2018 AFL Crowds & Ratings thread

[manicmagpie]

From a club point of view, Collingwood recorded the third highest finals total in the health and safety era:



Which also meant that they recorded the third highest season crowd total (H & A + finals) of all time:



Makes me feel so much better about yesterday.

 

[precarious]

From a narrow TV ratings perspective, at minimum they need to move to a Saturday twilight grand final. But they shouldn't do it unless and until Seven pays more for it.

It's not even clear that Saturday twilight or night will help all that much because Saturday full stop is a serious handicap ratings wise.

Sunday is presumably out because it would clash with the NRL grand final, although they could schedule a week off before it.

State of Origin has shown that Wednesday night is as good a night as any for ratings success because there is less competition from other networks than on Sunday-Tuesday nights while still being a night when most people are at home.

To encourage attendance, those at the game could get the next two days off work (with proof of attendance sent to employers by the MCC ...) but otherwise there should be no public holiday as this would only encourage people to leave town or go out for the evening.

 

[mxett]

NRL ratings well down as well

 

[wagstaff]

I do wonder whether the AFL and footy media love hyping up the ‘narrative’ of a Grand Final in the buildup has something to do with the ratings drop-off.

It was clearly obvious that the footy media were hyping up Melbourne breaking their 54 year drought or at the very least a Pies/Demons Grand Final as a return to the 1950s/60s rivalry. You only had to see during the half-time break on Fox Footy of Eagles/Demons PF how the panel was acting like they were at a funeral with the way their ‘narrative’ had been ruined. At a sub-conscious level at least, I suspect this has an impact on the public.

 

[Professor Knowall]

From a club point of view, Collingwood recorded the third highest finals total in the health and safety era:

View attachment 566593

Which also meant that they recorded the third highest season crowd total (H & A + finals) of all time:

View attachment 566595

Makes me feel so much better about yesterday.

Surely these stats can't be right - I mean, after all, where's Richmond??!

 

[precarious]

I do wonder whether the AFL and footy media love hyping up the ‘narrative’ of a Grand Final in the buildup has something to do with the ratings drop-off.

It was clearly obvious that the footy media were hyping up Melbourne breaking their 54 year drought or at the very least a Pies/Demons Grand Final as a return to the 1950s/60s rivalry. You only had to see during the half-time break on Fox Footy of Eagles/Demons PF how the panel was acting like they were at a funeral with the way their ‘narrative’ had been ruined. At a sub-conscious level at least, I suspect this has an impact on the public.

One thought I had while watching West Coast beat Melbourne was how mournful Gerard and Robbo would be on AFL 360 throughout grand final week.

I thought the AFL media was poor in general this year. With the grand finalists in particular, the media badly underestimated West Coast and rarely acknowledged Collingwood's entertaining playing style, both of which may have contributed to low viewer expectations.

 

[Our Game]

NRL ratings well down as well

Thats really bad for the NRL in prime time and makes the AFL figures all the better

I think that FTA TV is slowing dying before our eyes literally.No top program is getting the figures they had in the past and sport will be no different

 

[Our Game]

One thought I had while watching West Coast beat Melbourne was how mournful Gerard and Robbo would be on AFL 360 throughout grand final week.

I thought the AFL media was poor in general this year. With the grand finalists in particular, the media badly underestimated West Coast and rarely acknowledged Collingwood's entertaining playing style, both of which may have contributed to low viewer expectations.

The only saving grace the GF had was it was close The actual playing standard was crap most of the time on a perfect day for football.

 

[mxett]

Thats really bad for the NRL in prime time and makes the AFL figures all the better

I think that FTA TV is slowing dying before our eyes literally.No top program is getting the figures they had in the past and sport will be no different

yep, even season finals of the best programs are struggling to rate over 1mil nowadays. Interesting times ahead for TV rights

 

[mxett]

The only saving grace the GF had was it was close The actual playing standard was crap most of the time on a perfect day for football.

the GF is rarely a good spectacle. Immense pressure results in mistake after mistake

 

[McCrann]

I do wonder whether the AFL and footy media love hyping up the ‘narrative’ of a Grand Final in the buildup has something to do with the ratings drop-off.

It was clearly obvious that the footy media were hyping up Melbourne breaking their 54 year drought or at the very least a Pies/Demons Grand Final as a return to the 1950s/60s rivalry. You only had to see during the half-time break on Fox Footy of Eagles/Demons PF how the panel was acting like they were at a funeral with the way their ‘narrative’ had been ruined. At a sub-conscious level at least, I suspect this has an impact on the public.

Well, you know Melbourne didn't score a goal in the FIRST HALF don't you? That hasn't happened in living memory! Since 1927 even.

That's a fair reason to feel funereal given the deadness of the game!

 

[McCrann]

the GF is rarely a good spectacle. Immense pressure results in mistake after mistake

I'd say 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012 were pretty darned great Grand Finals to watch.

 

[McCrann]

Bring it on The ratings would improve a hell of a lot.

We all know that Sat afternoon is a dead zone The AFL just give the RL a free kick playing in the afternoon.At least it should go to Twilight next year.

A lot of my friends and family and I suspect many hundreds of thousands more were at work and playing sport and had to do with the Foxtel replay at 6pm.

I don't think the AFL would be worried about your family and friends not watching as it sounds like they've never watched the Grand Final if they're working or playing sport on Grand Final Day.

It's always been played on Saturday afternoon in case you weren't aware.

