National Football League

Hayne helps ESPN to record Australian TV figures for NFL

Published Sep. 16, 2015 12:27 a.m. ET

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SYDNEY (AP) They're minuscule viewership numbers compared with the U.S., but Jarryd Hayne's NFL regular-season debut with the San Francisco 49ers drew a higher television audience in Australia than the Super Bowl.

Mumbrella, an Australian entertainment website, on Wednesday said Hayne's debut drew a television audience on ESPN of 116,000, topping the record mark of 107,100 for this year's Super Bowl.

ESPN is only available on pay television in Australia. The figures do not include those from a station which acquired the 49ers' free-to-air rights this season.

The ex-rugby league star's first touch of the ball was a fumble and turnover to the Minnesota Vikings. But he had four rushes for 13 yards with a 9-yard gain as his longest run, while also catching a 7-yard pass, in San Francisco's 20-3 win.

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