2023 TV/Fox/Streaming Ratings

[The_Wookie]

I am curious to know what the average AFL fan thinks of 7’s coverage quality. Obviously most NRL fans hate Channel 9, hence why it can be beaten by Foxtel ratings.

Most AFL fans dislike Sevens hosts, but the coverage being free, they get over it. especially outside Victoria where live coverage of the local teams is guaranteed and you dont really need Fox at all

 

[docbrown]

Most AFL fans dislike Sevens hosts, but the coverage being free, they get over it. especially outside Victoria where live coverage of the local teams is guaranteed and you dont really need Fox at all

The live F2A coverage of local teams outside Victoria is something the NRL needs to do with teams like the Storm and if they expand to Perth and Adelaide.

That said the coverage on 9 for the NRL is free too but it’s plain to see that NRL have fans have sought out better paid coverage options. But in turn having only 3 F2A games each round is limiting their TV audience aggregates. A 9th game and 4th F2A game would do wonders for NRL brand appeal. But more than anything else, so would ditching Channel 9.

 

[The_Wookie]

The live F2A coverage of local teams outside Victoria is something the NRL needs to do with teams like the Storm and if they expand to Perth and Adelaide.

Im amazed Storm dont have live coverage every week into Victoria, but then NRL clubs being what they are, all the others would arc up about it.

That said the coverage on 9 for the NRL is free too but it’s plain to see that NRL have fans have sought out better paid coverage options. But in turn having only 3 F2A games each round is limiting their TV audience aggregates. A 9th game and 4th F2A game would do wonders for NRL brand appeal. But more than anything else, so would ditching Channel 9.

Given regional numbers havent recovered at all relative to metro rating even with the shift back to WIN from SCA, I suspect a lot of regional viewers have moved to streaming too.

 

[Pneuma]

Im amazed Storm dont have live coverage every week into Victoria, but then NRL clubs being what they are, all the others would arc up about it.



Given regional numbers havent recovered at all relative to metro rating even with the shift back to WIN from SCA, I suspect a lot of regional viewers have moved to streaming too.

Yep. Basically half or more of channel 9’s potential audience prefer to pay to watch football then watch it for free. They don’t show enough games and their coverage is crap.

 

[docbrown]

Im amazed Storm dont have live coverage every week into Victoria, but then NRL clubs being what they are, all the others would arc up about it.



Given regional numbers havent recovered at all relative to metro rating even with the shift back to WIN from SCA, I suspect a lot of regional viewers have moved to streaming too.

Agreed on both counts regarding the Storm and regional viewers going to subscription. I’d also suggest that even though overall ratings are high, that offput NRL fans in both metros and regionals who haven’t migrated to subscription are simply watching fewer games overall throughout the season. If a new F2A broadcaster came in you’d likely see that average game per viewer ratio increase.

 

[docbrown]

Yep. Basically half or more of channel 9’s potential audience prefer to pay to watch football then watch it for free. They don’t show enough games and their coverage is crap.

There was an audience feedback survey years ago saying that 9 had large numbers of viewers that outright hated the coverage. It wouldn’t surprise me if now it was outright toxic.

It’s like more people paying for bottled water over free tap water. Your free tap water must taste like piss. That’s probably the most accurate way to describe Channel 9 - it leaves a piss taste in your mouth.

 

[wittyfan]

Friday 17 March 2023 | TV Tonight

1 SEVEN NEWS 717,000 2 SEVEN NEWS AT 6.30 672,000 3 NINE NEWS 559,000 4 NINE NEWS 6:30 557,000 5 SEVEN'S AFL: FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL 551,000

tvtonight.com.au

Massive fox ratings for us. Nine was average. Anybody surprised?

Just 5k in Melbourne. Wow, just wow.

 

[The_Wookie]

Agreed on both counts regarding the Storm and regional viewers going to subscription. I’d also suggest that even though overall ratings are high, that offput NRL fans in both metros and regionals who haven’t migrated to subscription are simply watching fewer games overall throughout the season. If a new F2A broadcaster came in you’d likely see that average game per viewer ratio increase.

Ive thought that the days of the "casual viewer" on FTA have been over and done with for a while now. I mean a lot of folks I know wont just watch a game because its on tv unless their team is playing, Fox at the very least runs its all day coverage.

 

[The Penguin #6.]

Ive thought that the days of the "casual viewer" on FTA have been over and done with for a while now. I mean a lot of folks I know wont just watch a game because its on tv unless their team is playing, Fox at the very least runs its all day coverage.

Interesting you say that, because I was just sitting here thinking that although the Nine coverage is not perfect, it`s not totally unbearable, there must be something else we`re missing.

 

[Wb1234]

Excellent discussion guys @docbrown @The_Wookie

 

[Ride the Lion to Zion]

Why do you consider this significant? The NRL are nearly always comfortably ahead of fumbleball on STB.
Is it because it was their season opener?

The abiding significance of your second sentence that, as we've discussed in a parallel dimension, there are demonstrably more people currently willing to pay to watch NRL than AFL.

Added to the fact that I'm fairly confident that 286k is low for an AFL opener. And I'm certain 291k is high for regular season Thursday night NRL. Hence the recent pattern seems to be deepening.

I relate this to the EPL. FTA money is a pittance. Nearly all the broadcast revenues come from Pay TV.

