Sky TV reveal 750,000 New Zealanders watched Super Rugby Aotearoa and Warriors games last weekend

The return of sport has captured the country's attention according to viewing figures released by Sky TV from last weekend.

A combined 750,000 New Zealanders watched the first two games of Super Rugby Aotearoa and the Warriors' NRL clash against the Cowboys on Friday night, reports Stuff.

The figures are based on viewers from Sky, Sky Sport Now, Sky Go and free-to-air Prime, but doesn't include fans who watched the games in public venues like clubs or pubs.

Sky Sport's The Breakdown reported that the Super Rugby viewing figures was a whopping 92 per cent increase on average audiences.

Sky also said social media engagement received a huge boost with 6.3 million views across Sky Sport's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

While those figures were undoubtedly inflated due to the Covid-enforced worldwide sporting shutdown, it is good news for both Sky and New Zealand Rugby, who hold a five per cent stake in the TV company thanks to last year's extension of its broadcast agreement.

Blues fans at Eden Park. Photo / Photosport

On top of the high TV viewership, 63,000 Kiwis crammed into Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin and Eden Park in Auckland to watch the Highlanders v Chiefs and Blues v Hurricanes respectively.

It represented a 145 per cent increase in average crowd attendance according to Sky's The Breakdown.

Sky also reported an increase in subscribers ahead of the return of several sporting leagues, particularly on its streaming service Sky Sport Now.