The Sydney Swans’ dramatic defeat of Hawthorn in Saturday’s decider has helped the AFL to an impressive national television ratings win over the NRL’s Sunday grand final between the Storm and the Bulldogs.
The ratings for the AFL grand final on Seven were the biggest since 2005. The 2012 edition racked up 3.196 million viewers in the five metro markets, according to OzTam.
This included an audience of 1.406 million in Melbourne, 313,000 in Brisbane, 338,000 in Adelaide, 399,000 in Perth and 740,000 in Sydney, obviously helped by the presence of the Swans.
This figure was a big boost from 2011’s ratings and was the third most watched metropolitan TV program this year. It also beat the 2012 State of Origin figures.
For a code focused on expansion in NSW and Queensland, this will be a heart-warming result. It also points to the strength of the Swans as a crowd-puller.
For the NRL, it is a slightly disappointing outcome. The Melbourne Storm’s biting-affected defeat of the Canterbury Bulldogs on Nine managed a five metro figure of 2.424 million. This included 957,000 in Sydney, 751,000 in Melbourne and 564,000 in Brisbane but just 51,000 in Adelaide and 46,000 in Perth.
While encouragingly this was an improvement on 2011’s grand final figure, it is well below the AFL’s national result.
It shows the NRL has some work to do to spread the game outside of NSW and Queensland. Expansion into the WA market, and perhaps another Queensland team, should definitely be a priority, I believe.
It could also mean a change in the time of the kick-off of the rugby league showpiece and a decision to actually sign some credible musicians as the pre-match entertainment, not some contracted Nine talent.
However, there was some good news for the NRL – its regional audience was higher than the AFL’s.
Of course, the TV networks cut their broadcast coverages into several different programs to inflate the figures. Seven’s AFL coverage was broken down into five segments and Nine’s NRL into three.
In my opinion, the introduction of the AFL Media Unit, the re-establishment of the Fox Footy channel and the new broadcast rights deal that has every AFL game shown on TV live, has boosted the sport’s appeal.
Interestingly, the NRL grand final was watched by more people in Melbourne than the AFL grand final in Sydney. Is this down to the strength of the Melbourne Storm’s following and rugby league in general in Victoria? Or the belief of some that Melbournians are more passionate sports fans?
More food for thought.
Leo
Guest
Thanks for worrying MAJB and yes NZ has the best talents in their rugby union schools and its big enough to cater for anything the NRL, AFL and Europe has to offer. Every year thousands of boys are born in NZ and in the Pacific islands that will keep NZ rugby where it has been for over 100 years.
wisey_9
Roar Guru
Gerard Whateley (who seems to have his finger on the pulse) is resigned to the fact that next year's GF will be a twilight game...
Leo
Guest
What happen to the two of the most population states out of three in Australia leaguies like to spin when it comes to tv ratings?
MAJB
Guest
Leo, I know we have clashed in the past, although we are both Rugby fans but I am worried about the way AFL and NRL will now target young New Zealanders, so I don’t think this guys comments are that wayward. Look at the number of New Zealanders playing Rugby and League, in Australia and in Europe. The country produces very good footballers, don’t think that hasn’t not been noticed by the Victorians.
Zac
Guest
http://www.nrl.com/3.8-million-tune-into-grand-final-nationally/tabid/10874/newsid/70146/default.aspx According to nrl.com you have the figures VERY wrong !! With 3.8 million in Australia alone
Michael
Guest
Clutching at straws there CC. 5:30 on a Sunday is a hell of a lot more prime-time then 2:30pm on a Saturday, and yet the AFL still won. Oh and you're point about more people watching the NRL in Melbourne then the AFL is Sydney whilst true doesn't show the whole picture. Let's look at it this way: 1.4m watched the AFL in Melbourne, about half that watched the NRL. 950 000 watched the NRL in Sydney, only 200 000 less watched the AFL. The difference between The NRL and AFL in Brisbane was also not that much, whilst the difference between the AFL and NRL in Adelaide and Perth was massive. You can try to spin it anyway you like, but after continually being told that Rugby League is a 'TV sport' and having a much higher rating TV slot the NRL still came in second. It is a fantastic sport and a successful competition but do you not try and argue that it is anywhere near the AFL.
