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The 2015 Asian Cup was a fantastic success for Australian football, in terms of the Socceroos and tournament crowds, but has failed to hit huge heights in local TV ratings.
Three hundred and thirty-one thousand people tuned in to watch the live final, Australia against South Korea, on Fox Sports and 1.352 million, Brisbane excluded, watched on the ABC. On the same evening 972,000 watched the Australian Open women’s final on Seven.
The numbers for the Asian Cup final provided a strong result, but it wasn’t repeated across the whole competition. For the semi-final, the Socceroos against UAE, Fox Sports received 266,000 and the ABC 730,000. However, this game was up against Nick Kyrgios’ tennis match against Andy Murray, which won the day on free-to-air TV with 1.78 million across the five capital cities.
Australia’s quarter-final, against China in Brisbane, was watched by 218,000 on Fox Sports and the replay two hours later – it wasn’t live – on the ABC garnered 602,000 people. The audience for the other quarters was small on Fox Sports with 55,000 for Korea Replubic versus Uzbekistan, 67,000 for Iran versus Iraq and 107,000 for UAE versus Japan.
The lack of live free-to-air TV coverage of the Socceroos’ other games was an issue, with the Kuwait game getting 186,000 on Fox and the ABC replay 344,000. The Oman game got 246,000 and 384,000, respectively, and the Korea game 187,000 and 350,000.
Fox Sports did a great job in broadcasting the Asian Cup but its reach is limited, as only about 30 per cent of Australian householders have pay TV. The ABC, which surprisingly bid against SBS and won the rights, was mostly restricted to games on delay and a highlights package.
It is a problem for football that Socceroos matches, especially important tournament matches like the Asian Cup, are restricted to pay TV only. Australia’s triumph on Saturday needed to be seen by as many people as possible. That game could have converted many a new fan.
According to the analysis by media agency Fusion Strategy and Essence Media, the figures for the final was a “solid result” but those for other matches were “surprisingly weak”.
“It is pretty clear from these figures Australians were not early believers our 2015 team could score and win a place in the final,” their analysis on the group matches reads.
There is no doubting that there was a lot of trepidation about the Socceroos’ chances of winning the Asian Cup before the tournament started, because of the results leading up to it. Ange Postecoglou and his men had won two games in 14 months. But in January the team proved those critics very wrong.
Those who attended games or watched on TV were treated to an engrossing spectacle. We didn’t have a draw in 90 minutes until the quarter-final stage, as the goals kept rolling in. There was colour, noise and vibrancy in the stands. We had an Australian team playing an entertaining, attacking style.
Games like UAE versus Japan, Iran versus Iraq and South Korea versus Uzbekistan, including the final, will live long in the memory along with many others.
On many indicators the Asian Cup punched above its weight, particularly on the field. But in terms of its TV reach, it was a case of can do better.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
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