2024 TV and Streaming Ratings Discussion

[The_Wookie]

So the ad market hasn’t moved since 2020 but yet despite that it wasn’t an impediment to an apparently good afl deal ? Lol

Thinktv is a fairly unbiased source. Also Fun fact, you know what period reported the biggest ad spend in the last 6 years? 2022 - the same year the AFL signed its 4.5b deal.

The total TV advertising market, which includes metropolitan free-to-air, regional free-to-air, subscription TV and Broadcaster Video on Demand (BVOD) and excludes SBS, recorded combined revenue of $4.3 billion for the year to June 2022, which was up 11 per cent compared to the same period ending June 2021.

Total TV advertising market records $4.3 billion for 12 months to June 2022 - ThinkTV

Total TV revenue increases 11 per cent for the 12 months to June 2022 while BVOD growth continues to accelerate – up 53 per cent. ThinkTV has today announced the […]

thinktv.com.au

That report is a month before the AFL signed on for 4.5b over 7 years,

And again what impact does it have on pay tv which provides 80 percent of the money

You think the commercial partnerships that Foxtel has are insignificant, while they arent going to be a significant as subscription dollars, they would still be a big part, but the bigger issue will be the sale of Foxtel if it proceeds.

And then theres the trifling matter of financial impediments at all three commercial fta broadcasters at the minute.

Sorry I’m backing Andrew abdo here the journo was a flog

Abdo never said the journo was a flog. Said that he felt the AFR was unfair in its reporting of the NRL. Thats not the same thing.

 

[Wb1234]

Thinktv is a fairly unbiased source. Also Fun fact, you know what period reported the biggest ad spend in the last 6 years? 2022 - the same year the AFL signed its 4.5b deal.

Total TV advertising market records $4.3 billion for 12 months to June 2022 - ThinkTV

Total TV revenue increases 11 per cent for the 12 months to June 2022 while BVOD growth continues to accelerate – up 53 per cent. ThinkTV has today announced the […]

thinktv.com.au

You think the commercial partnerships that Foxtel has are insignificant, while they arent going to be a significant as subscription dollars, they would still be a big part, but the bigger issue will be the sale of Foxtel if it proceeds.

And then theres the trifling matter of financial impediments at all three commercial fta broadcasters at the minute.



Abdo never said the journo was a flog. Said that he felt the AFR was unfair in its reporting of the NRL. Thats not the same thing.

No I said the journo was a flog

Abdo called him out for basically accusing him of lieing about the figures

It’s obvious the person who wrote it doesn’t want to see league do a bigger deal than the afl

 

[insert.pause]

Abdo never said the journo was a flog. Said that he felt the AFR was unfair in its reporting of the NRL. Thats not the same thing.

Where did he say this? Is there a quote somewhere?

 

[The_Wookie]

Where did he say this? Is there a quote somewhere?

No I have this from the journo who wrote the article in the AFR.

 

[insert.pause]

No I have this from the journo who wrote the article in the AFR.

Why is a journo for the afr contacting you for information instead of the networks themselves? You run a twitter account that compiles publicly available data, surely the fin review could borrow Nine’s password for their OzTAM subscription?

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I also think the Melbourne numbers are a big positive. For all the talk about how AFL is taking over QLD and NSW the storm have done quite well building up solid crowds and ratings.

A fact you won't hear the media go on about AT ALL unlike the "Swannies"

Jacko, are you going to continue giving ratings updates ? Comparing the league internationals to the Aussie Rules internationals ?

I'm keen to hear his take on the NRL's big win over the entire season

 

[The_Wookie]

Why is a journo for the afr contacting you for information instead of the networks themselves? You run a twitter account that compiles publicly available data, surely the fin review could borrow Nine’s password for their OzTAM subscription?

Twitter account is followed by a lot of journos, club and game officials. And Im an easily approachable dude. Or something.

 

[insert.pause]

Twitter account is followed by a lot of journos, club and game officials. And Im an easily approachable dude. Or something.

I’m sure you are, but there are better sources of information for a journalist to use, particularly for the fin review. I don’t think you claim to be wholly accurate given you are only using publicly available data, which is now even more limited.

I don’t see you cited in this article, are they offical oztam numbers as has been cited, or are they numbers you have provided as compiled by publicly available OzTAM ratings reports?

