Cup fever big boost for media

Spectators watching Race 13 of the America's Cup. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Tantalisingly close America's Cup glory has proved a boon for broadcasters and media this week.

TVNZ reported viewership of the 5+ age group reaching the hundreds of thousands each race, growing daily as the Cup stayed just beyond Emirates' Team New Zealand's grasp.

Publicist Nicole Wood said audiences peaked at an average of 927,000 during race one on Monday. Race two grabbed 900,000 viewers. Monday had been touted as the day the Kiwi team - two wins short of victory - could bring the Cup home.

But Oracle spoiled the party, winning both races, and further Oracle success made viewing compulsory the rest of the week.

By Friday - with Emirates' Team New Zealand one win away from glory - an average audience of 832,000 tuned to race one.

Figures were not yet available for yesterday.

Online viewership has also been running hot - since the final began on September 8 racing had been streamed more than a million times, Wood said.

Herald head of news Cathy O'Sullivan said 31 per cent of NZ Herald's total online audience has viewed America's Cup content since September 8. "Readers have spent most time on the live updates on the races," she said. "America's Cup stories, video and photos on nzherald.co.nz have been widely shared on social media and the event remains one of the most talked about topics on the nzherald.co.nz Facebook page."