The start of the AFL season meant the Easter long weekend was fully booked, with Super Rugby and the NRL having started a few weeks earlier, and the A-League approaching an exciting climax to its season.
On top of that, the Socceroos ushered in the long weekend with an important World Cup qualifier against Tajikistan last Thursday night.
TV ratings and attendances are always an interesting discussion point among sporting enthusiasts on The Roar, so I thought I would provide a bit of a wrap-up for the Easter long weekend, starting last Thursday, going through to Easter Monday.
The article is split into three sections:
– Top 15 Fox Sports TV ratings
– Top ten free-to-air ratings (combining multi-channels where appropriate)
– Top 15 attendances
The NRL had the two top-rating games on Fox Sports, while the AFL had the two top-rating games on FTA.
The opening game of the AFL season, Richmond versus Carlton, had the highest combined ratings (of the games simulcast on Fox and FTA), and it also had the highest attendance.
Given it was the opening round of the season, the AFL had a few big games filling the top three attendance spots, but the NRL had the next three spots, with some excellent attendance figures.
Top 15 Fox Sports TV ratings
1. Cronulla versus Melbourne (NRL): 318,000
2. Wests versus Parramatta (NRL): 307,000
3. Geelong versus Hawthorn (AFL): 293,000
4. Richmond versus Carlton (AFL): 287,000
5. Roosters versus Manly (NRL): 275,000
6. Melbourne versus Greater Western Sydney (AFL): 248,000
7. Souths versus Canterbury (NRL): 242,000
8. Canberra versus Gold Coast (NRL): 230,000
9. Brisbane versus North Queensland(NRL): 229,000
10. Gold Coast versus Essendon (AFL): 222,000
11. Port Adelaide versus St Kilda (AFL): 219,000
12. Bulldogs versus Fremantle (AFL): 209,000
13. West Coast versus Brisbane (AFL): 198,000
14. Sydney versus Collingwood (AFL): 182,000
15. St George versus Penrith (NRL): 175,000
Top ten FTA ratings (five city metro)
1. Richmond versus Carlton (AFL): 604,000
2. Geelong versus Hawthorn (AFL): 580,000
3. Brisbane versus North Queensland(NRL): 557,000
4. Sydney versus Collingwood (AFL): 403,000
5. Souths versus Canterbury (NRL): 378,000
6. Adelaide versus St Kilda (AFL): 300,000
7. St George versus Penrith (NRL): 249,000
8. Australia versus Tajikistan (WCQ): 193,000
9. West Coast versus Brisbane (AFL): 137,000
10. North Melbourne versus Adelaide (AFL): 136,000
Top 15 attendances
1. Richmond versus Carlton (AFL): 75,706
2. Geelong versus Hawthorn (AFL): 74,218
3. Port Adelaide versus St Kilda (AFL): 43,807
4. Brisbane versus North Queensland(NRL): 46,167
5. Souths versus Canterbury (NRL): 38,192
6. Wests versus Parramatta (NRL): 36,112
7. Australia versus Tajikistan (WCQ): 35,439
8. West Coast versus Brisbane (AFL): 35,201
9. Sydney versus Collingwood (AFL): 33,857
10. Melbourne versus GWS (AFL): 28,505
11. Bulldogs versus Fremantle (AFL): 27,832
12. North Melbourne versus Adelaide (AFL): 25,485
13. Victory versus Western Sydney Wanderers (A-League): 20,097
14. Reds versus Waratahs (SR): 17,247
15. Gold Coast versus Essendon (AFL): 16,239
Bondy
Guest
I guess you have to do something when you dont represent Australia .