Nathan of Perth
Roar Rookie
"but just 51,000 in Adelaide and 46,000 in Perth." Wait, what? How did Adelaide get higher ratings.... Well, I was watching :P
clipper
Guest
Ratings undoubtedly would've been higher in QLD if the Broncos were playing, but just as undoubtedly, ratings would've been lower in Sydney had it been a Broncos / Melbourne final, so there would've been no discernable ratings difference. The argument that Sydneysiders went away for the weekend surely applies to the AFL final as well, so cancels each other out. There has not been such an even match up to fully test the popularity of each code nation wide. A powerful Sydney NRL team (top attendance in NRL in Sydney) vs Melbourne NRL side A powerful Melbourne AFL team vs Sydney AFL side The victor was clearly the AFL in this level playing field.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
It is also worth noting. 7.30pm is prime time on a Sunday,5.15pm is not.That is why ch9 have the new timeslot for the next 5 years to maximise Tv ratings. OK another side to the spin:- 3 SOO games with record ratings,G.F with ratings near to the AFL,the bulk of Foxsports highest tv ratings were NRLrelated.Tv ratings for Melbourne for the NRL G.F were higher than the Tvratings for the Swans in Sydney,the latter with a bigger population. Oh and the code secureda a $1bn,a figure laughed at by the usual suspects,who either have ducked for cover or deflected from their previous predictions. All this with team representation in only 3 states.Just to make the figures more impressive.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Of course all little Einsteins ,just ask Vlad.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
When I provide facts ,its protesting,when you provide facts AR , its just the facts. Debates are about differing viewpoints,you are having difficulty with that.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Neither do I ,it's called rugby league,and there are many Pacific islanders currently playing in the NRL the fully pro comp here.And have been for quite a long time,ever since Noa Nadruku played for the Raiders. Yet players either from the PI ,PI born and playing in the NRL or having parents from there will be playing in a RLWC in 2013 representing these countries,without having to change the rules to make it international. FWIW http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=201711 http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=188978
Leo
Guest
Hamilton pays high price for Warriors match 29 March 2006 By GIFFORD LEE The Hamilton City Council is set to lose more than $50,000 for the second year running on the Parramatta Eels against New Zealand Warriors rugby league match. Poor crowd numbers are to blame for the deficit – and it has been revealed the attendance figure announced at the stadium was inflated. It appeared the March 18 match would go close to covering costs when the ground announcer said at half-time the "official" gate was 16,089 people. The new "official" number is about 12,500. Stadium events manager Mark Christie said it was a "simple case of human error" and not an intentional oversight. Ticket company Ticket Master gave its estimate at half-time after considering pre-sales and the walk-up crowd, and officials broadcast that number. The council, which underwrites the stadium, lost $61,000 on last year's encounter between the Warriors and the Eels when almost 17,000 people turned up. Despite stadium officials attempting to cut costs this year – "we didn't bring the (Eels) cheerleaders over this time" – the council should expect to wear a similar figure in 2006. Hamilton Mayor Michael Redman said there was a tentative three-year arrangement with the Eels to use Hamilton as their home away from Sydney and he would sit down with "the interested parties" after 2007 to determine the future of the deal. He said there was an appeal to having the match played in Hamilton for the city's profile and it satisfied the council's aim of using Waikato Stadium for more than just rugby union. The Eels won't be out of pocket as they are promised a fixed appearance fee. The match on Thursday will be the Warriors' first of 2009, and their fourth game in Hamilton since 2004. The last time the Warriors took the central sporting stage in the city, in an NRL match against the Parramatta Eels in 2006, low crowd numbers cost the city more than $144,000. In 2005, an NRL game against the Eels cost the council a further $61,000.
MyGeneration
Roar Guru
You finally got something right.
Patrick
Guest
it's a 100 year plan!! duh!
Emric
Guest
Boomshanka. There are none as the NRL is clever enough to target areas of the country which have a good chance of a decent crowd. The NRL games played in remote NZ areas have all made money the problem is there are not enough of them. Your around about the Warriors they are far far to Auckland centric to be considered NZ Warriors they are the Auckland Warriors still
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Hmm AR.Perhaps you should check my posting a little closer.I was more than happy with the NRL ratings full stop,considering the teams invloved.I also noted both codes did well in the Tv ratings. I simply noted how ratings can be affected by the teams involved.It is an obvious point,which you completely missed. Hardly the need for a lecture. And whilst I have your undivided attention,you made an observation on another thread about lack of back up eduaction for rl players.My following post spells it out .Sometimes it pays to look beyond the preconceived square.
Boomshanka
Guest
And if we hadn't have applied pressure and shame onto Channel 9, a Million people would have missed out. I'm glad Channel 9 came to their senses and actually scheduled in the Post match celebrations into Melbourne. And to think they were actually defending their proposed cross to the news earlier in the week because "nobody is interested in this city".
Emric
Guest
I always thought the footyshow was NRL in NZ but its the only rating figure I could find which might have been attributed to the AFL..
Boomshanka
Guest
Emric said "All" not "Many". Only the media would have you believe that all Victorian's, when they move here select and barrack for the AFL. FYI: The NRL has been played in recent times in Rotorua, Taupo and Christchurch (as well as a chairty game in Greymouth) thanks to Australian based teams choosing to promote the game in NZ (curiously and a little worryingly, the Warriors will not chose to play outside Auckland). All these games were well attended and not subsided by the locals. Can you provide a reference to such a loss making event requiring a bailout by the council of an NRL event as you purport?