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MELBOURNE, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- The second game of a Monday Night Football doubleheader drew so much viewership in Australia it had higher ratings than February's Super Bowl. About 116,000 people tuned to ESPN for the Monday night contest between the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings this week. That bests the 107,100 who watched the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX.
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But, the ratings don't equate to greater Australian interest in Monday's game than the Super Bowl. Rather, Australia native Jerryd Hayne is most likely responsible for the surge in viewership.
Hayne, a rookie running back for San Francisco, made his NFL debut Monday.
Perhaps making the numbers even more impressive, the game began in Australia just after noon local time Tuesday -- a time when many are at work.
Hayne is such a sensation down under, he made headlines when it was announced that the running back had been activated for Monday's game, CBS Sports reported.
The rugby-star-turned-football-player didn't have the greatest of debuts, though. He rushed a total of four times for a gain of 13 yards. He also caught a 7-yard pass and fumbled a punt return.
Fortunately for the 49ers, Hayne's mistake didn't cost them. San Francisco won the game 20-3.
