It can be amusing to some when most public and media attention is given to matches between Melbourne AFL clubs, even when they are apparently struggling.
I refer to the extensive interest in the Round 2 clash between Carlton and Collingwood, two beaten teams in the first round that many have been written off early, when compared to perceived less interest in the Geelong versus Brisbane and Western Bulldogs versus West Coast matches.
But, given AFL still has a strong element of tribalism given that most supporters will reside in the suburbs of their city clubs, it is only logical that the Melbourne clubs will long generate the most interest nationally (in aggregate terms).
With Melbourne’s large population still having ten clubs (when including Geelong), the many historical rivalries with their large fan-base will still generate extensive interest in local derbies, regardless of their ladder position.
While Adelaide and West Coast are among the six most-popular clubs in terms of average home ground attendances (data from 2019), home-and-away matches in Victoria attract an average aggregate attendance of 180,000 for its five matches each week compared to Perth (47,000), Adelaide (39,000), Sydney (21,500), and Queensland (18,000).
When we look at television ratings for home-and-away matches from last year, in a season where crowds were adversely affected by the coronavirus, the most popular teams on free-to-air (national metropolitan market) were Richmond, followed by Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon and Geelong.
On Foxtel, not including streaming numbers, Collingwood was the most-watched AFL team nationally (234,000 per game) followed by Richmond, Geelong, Carlton and Hawthorn.
(Photo by Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
Of the Channel Seven numbers, the average audience in Melbourne for free-to-air was 303,000, with Richmond averaging 379,000 and Collingwood 373,000 – with their Round 2 clash the highest rating match with 668,000 viewers.
In Perth, all AFL matches averaged 92,000, with West Coast attracting 143,000 and Fremantle 108,000.
In Adelaide, an average 80,000 viewed AFL games with Port Adelaide attracting 101,000 and the Crows 86,000.
In Brisbane, the average viewership was 36,000 with the Lions averaging 55,000 and the Gold Coast Suns 30,000 – the lowest rating of any team.
In Sydney, the average was just 29,000 viewers, with the Swans averaging 39,000 per game and Greater Western Sydney (GWS) 34,000.
While Sydney and GWS may attract reasonable crowds by NRL standards, their AFL television ratings are dwarfed by NRL Sydney television ratings, which average 184,000.
We see the popularity of Melbourne clubs already in 2021 through Round 1 data for Channel Seven showing that Richmond-Carlton attracted 885,000 viewers nationally (426,000 in Melbourne alone) with the national audience for Collingwood and Western Bulldogs 780,000.
Nevertheless, Foxtel data shows that matches between Melbourne and interstate teams can still generate a large audience. While Richmond versus Carlton attracted 365,000 viewers, the second-highest audience on Foxtel for Round 1 was Adelaide-Geelong at 335,000.
However, in a sport that still demands local interest due to city tribalism, it will long be the Melbourne clubs (and Geelong) which dominate the public interest for much of the season, given that most of the AFL audience resides in Melbourne and the early season tends to highlight the local rivalries between the big Melbourne clubs with their huge fan-base.
I am sure Essendon and Collingwood will still attract a large crowd and television audience on Anzac Day, regardless of where they stand on the AFL ladder, but we shall see.
Bangkokpussey
Roar Rookie
In Queensland we are subject to mostly games of GCS and Brisbane on F.T.A, with other teams requiring pay TV. Many AFL followers in QLD are Ex Victorians who will never change teams. It can be an AFL desert if you dont follow the QLD teams and dont have pay TV, especially when the two were poor performers. Still I can thank the AFL for introducing me to the NRL which plays a wider variety of teams on FTA in QLD. Thanks to their policy I now watch much less AFL and much more NRL. My sons who should be another generation of AFL supporters, now follow the NRL. You can lead a horse to water but you cant make it pay.
Bangkokpussey
Roar Rookie
The anti AFL/Vic undercurrent is not growing, it was always there as long as I can remember. I recall years ago, as a twelve year old on a school trip to Tasmania. On learning we were on a school trip from Victoria a Tasmanian in a gift shop remarked, "Bloody main landers you take all our best players". I lived in Perth for a football season pre AFL and heard many similar comments. Being Victorian was even worse than being an "Easterner". lol In S.A. I heard similar comments. Water off a ducks back to a Vic, slings and arrows and all that. Some just banter of course, but some with a little more angst :stoked:
Micko
Roar Rookie
True. Looks like GWS has more fans in Canberra than GWS judging by the crowd. :stoked:
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Not a good game either. Oliver and Gawn need to be banned from forward 50.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Annnnd guess where GWS are playing today! :silly:
Micko
Roar Rookie
Yep, Tassie should've got in ahead of GWS & GC. NM should've taken the money to move to GC. Now GWS plays a fair few games in Canberra...so what was the point?