 

[McCrann]

From a narrow TV ratings perspective, at minimum they need to move to a Saturday twilight grand final. But they shouldn't do it unless and until Seven pays more for it.

It's not even clear that Saturday twilight or night will help all that much because Saturday full stop is a serious handicap ratings wise.

Sunday is presumably out because it would clash with the NRL grand final, although they could schedule a week off before it.

State of Origin has shown that Wednesday night is as good a night as any for ratings success because there is less competition from other networks than on Sunday-Tuesday nights while still being a night when most people are at home.

To encourage attendance, those at the game could get the next two days off work (with proof of attendance sent to employers by the MCC ...) but otherwise there should be no public holiday as this would only encourage people to leave town or go out for the evening.

If they wanted to shift the Grand Final back an hour (or two), they should extend the season by 2 weeks so the AFL Grand Final always falls after Daylight Savings is introduced.

Then you could shift it back 1 hour (and it would be on average sunnier than it is now during the game), or shift it back 2 hours and it would be a marginal difference...

It also closes the gap with the Spring Racing Carnival (Caulfield Cup is always the 3rd Saturday in October).

 

[NoobPie]

yep, even season finals of the best programs are struggling to rate over 1mil nowadays. Interesting times ahead for TV rights

Pretty sure 7 are paying $150M a year (out of $425M) for the current rights. I heard of a recent survey that suggests that 10% of Australian males have an AFL live subscription (6% NRL). Telstra is currently paying $60M a year for the digital rights

The AFL is also, I suspect, inching towards having football on most Thursday nights ahead of the next deal

 

[wagstaff]

Well, you know Melbourne didn't score a goal in the FIRST HALF don't you? That hasn't happened in living memory! Since 1927 even.

That's a fair reason to feel funereal given the deadness of the game!

If it had been reversed and Melbourne had been 10 goals to 0 up the mood of the panel would’ve been completely different, not only because of the Vic bias (especially with Lyon being on there) but because the fairytale narrative occurring for the third year in a row was on track.

 

[The_Wookie]

Just getting back to this article



it was pointed out to me that the article includes metro figures only and suggested that the balance is far more in favour of the NRL when regionals and fox are included. Its not.

 

[The_Wookie]

A FINALS attendance record has been set, with 700,395 spectators at the nine games in September.

The previous high was established in 2010, when there was a Grand Final replay, with the 651,000 attending that year.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-10-01/afl-sets-finals-season-attendance-records

 

[NoobPie]

Just getting back to this article



it was pointed out to me that the article includes metro figures only and suggested that the balance is far more in favour of the NRL when regionals and fox are included. Its not.

I would have thought that most of the NRL's 10 were due to stinkers of games involving Carlton or St Kilda earlier in the season

Which final did the NRL beat the AFL in head to head?

I thought there were only 6 finals that overlapped and the AFL won each of them (with the AFL having a thursday v sunday in the first week, and a saturday arvo v evening on the prelim weekend)

 

[Our Game]

I don't think the AFL would be worried about your family and friends not watching as it sounds like they've never watched the Grand Final if they're working or playing sport on Grand Final Day.

It's always been played on Saturday afternoon in case you weren't aware.

So droll!
Its not the 1950s anymore if you havent noticed!

People in 2018 have a lot more to do than just go to or watch the footy.
TV viewing and going to matches have dropped a long way if you factor in Melbourne now has close to 5 MILLION people and the % of the population attending and watching TV would be the lowest for a very long time.

 

[Demonoid]

Thats really bad for the NRL in prime time and makes the AFL figures all the better

I think that FTA TV is slowing dying before our eyes literally.No top program is getting the figures they had in the past and sport will be no different

Not only prime time, but with the Storm in as well. Anyway, bring on the twilight granny


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[precarious]

Just getting back to this article



it was pointed out to me that the article includes metro figures only and suggested that the balance is far more in favour of the NRL when regionals and fox are included. Its not.

I couldn't get access to the article, so this might already have been dealt with, but another factor often mentioned on this board is the different length of broadcasts, which means that Seven will gain more than Nine in ratings share if the average ratings figures for the AFL and NRL happen to be the same.

So of the relatively few times that NRL beat AFL nationally on averages, there would still need to be a sufficient gap for this to translate into a winning factor for Nine.

 

[The_Wookie]

I couldn't get access to the article, so this might already have been dealt with, but another factor often mentioned on this board is the different length of broadcasts, which means that Seven will gain more than Nine in ratings share if the average ratings figures for the AFL and NRL happen to be the same.

So of the relatively few times that NRL beat AFL nationally on averages, there would still need to be a sufficient gap for this to translate into a winning factor for Nine.

As often as its bought up by this board, its a factor that I have never seen Seven or the AFL mention when defending its broadcast ratings.

 

[precarious]

As often as its bought up by this board, its a factor that I have never seen Seven or the AFL mention when defending its broadcast ratings.

Interesting. Seems it would have to factor in to rights negotiations, but maybe not. For Friday nights, equal average figures for the competing football broadcasts would in itself be enough to give Seven about a 4 percent lead on national audience share.

 

[McCrann]

So droll!
Its not the 1950s anymore if you havent noticed!

People in 2018 have a lot more to do than just go to or watch the footy.
TV viewing and going to matches have dropped a long way if you factor in Melbourne now has close to 5 MILLION people and the % of the population attending and watching TV would be the lowest for a very long time.

Well at night just as likely to be eating out at a restaurant or hitting a show or seeing live music! These sorts of distractions are less intrusive during the day.