2022 NRL ratings

[Perth Red]

Jesus that is old lol. I would add vinyl but at least that is coming back in popularity

Our first video player was a betamax lol. Was a bloody massive thing

Point is there are numerous examples of where a superior product has failed against an inferior one and to think just because RL is better to watch (in our opinion I might add) that it will win the day is incredibly naive.
One thing I do know is that the product with the most money behind it, the greatest reach and the best marketing rarely loses!

 

[Iamback]

So this year excluding New Zealand we beat fumble ball by approx 25 million viewers

next year with the dolphins it’s around 32 million without New Zealand

fundamentally afl can never bridge that gap. If anything the gap will only get bigger with team 18

and then the arlc need to develop an end of season international tournament featuring aus nz png fiji Samoa Tonga and the Cook Islands

as long as the arlc focuses on areas of growth afl will be a distant memory

the dolphins were the first part of the nrl going back to a growth strategy after decades of apathy

nrl will have club state and internationals covered

afl will have two suburban sides at the mcg

Problem is length of games, While it doesn't matter for ratings. It is easier to sell 9 120 min games with set breaks for TV

So AFL will keep getting the money, As long as NRL continues this upward spike then the future is very bright

 

[Perth Red]

Problem is length of games, While it doesn't matter for ratings. It is easier to sell 9 120 min games with set breaks for TV

So AFL will keep getting the money, As long as NRL continues this upward spike then the future is very bright

Thats a cop out nearly as unfathomable as the old "RL is better on TV" excuse. I keep hearing Sydney and Brisbane are more valuable for tv than AFL heartlands. I keep hearing that NRL has bigger FTA audiences, that we have origin that's worth $30mill on its own, that we have large regional markets.
And yet you think their extra ad breaks are worth $120mill v $185mill in 2025? Please.

 

[Colk]

Thats a cop out nearly as unfathomable as the old "RL is better on TV" excuse. I keep hearing Sydney and Brisbane are more valuable for tv than AFL heartlands. I keep hearing that NRL has bigger FTA audiences, that we have origin that's worth $30mill on its own, that we have large regional markets.
And yet you think their extra ad breaks are worth $120mill v $185mill in 2025? Please.

More importantly, it doesn’t explain the $150-$200m difference from Fox, considering subscriptions are key.

 

[Perth Red]

More importantly, it doesn’t explain the $150-$200m difference from Fox, considering subscriptions are key.

That is true, we should be getting pretty close to AFL, with our international rights tipping us ahead. Wont happen though until we have a major shake up in the game, so probably never.

 

[The_Wookie]

The 2022 NRL home and away season was watched by an estimated 118.964m viewers cumulatively over the season, at an average of 620,000 viewers per game.

Broken down by segment this comes to.

• FTA 32.267m @ 453,000 p/g
• BVOD 2.617m @ 32,000 p/g
• FOX STB 42.742m @ 222,000 p/g
• Kayo est 37.201m @ 194,000 p/g

24 NRL matches reached the million mark for the season – The top 3 in the last 5 rounds, all 3 involve the Storm.

• #1 R24 Storm/Roosters 1.229m
• #2 R25 Eels/Storm 1.188m
• #3 R22 Panthers/Storm 1.182m

4 NRL matches reached 600,000 viewers on Nine FTA, with Thursday nights taking 7 of the top 10.

• #1 R1 Panthers/Eagles 664k
• #2 R24 Storm/Roosters 612k
• #3 R25 Eels/Storm 611k
• #4 R22 Panthers/Storm 610k

8 NRL matches reached 300,000 viewers on Foxtel set top boxes, half of which were Storm matches

• #1 R10 Storm/Panthers 321k
• #2 R1 Tigers/Storm 317k
• #3 R7 Tigers/Souths 313k
• #4 R4 Panthers/Souths 311k

In Sydney, the NRL averaged 157,000 on 9 for the season with R1s Panthers/SeaEagles the top rating fixture for the season at 249,000.