Agent11
Guest
TV ratings for NRL are up 16% on this time last year apparently. I am a bit skeptical of how they are counting these simulcast games, for both codes.
mds1970
Roar Guru
Interesting that on Easter Saturday the highest-rating AFL game was Melbourne v GWS Giants; despite being two teams with a smaller following playing in the early timeslot. Overall more people were watching AFL than any other code in the 7pm-10pm timeslot, but that audience was split between the Swans v Collingwood and North v Adelaide games. With nine games per round, and each game lasting an hour longer than the other codes, some concurrent scheduling is inevitable. But in terms of ratings it does split the audience - compared to the NRL & A-League, where two games are never played at the same time.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Attendances for Thurs and Fri night: AFL - Official attendance at the MCG tonight: 72,671. #AFLPiesTigers NRL - Fri Crowd: 21,080 at Cbus Super Stadium #TitanBroncos NRL - Thu Crowd: 9,603 at Brookvale Oval HAL - 14,855 at Pirtek Stadium #WSWvCCM
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Ratings for Friday night (last night): Fri TV #NRL metro #NRLTitansBroncos 424k Nine 398k (Syd 178k Bri 220k) Gem 26k (Mel 12k Ade 5k Per 8k) pic.twitter.com/YgqrGrBNvF Fri TV #AFL metro #AFLPiesTigers 708k Seven 553 (Mel 447k Ade 106k) 7mate 155k (Syd 34k Bri 45k Per 75k) pic.twitter.com/KXmM1a2ACh Fri STV #NRL #FoxSports #NRLTitansBroncos 210k pic.twitter.com/idGczE1RcO Fri STV #AFL #FoxFooty #AFLPiesTigers 291k pic.twitter.com/P4tTNmQ1PJ So not counting regional ratings, the total ratings are: AFL - 999k; and NRL - 634k. The A-League numbers are pretty dire: Fri STV #ALeague #FoxSports #WSWvCCM 42k Fri TV #ALeague #SBS2 #WSWvCCM 33k (Syd 22k Mel 6k Bri 1k Ade 3k Per 2k) Total A-League ratings: 75k (that' counting both FTA and Fox).
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Epiquin Thanks for the feedback. As clipper says, regional data is far too difficult to assemble (I provide what I provide because it's relatively easy to access). We are slowly, slowly starting to get digital data, but not the granularity that would allow us to report on individual games. However, monthly data is now available at the whole of competition level, and that might make an interesting article in its own right.
clipper
Guest
Combined TV figures would be good, don't think you can get mobile / streaming information easily. Regional figures are a can of worms, as many overlap and many are hard to get.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Glad to see you are finally including FTA as well as STV. This is a great improvement. I do have some constructive feedback though: -Show regional figures -Show combined TV figures -Can you show views on mobile devices and streaming, like through digital pass (legitimate question - I'm not sure if you can get these figures).
marcel
Guest
Seriously MF...you need to get out a little more.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
KD That is the original Mr Football. He is European only in the sense that his ancestors would have come from the British Isles.
kevin dustby
Guest
is that a European footballer in your picture Mr Football? What is your favourite league to watch? Personally i love the Budesliga
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Pat I don't think I'll do it monthly. But the Easter long weekend seemed like a pretty big long weekend of sport, so I thought I'd do such a wrap up. Not to mention, there are a few things worth noting: - the NRL's new TV arrangements are in place (simulcasting of games) - the NRL had three very big crowds in the one round - would be very close to a record.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Thanks catcat.
anon
Guest
A-League is certainly struggling.
clipper
Guest
Be interesting to see the total viewing figures of each code (FTA plus Pay) and total attendances.
parra
Guest
Attendances would increase for league if all regional people could attend games. The teams are spread out more than in the southern states. The southern states travel less and or have better transport (except SA). I would like to see included FTA rating for all of the country including City and regional areas to get a better comparison. League desperately needs teams in Perth and SA to add additional viewers. Given the sport is mainly played in QLD/NSW to get roughly the same viewers as AFL who are national is an achievement and I think reminds us all of the potential this game has.
MAX
Guest
6.2
Pat Malone
Guest
Welcome to our monthly appendage measurement contest for 2016
MAX
Guest
Who is Mr Football and why does he bother to put these figures on the League section of the ROAR? My Melbourne relatives tell me that Rules ain't what it used to be for enjoyment. Probably nowhere else to go or nothing better to do. League on the other hand has entered a golden era.
Mals
Guest
For the love of God man what about the regionals! C'mon we all know NRL rates the house down in regional NSW & QLD :-)