Angela
Roar Rookie
V’landys would be thrilled to see the back end of a NSW and a Q’sland AFL team. Like many who follow AFL and are fortunate enough not to live in the gulag, I find the Victorian/Melbourne domination of what is supposed to be a national competition an ongoing irritation particularly in relation to the MCG GF arrangements (as someone else has noted). An excellent result for me in any match is a non-Vic team win – childish I admit, nevertheless not an uncommon sentiment for us outliers. The Vic AFL crowd seem to be blissfully unaware of the growing anti-AFL Vic undercurrent in the rest of Oz, Tasmania aside perhaps. Self-awareness in short supply in the gulag methinks.
Bangkokpussey
Roar Rookie
I wonder how many current players in Melbourne lived and grew up in their AFL teams suburban area. I would imagine very few if any. The suburban connection to most teams is long gone.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
I didn’t say get rid off just trim one per northern state. Then add one in Tassie. Seems more equitable and national than the current teams.
Lukey Miller
Guest
Getting rid of a NSW and Queensland team would make sure that the AFL loses heaps on their broadcast deals. One of the main reasons the deal is over a billion dollars is that it is a national competition and not the VFL any more. The fact that the whole thing is dominated by Victoria is unhealthy, but it is just what it is.
Timbo's rules
Guest
I reckon those numbers will be skewed in the interstate club's favour. St Kilda, and occasionaly doggies, are the only Victorians sides playing attractive footy. The rest have turned the game into a strangle fest. The interstate clubs, Brisbane, Port, West Coast, and occassionaly GWS are the ones playing attractive footy. Viewers won't tune in if the game is boring. Let's hope the new rules get rid of that boring rubbish and bring back the fun, and the viewers.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
Thanks for all comments. There are always holes in most arguments, as some point out with mine. However, while it is true that Melbourne has a lot of stand alone games, say Thursday night, Friday night, public holidays, it is also true that Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Qld have a stand alone match every week of the season.
Johnno
Roar Rookie
Agree. Always remember Jimmy Bartel saying he never had the privilege to play an ANZAC Day game........Privilege.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
I agree. I have always thought it was unfair Collingwood and Essendon had a monopoly on day in Melbourne.
Gary
Roar Rookie
Chris, if you compare attendance, particularly, and viewing figures for the 'return' match later in the season between Coll and Ess there is quite the difference... and massive when one or both teams are struggling. The ANZAC DAY game is often a stand-alone marquee game that is hyped more than any marquee game in the AFL season... as much as the actual GF. It is so commercialised, that one could be forgiven for thinking the day is all about Collingwood and Essendon, and it happens to fall on ANZAC day. The AFL should look at having the 2 highest finishing Vic teams from the previous season earn the right to play this highly prized fixture at the MCG.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Problem with Thursday, too late for Eastern States on a school/ work night. Saturday, Sunday twilight make sense.
Gary
Roar Rookie
It is bad during AEDST, as games start around 4.30pm and finish around 7pm AWST. During the hot and AEDST part of the year, the AFL should consider player welfare and have some double headers on a Fri/Sat night with the late game in Perth. The last couple of seasons has seen WA teams play at the hottest part of the day every Sunday afternoon in Perth... no prizes for guessing which teams don't travel for this fixture. But, this does not address nationwide fta fixturing. Unfortunately supporters of non-vic clubs will receive little to no empathy from privileged supporters of the big vic clubs... why would they want equality if it does not benefit them?
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Some good points there, KtK, & I know it’s purely hypothetical now, but imagine if Collingwood had got up against GWS in the 2019 Prelim? Thus giving us a Pies/Tigers Grand Final. Would’ve been an absolute ratings bonanza. p.s. This figure of 1.05 million Swans supporters I find a bit dubious, 16 straight years or not. p.s.
Mooty
Roar Rookie
I live in Hobart Joe and support Hawthorn. Right through their premiership years they were rarely on fta during the season, nothing much has changed so not all Vic teams hog the tv
Macca
Roar Rookie
Yep but your whole state has less than half the public of Melbourne alone.