- Moderator
- #1
After a record breaking season and a huge grand final, its time to wrap up the season with a nice big bow, with new records set in Membership, Attendance and tv ratings.
Social Media
Collingwood leads all comers in the social media stakes with 390,000 followers on facebook, 368,000 followers on instagram, 157,000 on twitter (#2 behind Adelaide) and 213,000 followers on tiktok (#2 behind Geelong). Coming up behind them are Richmond and Hawthorn.
Reference table – AFL Social Media 2023
Membership
15 Clubs declared membership records this season, with only Hawthorn, Richmond and West Coast failing to set a new mark. Collingwood, West Coast and Richmond did all break the 100,000 mark for the season.
Reference tabe: AFL Membership 1984-2023
Attendance
The AFL set a new record for gross attendance reaching more than 8.1 million attendees in 2023 – the first time the 8 million mark has been breached. This was helped by the addition of a whole new round. A record 7.474 million attended home and away matches, and the 664,780 that attended during the finals is the second highest finals attendance of all time.
30 matches over the season broke the 60,000 crowd mark including a record 9 games over the 80,000 mark in 2023 (all at the MCG – totalling more than 2.4 million attendees on its own), as well as a record equalling 5 games over 90,000 in the finals series.
Attendances were helped by strong crowds in Melbourne for a dominant Collingwood and a resurgent Carlton, while Brisbane and the Swans had good runs further north.
Collingwood led the club attendances at 68,000 per game, followed by the Blues at 51,429, narrowly ahead of the Tigers on 51,420. The Bombers came in 4th at 46,690, while Freo were the best non Victorian side, coming in 5th at 44,097 per game.
Reference Tables
A big year for the AFL on television with estimated audiences reaching 141 million up to and including the AFL Grand Final. This doesnt include the ongoing AFLW season. This is up from the 125m estimated in 2022.
This is broken down into segments
As always note that this data is Australian only unless specified. We simply cannot get the data we would like and many would seem happy for us to fabricate.
Metro FTA Audience
In Melbourne, the two games that didnt involve Melbourne sides rated an average of 154,000. Games involving Melbourne sides averaged 225,000.
In Brisbane, the Lions averaged 48,000 in 2023 – +17% YoY – (including a season high of 80,000), while the Suns managed 22,000 per game (no movement). Games involving neither side rated 26,000, (To be fair the Suns are Gold Coast based, but did struggle at the lower end of the ratings).
In Adelaide, the Crows averaged 94,000 a game (+10%), while the Power averaged 87,000 (-4%). The Showdowns rated 150,000 and 143,000, although the Crows/Blues round 5 magic round opener splt the two at 148,000. Games involving neither Adelaide side rated an average 68,000.
In Perth, West Coast matches averaged 74,000 – down 22% – while Fremantle games fared worse – down 28% YoY and averaged 69,000. The Western Derby rated 155,000 and 154,000. Games involving neither Perth side averaged 45,000.
Foxtel
Collingwood lead the way for the Clubs on Foxtel averaging 222,000 on set top boxes in 2023
Finals
This years AFL FInals series rated 17.352m – up 16% on 2022 , including Grand Final ratings of 3.855m (up 25% on 2022), while both Prelims had audiences over 2 million each.
The Grand Final audience on Seven was also shown on 7plus for the first time under the new deal.
Foxtel Media announced 19 brands have signed on as sponsors for the 2023 AFL season. AAMI, Chemist Warehouse, Coles, Ford, Harvey Norman, Hostplus, Industry Super Funds, KFC, McCain, McDonald’s, NAB, Sportsbet, Telstra, Toyota, and Xero are the 2023 season match day returning sponsors, with Bunnings, KIA, Menulog and Wild Turkey joining as new sponsors for the season.
Seven announced 21 partners and additional local parters for the 2023 season. Joining Seven’s coverage as broadcast partners are Toyota, AAMI, Macca’s, Harvey Norman and Bunnings. Sportsbet, Coles, Telstra, Industry Super Funds, Hostplus, CBUS, NAB, Asahi Beverages, Uber Eats, Chemist Warehouse, OMO Ultimate, Cash Converters, Bundaberg Brewed Drinks, Tradie Underwear and Colgate-Palmolive join as broadcast sponsors, with additional brands signing on as local market sponsors.
AFLW
This season has a long way to go and isnt included here.
Notes and Sources
Social Media
Collingwood leads all comers in the social media stakes with 390,000 followers on facebook, 368,000 followers on instagram, 157,000 on twitter (#2 behind Adelaide) and 213,000 followers on tiktok (#2 behind Geelong). Coming up behind them are Richmond and Hawthorn.
Reference table – AFL Social Media 2023
Membership
15 Clubs declared membership records this season, with only Hawthorn, Richmond and West Coast failing to set a new mark. Collingwood, West Coast and Richmond did all break the 100,000 mark for the season.
