We need to talk about the ratings.
The A-League Men relies on TV money but no one is watching. Will Paramount and Channel 10 pull the plug?
The opening match of the season, the Big Blue between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory, drew a healthy audience of 90,000 across the five-city metro market, but by Round 2, the weekly fixture on 10 Bold was pulling just 54,000 — a drop of 40-something per cent, according to ratings service OzTAM. Then we go to Round 3 and only 23,000 watched the Melbourne Derby.
Since then all of the games on Network 10 have not rated at all and to top it off, no Sunday games have made the media ratings threshold as yet.
Meanwhile on 7mate, the WBBL clash between Brisbane and Perth had 82,000 watching this Saturday and the ALM had no showing.
Besides Adelaide and Brisbane Roar, the rest of the clubs rate well on free-to-air TV from old numbers, so should the APL push poor viewing teams out to try and win the audience back? It’s something the old FFA did with its first FTA dealings in not having any Wellington games on SBS.
I’m kind of lost for thought on why no one is watching the A league Men, other than it’s not entertaining enough for the general public.
We could blame the big clubs for not playing an attractive style of football – looking at you, Victory and WSW – but the finger-pointing would not stop there. VAR screwing teams over and holding up play and the scheduling don’t help, and some more big name players across the league would pique a little more interest.
So, how do 10 and Paramount feel about these dire ratings? Surely they would have to be crunching numbers knowing they purchased a lemon. Ten has so far dumped the ALM onto its second channel after just one season. Okay, they added a second game on a Sunday to grow its audience base but it’s not bringing in the viewers.
Ten are in their second year of the $300 million contract, however I can’t see them sticking with it. I give them one year tops to pulling the plug if ratings don’t show any improvements.
Even crowd-wise the game is in dire need of improving, but that’s another story.
Grem
Roar Rookie
You’re talking to the wrong people here - as if we don’t.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Roberto hates the AFL, what are you talking about chris???
Micko
Roar Rookie
Wellington Phoenix could only get 7,000 odd people for their home match, and this is the first time in three years they can be permanently based in NZ!
Micko
Roar Rookie
One of the major issues is it's a summer league...in Australia! :shocked: :thumbdown:
Micko
Roar Rookie
Melbourne had crappy weather, so not surprised the Cup day crowd was well down.
Micko
Roar Rookie
That's the same everywhere. It's called "when in Rome". :thumbup:
Working Class Rugger
Guest
Of all the issues facing the A-League whether it has Men's or Women's would have to be way down the list if on it at all. The biggest issue facing the A-League is quality. Or at least the perception of the lack thereof. Which is a far more influential determiner of whether someone will tune in as opposed to a naming convention. Want to know why the NRL and AFL are so popular? It's because they are the best quality competitions featuring the best quality players in either code. It doesn't matter that they are pretty much the only leagues in those sports (League has the English Super League but the point still stands) it's the perception and in their cases the reality that when watching those competitions you're watching the best possible proponents of those sports. Now list the best Soccer/Football Leagues in the world. Where does the A-League sit? People may disagree. But what is for sure is if 'wokeness' (which is trotted out these days by many a let's call them 'entrenched personalities' to counter societal progress) in a very minor naming convention is enough for people to tune out then the A-League might as well cease to exist.
The Ball Bobbled
Roar Rookie
It's a good product for what it is. Most people go with the flow. People of any age migrating to Victoria are left out of the conversation if they dont talk AFL. Much the same with NRL in NSW & Qld.
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
Does that Mean Archie Thompson doesn't hold the record for most goals anymore? He must be devastated.
Ac
Guest
The numbers are right. Its the same with the Sydney Swans - they will get 30,000 at the game and same on TV. Level of interest isnt that great. How do you get it better - grow your game - support it.
ac
Guest
This Comment sums it up well i think. Its brutal but honest in its appraisal of what is happening with Football.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I think I’ll try and apply for one now!
mwm
Guest
People arent watching it for a variety of reasons. But the main reason is that people don't consider it a good product. I know that rankles with alot of people. But if it was a good product - people would watch it...stadiums would be full and TV ratings would rival other codes. Putting it on Peach or Bold or whatever other channel is out there wouldn't matter. If the game was popular...people would support it. Football's popularity has always been misunderstood in this country. We have large numbers of players due to parents enrolling they children in football because it is seen as a 'safe' sport relative to the rugby codes or Australian Rules. These players have largely never been converted into active fans - those same kids playing are the same ones who follow AFL and NRL teams. We get good support for the world cup because Aussies love supporting any national team. Its the same reason people used to support the Wallabies in large numbers but barely support the local league. In our culture...both Rugby League and Australian Rules historically be football to the punch and establish strong localised leagues that grew strong ties to our culture. Immigrants all over the world established thriving popular Football leagues...but due to a quirk in our history, we didn't. Those "Eurosnobs", follow football the same way people watch hollywood films and avoid local faire. They're seen as a better product and people vote with their wallet and feet.
At work
Roar Rookie
We need to find out who these OzTam box holders are, infiltrate their homes and steal their remotes so we can control what they watch. :laughing: I’m sure the stats nerds will correct this extremely basic calc, but if we can switch just a dozen TV’s over to the Saturday night FTA game, then that would mean an additional 59k viewers! (25.7M population / 5200 OzTam boxes = 4,942) (4,942 x 12 = 90k) :silly:
chris
Guest
And here comes the angriest ant of all. Minimus I showed you the ratings from Sydney and Brisbane were less than 15k. Even the A League does better than that. Do pay attention.
Maximus Insight
Guest
You are clearly both trite and angry! You are trying to argue here that the AFL tv rights are somehow a charity...from a publically listed company and the world's most ruthless media baron...in your anger you apparently think that conspiracy is more plausible than the apparently delusional idea that the market is pricing the media rights! Above, you have continued to claim that the AFL gets less in tv ratings in Sydney and Brisbane than the A League does in those cities, after you have been shown it gets more in those cities than the A League gets nationally! Do you think perhaps, in your anger, you are perhaps not thinking things through?
Glen
Guest
Re the Melbourne Cup, I think that's also some evidence that many people have had enough of: 1) Gambling 2) Cruelty to animals My family used to watch it religiously every year, do the sweeps etc. Now - none of us even bothered with engaging with the cup at all. Could not care about it aside from secretly hoping it fades into obscurity.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Nope. Right up until last season.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Braintrust I would have thought you are proving my point for me. Not really sure what your point is.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
Waz you are stating old fact of when Ange was coaching the Roar, Since 2018 Roar have been the lowest rating Club for TV viewing worse then Wellington back in the day.