6 percent to more than 40 million, and impressions climbed 27.5 percent to over 56 million. The Heartland Championship finals were a hit, with average views per post for the Lochore and Meads Cup finals more than doubling.

Broadcast figures mirrored this positive momentum. Sky NZ reported 1.34 million viewers tuned into the regular NPC season, up 9 percent from 2024. Including finals, total viewership hit 1.46 million, an 8 percent lift year-on-year. Hours watched rose 29 percent, showing fans were more engaged than ever. On Sky’s digital platforms, 524,000 viewers followed the season (up 6 percent), with viewing hours up 26 percent. The NPC final drew the biggest provincial match audience in eight years, and a packed Apollo Projects Stadium made Canterbury Rugby’s farewell even more special.

Attendance figures at NPC matches also climbed 9.5 percent compared to last year. We saw strong support for the women’s game, especially during double headers, and local communities turned out in big numbers across the country.

Looking ahead to 2026, we’re gearing up to celebrate two major milestones: 50 years of the National Provincial Championship and 20 years of the Heartland Championship. It’s a proud legacy of grassroots rugby, and we can’t wait to bring fans along for a season that honours the past and sets the stage for the future.