Reference tabe: AFL Membership 1984-2023
Attendance
The AFL set a new record for gross attendance reaching more than 8.1 million attendees in 2023 – the first time the 8 million mark has been breached. This was helped by the addition of a whole new round. A record 7.474 million attended home and away matches, and the 664,780 that attended during the finals is the second highest finals attendance of all time.
30 matches over the season broke the 60,000 crowd mark including a record 9 games over the 80,000 mark in 2023 (all at the MCG – totalling more than 2.4 million attendees on its own), as well as a record equalling 5 games over 90,000 in the finals series.
Attendances were helped by strong crowds in Melbourne for a dominant Collingwood and a resurgent Carlton, while Brisbane and the Swans had good runs further north.
Collingwood led the club attendances at 68,000 per game, followed by the Blues at 51,429, narrowly ahead of the Tigers on 51,420. The Bombers came in 4th at 46,690, while Freo were the best non Victorian side, coming in 5th at 44,097 per game.
Reference Tables
- All AFL Attendances in 2023
- Top AFL Attendance in 2023
- Venue Attendance in 2023
- State Attendance in 2023
- Club Attendance in 2023
- AFL Attendance by Round in 2023
A big year for the AFL on television with estimated audiences reaching 141 million up to and including the AFL Grand Final. This doesnt include the ongoing AFLW season. This is up from the 125m estimated in 2022.
This is broken down into segments
- FTA 62.508m
- Foxfooty/Fox505 36.179m
- FoxBVOD est 44.201m
- Total 142.88m
As always note that this data is Australian only unless specified. We simply cannot get the data we would like and many would seem happy for us to fabricate.
Metro FTA Audience
- Sydney average 22,000 (-21% Year on Year)
- Melbourne average 219,000 (-1.35%)
- Brisbane average 30,000 (+11%)
- Adelaide average 77,000 (no movement)
- Perth average 56,000 (-23%)
- Sydney/Brisbane combined average 39,000
In Melbourne, the two games that didnt involve Melbourne sides rated an average of 154,000. Games involving Melbourne sides averaged 225,000.
In Brisbane, the Lions averaged 48,000 in 2023 – +17% YoY – (including a season high of 80,000), while the Suns managed 22,000 per game (no movement). Games involving neither side rated 26,000, (To be fair the Suns are Gold Coast based, but did struggle at the lower end of the ratings).
In Adelaide, the Crows averaged 94,000 a game (+10%), while the Power averaged 87,000 (-4%). The Showdowns rated 150,000 and 143,000, although the Crows/Blues round 5 magic round opener splt the two at 148,000. Games involving neither Adelaide side rated an average 68,000.
In Perth, West Coast matches averaged 74,000 – down 22% – while Fremantle games fared worse – down 28% YoY and averaged 69,000. The Western Derby rated 155,000 and 154,000. Games involving neither Perth side averaged 45,000.
Foxtel
Collingwood lead the way for the Clubs on Foxtel averaging 222,000 on set top boxes in 2023
- Carlton 194,000
- Geelong 189,000
- Richmond 185,000
Finals
This years AFL FInals series rated 17.352m – up 16% on 2022 , including Grand Final ratings of 3.855m (up 25% on 2022), while both Prelims had audiences over 2 million each.
The Grand Final audience on Seven was also shown on 7plus for the first time under the new deal.
- Metro: 2.464m
- Regional: 989,000
- BVOD: 414,000
- Total: 3.855m total
Foxtel Media announced 19 brands have signed on as sponsors for the 2023 AFL season. AAMI, Chemist Warehouse, Coles, Ford, Harvey Norman, Hostplus, Industry Super Funds, KFC, McCain, McDonald’s, NAB, Sportsbet, Telstra, Toyota, and Xero are the 2023 season match day returning sponsors, with Bunnings, KIA, Menulog and Wild Turkey joining as new sponsors for the season.
Seven announced 21 partners and additional local parters for the 2023 season. Joining Seven’s coverage as broadcast partners are Toyota, AAMI, Macca’s, Harvey Norman and Bunnings. Sportsbet, Coles, Telstra, Industry Super Funds, Hostplus, CBUS, NAB, Asahi Beverages, Uber Eats, Chemist Warehouse, OMO Ultimate, Cash Converters, Bundaberg Brewed Drinks, Tradie Underwear and Colgate-Palmolive join as broadcast sponsors, with additional brands signing on as local market sponsors.
AFLW
This season has a long way to go and isnt included here.
Notes and Sources
- Crowd data is checked against the AFL website and afltables.com – with assistance from Bigfooty members and twitter.
- Membership data is from club websites and the AFL
- Social media data is from facebook/twitter/instagram and tiktok
- TV Ratings data is from Oztam and VOZ. Estimates for FoxBVOD are based on the last 6 weeks of BVOD reporting on OZtam VPM reports.
- Our thanks to TVBlackbox for another year of assistance.