Newcastle United are the reason behind the viewing figures of Championship games rising by 10%, according to the Chronicle.

The Magpies dropped into the second tier last season, but the team are on course to return to the Premier League with Rafael Benitez as the club currently sit at the top of the table, nine points clear of the playoffs.

The Chronicle claims that eight of the top 10 most watched Championship games on Sky this season have involved Newcastle.

In fact, the second-largest TV audience raked in for a league game in the division was the Magpies' 2-1 victory over fellow promotion chasers Brighton, with 705,000 tuning in.

In comparison, the Premier League fixture between Manchester City and Stoke City the following day attracted 493,000 TV viewers.

Newcastle's matches against Brighton and fourth-placed Leeds United had more viewers than last season's Championship showpiece - the playoff final.

The Chronicle predicts that the Good Friday contest between Newcastle and Leeds at St James' Park could rake in 1 million viewers, which would be a first for Sky.

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