Rupert Murdoch says AFL is "the premium code in Australia" in swipe at NRL

Not rubbish, soccer claimed 50,000 registered players in 2009, Australian football claimed 145,000 CLUB REGISTERED players in 2014. But believe what you want and make up what you want.

"More people play football in Victoria than soccer.." RUBBISH

Well said Perry and AR and Floyd, here is a story about a footy club in the Northern Riverina, reflects the dwindling towns population but the meaning of the towns footy club. http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/story/3290494/mission-accomplished-as-ungarie-chase-flag/?cs=149

Thanks Perry. I wanted to point out those very same facts. I grew up in the Mallee. Clubs have been either merging or disbanding due to falling populations for decades. This sad reality has nothing whatsoever to do with any other code encroaching on Aussie Rules turf in that region.

This is why NRL have more Facebook followers http://www.afr.com/technology/social-media/facebook/nrl-use-facebooks-big-data-to-take-on-afl-20140921-jfll7

Did you see the last full NRL rights announcement. AFL was mentioned more than NRL

More people play football in Victoria than soccer as well alicesprings. but it doesn't fit Fuss's narrative.

For a long long time Fussball has been, for anyone who will listen, the self-appointed prophet of doom for all things relating to Australian Football: "the AFL is corrupt... the sport is dying...eggball can't compete with the true global game... the AFL is running scared...fans are switching off... crowds are shrinking... experts are predicting a massive drop in the next broadcast deal...smell the fear smell the fear smell the fear". And on it goes. Now, I'm not sure who is smelling what, but his feverish presence on the AFL tab over the past 2 days appears to be... revealing, to say the least.

Fussball IUL seems not to realise that the plummet in numbers in regional communities (such as the Mallee) is reflective of the reduction in population of rural communities. Many of these clubs were in small towns that effectively no longer exist - or, weren't even towns in the first place. The days of a town of 500-1000 having a shire depot, a couple of banks, a railway station, decent local service station, etc etc and mebbe an SEC/Telecom depot.....those days are gone. In many cases the clubs have hung on as long as possible. There was a great story the other day about the newly merged Beulah/Hopetoun Giants. It's not ideal. But it's not the decline of footy that this reflects.

And how is soccer going there? You're thick as a brick pal.

Don't get so defensive diddums.

Absolutely correct - Facebook is no gauge for real money paying supporters, when the latest faux celebrity can get astronomical numbers.

Maybe your right but I think rugby league needs to fit in more adds if it chooses to stay on FTA, however on pay TV that is not an issue. Guess it's a choice between the two. Unlike the UK where sky is reasonable and the value excellent as apposed to i Aus where it's (content) generally poor without sport and more expensive. The afl has chosen pay TV as their preferred platform, I just hope fans can afford to pay? The NRL have chosen wisely to show four games live in prime time to maximise its reach.

Parra that doesn't sound right, for starters the grand final is shown exclusively on FTA - I'd say most of the other finals games are simulcast, I doubt Seven would be showing no finals games.

SVB Why are you so worried about what happens overseas? Let them eat cake. This $2.5 billion deal is for the Australian Football League, in support of the game of Australian Football, played in Australia for the benefit of Australians. I don't understand why you are having trouble grasping this very simple fact. 99.9% of the $2.5 billion will be spent right here in Australia, re-invested back into Australian Football.

Depends where in the country you go, football clubs have been dying and living for 150 years in country Australia, depends where the work is, some rural communities suffer population decline as farms get bigger and kids move to the city, some country football clubs on the outskirts of cities grow as the city grow, some clubs in sea changer areas grow. Tassie with a tiny population growth sees football struggle in some areas. Football in general follows the work, no work no sport, no work club dies. The VAFA goes from strength to strength in Melbourne with around 12,000 amatuer players and record team and clubs. You really are a very sad individual fussball, it must have been a very hard day.

"Do you understand the difference?" I understand that the sport of Aussie Rules is dying in country Victoria - exactly what I've been trying to relate for some time.

Precisely, when a rural community loses its football club, it's felt deeply by the community, it's newsworthy. That's precisely the point. We're not talking about people playing sport (as you are doing). We are talking about real football clubs. Do you understand the difference?

@Ryan Buckland "Imagine what would have happened if they didn’t have live AFL to bolster their ratings?" It's a fair question. From what I've seen reported, the sport TV investment loses money for the FTA broadcasters. So, we'd assume the massive loss that Seven West reported today for the last financial year would be less without the AFL investment. And, let's be honest, sports TV ratings are insignificant compared to things like the News & reality TV. Heck Dog & Cat video bloopers even rates higher than weekly sporting shown on FTA TV. Additionally all these high rating (albeit mind-numbing) programs cost a pittance to produce compared to sport.

"but it’s the footy club which is the heartbeat of the community." In country Victoria, you may need a defibrillator to keep that heartbeat ticking along. 43 AFL clubs merge in the Mallee as numbers plummet http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/how-43-bush-footy-clubs-merged-to-make-mallee-superteam/story-fnpp4dl6-1227457043883 Meanwhile Football Federation Victoria registered a record number of players in 2015, largely boosted by Australia's Asian Cup success.