In Brisbane, the NRL averaged 96,000 on Nine with the highest rating game being R19s Eels/Broncos with 167,000 viewers.

In Melbourne, the NRL averaged 14,000 on Nine/Gem through the season with the top rating game being round 22s Panthers/Storm with 60,000. In all the secondary NRL cities, the NRL averaged a combined 29,000 for the season with #1 being the Panthers/Storm in R19 averaging 81,000

The most watched NRL club across all platforms in 2022 was the Brisbane Broncos with 20.52m aggegated viewers at an average of 855,000 per game.

• #2 Souths 17.71m (738k ave)
• #3 Storm 17.7m (737k)
• #4 Panthers 17.37m (724k)
• #5 Eels 17.24m (718k)

In addition to the 118m that watched the home and away season, a further 9.393m watched the State of Origin series in 2022.

• A further 2.619m watched a variety of rep fixtures.
• The preseason was watched by 2.891m viewers on Fox, while the Allstars had an audience of 653k.
• 3 million people watched the early NRLW 2022 season at an average of 200,000 per game.

The combined total ratings for the 2022 NRL year will see an estimated 137.452m viewers across NRL, NRLW, Preseason, Origin and Rep fixtures. This does not count the estimated 5.5m that watched week 1 of the finals.

Opinion

These are great figures for the NRL, and on the raw numbers its real hard to see why 25 million more viewers doesnt deliver better results at the broadcasting negotiations. 206m viewing hours up against the AFLs 287m viewing hours could play a part.

Data

All data sourced from Oztam – using Total TV, VOZ and consolidated +7 subscription tv data.. Kayo data estimated on trends (see note below). Thanks to @TV_Blackbox, @kevinperry, @MrTVAus, @LeagueUnlimited and others for assistance over the season.

Notes on Kayo estimates

Kayo is estimated on reported early season data trends that put the ratio of Streaming to STB about 0.89. This figure has not been updated since Round 10. As soon as any updated data is available, I will update. Apologies for anyone inconvenienced.

2022 NRL/NRLW Season TV Ratings - Sports Industry AU

NRLW (1) In 2022, the average audience on Channel Nine has eclipsed the combined average for both broadcasters in 2020. About 150,000 people have tuned in to watch NRLW matches on Channel Nine in metropolitan and regional markets. The 53 per cent increase in viewers on Nine is reflected in a...

www.footyindustry.com

 

[The_Wookie]

 

[DIOGENES]

Thanks Wookie
Your link to the AFL figures: http://www.footyindustry.com/?p=171986
106 M vs 137 M - a significant difference

 

[The_Wookie]

Thanks Wookie
Your link to the AFL figures: http://www.footyindustry.com/?p=171986
106 M vs 137 M - a significant difference

Noting the AFL preason and early year womens comp arent included. Still probably 25-27m difference.

However, does a 25% increase in viewers do more for a broadcaster than 40% more time engaged with the product? It certainly would on FTA.

 

[Wb1234]

I follow the Raiders so I was very happy with the result. I was also really happy that Souths and Cowboys won.

Eventually the wave of greater money will start to have an affect. For example, if they start buying more and more junior facilities and discounts re junior competitions this will bite us.

Yeh cowboys raiders and souths are the sides I’m going for

afl has been spending money on nsw and qld for ages the results have been terrible

I haven’t watched a game of afl in almost 30 years. If they paid me I wouldn’t watch it it’s dross

if there were no other football codes in Australia bar afl I still wouldn’t watch it

 

[Wb1234]

Problem is length of games, While it doesn't matter for ratings. It is easier to sell 9 120 min games with set breaks for TV

So AFL will keep getting the money, As long as NRL continues this upward spike then the future is very bright

Game length is largely irrelevant to foxtel

yet that’s where afl got most of the extra money apparently

nrl needs someone else to bid for the pay tv rights

sadly for whatever reason foxtel is using the nrl to help it pay overs for the afl

