The 2026 Hilux NPC regular season has concluded with significant growth in several key metrics, including a 57 per cent rise in match attendance and a 103 per cent increase in views across the competition's social media channels.
The 2026 Hilux NPC regular season concluded with notable commercial growth, recording a 57 percent increase in match attendance and a 103 percent surge in social media video views. Total attendance exceeded 300,000 spectators across the regular season, bolstered by the opening of Canterbury's Te Kaha stadium. Broadcast metrics also saw strong engagement, reaching nearly two million viewers on Sky Sport and TVNZ alongside 4.35 million digital streams.
On the field, teams produced a historic average of 61.6 points per game across the 10-week regular season. Tasman winger Kyren Taumoefolau set a new single-season competition record with 18 tries, while Otago paced team scoring with 386 total points. Playoff action begins this week with the quarter-finals, where Northland hosts Tasman, North Harbour plays Taranaki, Otago faces Hawke's Bay, and Canterbury meets Waikato.
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