 

[docbrown]

Ive thought that the days of the "casual viewer" on FTA have been over and done with for a while now. I mean a lot of folks I know wont just watch a game because its on tv unless their team is playing, Fox at the very least runs its all day coverage.

You still have channel surfers but they’re now surfing between F2A multi channels and streaming services but they’re nowhere near the numbers that existed even just 15 years ago. There’s now a major post news shed. Viewers are becoming more selective in what they watch and how, so that also applies to sports as well. But there’s still multigame NRL and AFL viewers.

Thinking of it like cinemas. There are thousands of movies available now at a single click. There are movies you’ll pay to go see at the Deluxe Lounge because you want the full experience. There are movies you’ll see in a crappy cinema seat. Then there are a huge amount that you won’t bother with. But there are some people who still go to the cinema every two or three weeks. Weekly sports league viewers have very similar dynamics.

 

[Iamback]

You still have channel surfers but they’re now surfing between F2A multi channels and streaming services but they’re nowhere near the numbers that existed even just 15 years ago. There’s now a major post news shed. Viewers are becoming more selective in what they watch and how, so that also applies to sports as well. But there’s still multigame NRL and AFL viewers.

Thinking of it like cinemas. There are thousands of movies available now at a single click. There are movies you’ll pay to go see at the Deluxe Lounge because you want the full experience. There are movies you’ll see in a crappy cinema seat. Then there are a huge amount that you won’t bother with. But there are some people who still go to the cinema every two or three weeks. Weekly sports league viewers have very similar dynamics.

Then there are those that don't watch the game live, Who ratings miss too

 

[tri_colours]

It probably shows what a small fanbase the Roosters have. Having said that 176k in a city of 4-5 million for a match with that much hype is not good enough. Especially when the other mob can get double that in a city the same size.

What it shows is that more people in the ES probably have PTV!

And how many did Penrith get in there match with no AFL on?

 

[The Penguin #6.]

You still have channel surfers but they’re now surfing between F2A multi channels and streaming services but they’re nowhere near the numbers that existed even just 15 years ago. There’s now a major post news shed. Viewers are becoming more selective in what they watch and how, so that also applies to sports as well. But there’s still multigame NRL and AFL viewers.

Thinking of it like cinemas. There are thousands of movies available now at a single click. There are movies you’ll pay to go see at the Deluxe Lounge because you want the full experience. There are movies you’ll see in a crappy cinema seat. Then there are a huge amount that you won’t bother with. But there are some people who still go to the cinema every two or three weeks. Weekly sports league viewers have very similar dynamics.

Seem to be bucking the trend this year, let`s hope it`s the sign of a turn-around.

Thu/Fri NRL ratings:
Nine Metro 2022 1.842 @ 307k ave
Nine Metro 2023 2.175m @ 363k ave (+18%)

That`s certainly a statistically significant jump, well outside of any natural variation you might see in those numbers.
As I said earlier 9`s coverage can be painful, but it is not totally unbearable, we must also consider 9 are still bedding down the post-Ray Warren era as well.
Hopefully the professionalism and intelligence of Slater, the likeability and decency of Freddy *, and the popularity of John`s proves to be a winning formula that can grow the audience back.

* Freddy made a comment last night that perfectly encapsulated his likeability and relatability for me, when the commentators threw to him to comment on an obviously exhausted Cam Murray leaving the field Freddy said in his typically non-hyperbolic manner, " every time I see that bloke, he makes me wonder if I`m trying hard enough in life". Nice.

 

[wittyfan]

Interesting you say that, because I was just sitting here thinking that although the Nine coverage is not perfect, it`s not totally unbearable, there must be something else we`re missing.

Quality of 9HD is weak compared to Fox.

 

[The Penguin #6.]

I relate this to the EPL. FTA money is a pittance. Nearly all the broadcast revenues come from Pay TV.

That is really interesting. No anti-syphoning laws in your part of the world ?
I wonder what the effect of a similar relaxation would have in this country, especially given NRL fans greater propensity to pay to view.

 

[Perth Red]

That is really interesting. No anti-syphoning laws in your part of the world ?
I wonder what the effect of a similar relaxation would have in this country, especially given NRL fans greater propensity to pay to view.

If we got what the game is worth from ptv it’d be same here.

uk govt actually has a big say in sports rights sales, there’s not much epl free in uk.

Premier League renews £4.8bn TV deal with extra £100m trickle-down funds

The Premier League has announced a new £4.8bn TV rights deal with Sky, BT and Amazon, avoiding an auction that could have seen hundreds of millions wiped off the value of the next deal

www.theguardian.com

 

[Ride the Lion to Zion]

That is really interesting. No anti-syphoning laws in your part of the world ?

A list was drawn up in the 90s of "Crown Jewels" i.e. sports events (Wimbledon, Grand National, FA Cup final, etc) that had to be available on FTA TV. It didn't include week-to-week comps like the EPL. The BBC show the Match of the Day highlights programme. Same with the Super League Show for RL. Both of those are ex gratia. Allows the Beeb to fulfil its public service remit.

I wonder what the effect of a similar relaxation would have in this country, especially given NRL fans greater propensity to pay to view.

That would be the acid test for AFL. How many of their FTA viewers would pony up?

One thing's for sure. NRL fans have unmistakeably demonstrated an inclination to pay. The fact that some simulcast NRL games have more people watching on Fox than metro Nine is extraordinary. It ought to be the trump card in media negotiations.

 

[The_Wookie]