 

[Colk]

Yeh cowboys raiders and souths are the sides I’m going for

afl has been spending money on nsw and qld for ages the results have been terrible

I haven’t watched a game of afl in almost 30 years. If they paid me I wouldn’t watch it it’s dross

if there were no other football codes in Australia bar afl I still wouldn’t watch it

I feel the same way. But people are easily led - how else do you explain people watching that game (using game in a pejorative sense)

 

[Colk]

Noting the AFL preason and early year womens comp arent included. Still probably 25-27m difference.

However, does a 25% increase in viewers do more for a broadcaster than 40% more time engaged with the product? It certainly would on FTA.

It does not mean anything for Pay. That’s where the significant part of the difference is coming from. This is why V’Landys deal is so negligent.

 

[The_Wookie]

It does not mean anything for Pay. That’s where the significant part of the difference is coming from. This is why V’Landys deal is so negligent.

Ratings dont mean anything for pay either.

 

[Wb1234]

I feel the same way. But people are easily led - how else do you explain people watching that game (using game in a pejorative sense)

People watch what they grow up with

it’s why afl in nsw and qld gets such terrible ratings

i figure they have spent like 2.5 billion in nsw and qld and in terms of active fans it’s around 150k tops in each state which is pathetic

Longer term their ratings aren’t growing and they aren’t growing them where they need to in nsw and qld

They can dine out on their tv deal till it falls flat on their faces

the nrl just needs to stay in growth mode

add team 18 and then focus on an end of year international tournament

 

[Colk]

Ratings dont mean anything for pay either.

I think you are trying to be too clever here. Subscriptions do though.

League’s ratings are a lot higher on Pay meaning the subscription penetration is a lot higher. Somebody with any sort of brain or negotiation skills would easily put that out if they lose NRL content will they gain the amount of fumbleball subscriptions to make up that loss.

 

[DIOGENES]

I see your point wookie but as a leaguie I take comfort from total penetration:
NRL attendance 3M + viewers 137M
AFL attendance 6M + viewers (say) 110M

We have a winner!

(not even mentioning NZ and PNG)

 

[The_Wookie]

I think you are being trying to be too clever here. Subscriptions do though.

League’s ratings are a lot higher on Pay meaning the subscription penetration is a lot higher. Somebody with any sort of brain or negotiation skills would easily put that out if they lose that will they gain the amount of fumbleball subscriptions to make up that loss.

Its assumed that sub penetration is higher. Fox would know exactly how many are watching via STB or Kayo.

 

[Colk]

Its assumed that sub penetration is higher. Fox would know exactly how many are watching via STB or Kayo.

Sure they do but that doesn’t address my point in any way. Do you think with the numbers you have for Pay TV that there ought to be more that much of a difference between the NRL’s deal and the AFL’s deal.

See you can talk about the length of the game or viewing time and extra advertising and that is relevant to FTA and in turn thus that can explain the difference in the two deals on that platform but seeing advertising is irrelevant for Pay TV and subscriptions are there is no reason for that difference other than the way those deals were negotiated (one done incompetently and one done brilliantly)

 

[The_Wookie]

Sure they do but that doesn’t address my point in any way. Do you think with the numbers you have for Pay TV that there ought to be more that much of a difference between the NRL’s deal and the AFL’s deal.

See you can talk about the length of the game or viewing time and extra advertising and that is relevant to FTA and in turn thus that can explain the difference in the two deals on that platform but seeing advertising is irrelevant for Pay TV and subscriptions are there is no reason for that difference other than the way those deals were negotiated (one done incompetently and one done brilliantly)

As I wrote

Opinion

These are great figures for the NRL, and on the raw numbers its real hard to see why 25 million more viewers doesnt deliver better results at the broadcasting negotiations. 206m viewing hours up against the AFLs 287m viewing hours could play a part.