 

[insert.pause]

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo says rugby league is the most-watched sport in Australia. The viewership results of Sunday’s grand final suggest otherwise – but still, he may be right.
For the past nine years, the final clash of the AFL season has out-rated its NRL counterpart on TV. The Penrith Panthers’ 14-6 victory on Sunday over the Melbourne Storm, which secured their fourth straight premiership, had an average audience of 3.4 million people. The week before, 4.06 million people tuned in for the Brisbane Lions’ drubbing of the Sydney Swans.

Ivan and Nathan Cleary after winning their fourth premiership. Getty Images
More people watched the NRL online, despite the smaller overall audience. Data from television measurement firm OzTAM shows 762,000 people streamed the game on TV app 9Now, versus the 654,000 on the Seven Network’s 7plus for the AFL. This means a steadily increasing 22.3 per cent of the NRL’s free-to-air audience is streaming, compared to 16 per cent for the AFL grand final. The rest of the AFL season wasn’t available on 7plus.

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo. Kate Geraghty
More than 5.3 million people tuned in for at least a minute across the entire NRL final, versus 6.1 million for the AFL (a figure known as “reach”). On average, a little over 1.6 million people stayed for the NRL Grand Final’s post-match ceremony, while 1.7 million watched Aussie pop star The Kid Laroi’s pre-game performance. Penrith won Sunday’s game before 80,156 people at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, etching their name in history as the third team to win four straight trophies.



Advertisement
Since February, Mr Abdo and the NRL have been saying rugby league has a higher viewership than any other sporting code.
“The 2024 NRL season is the most watched and attended season in Rugby League history,” he said on Monday. “Fans have responded to the amazing football which has translated into more people playing and watching the game than ever before.”
He says this past NRL season had a total of 153.7 million viewers, compared to the AFL’s 140.3 million – figures achieved by combining free-to-air and streaming audiences for every game. The AFL declined to comment.

These comparisons matter because the NRL is about to embark on an epic pitch for more money as it gears up to sell its broadcast rights for the years after 2027, when the current deal with Nine Entertainment and Foxtel expires.
Nine is the ASX-listed company that owns the Nine Network, streaming service Stan, radio stations 2GB and 3AW, and publishing titles including The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian Financial Review. Foxtel is controlled by News Corp and owns a pay TV business and streaming platforms Kayo Sports and Binge.

Mr Abdo wants to improve the NRL’s current agreement, and is arguing the NRL outscores its rivals in sheer numbers. In 2022, the AFL scored a seven-year, $4.5 billion deal for its media rights from Seven and Foxtel in 2022. That deal was struck before advertising by wagering firms around sport was in doubt and before corporate Australia collectively pulled back on its advertising spend in a cost of living crisis.

With so much at stake cutting through the spin can be difficult. An analysis of the official numbers suggests they might be smaller than claimed by head office. But Mr Abdo might still have a point on who is the biggest.
There were 207 games in the AFL season, plus nine finals matches – 216 in total. Of the main season, 77 games were aired on Seven with an average audience of 547,000 people. Foxtel’s streaming platforms broadcast all the games except the grand final. Including viewers on Foxtel’s streaming platforms (and not pay TV viewers, which aren’t reported), the AFL had 106.7 million views for AFL games in 2024.
There were 204 games in the NRL season, followed by nine matches in the finals – 213 in total. Nine aired 86 games from the main season of 27 rounds, with an average audience of 521,600 people. It then aired the eight finals plus the grand final. Again, Foxtel’s streaming platform has all games except the grand final.
With Foxtel’s streaming audience included, and not the pay TV viewers, the NRL had 112 million views for its games in the 2024 season, not including the three State of Origin matches. On this scale, the NRL is winning.

Not even sure this is accurate given the AFL have multiple games broadcast into local markets concurrently on FTA. The broadcasts may be averaging 547,000 but the games aren’t. In contrast, all FTA NRL games are broadcast nationally.

 

[The_Wookie]

I’m sure you are, but there are better sources of information for a journalist to use, particularly for the fin review. I don’t think you claim to be wholly accurate given you are only using publicly available data, which is now even more limited.

I don’t see you cited in this article, are they offical oztam numbers as has been cited, or are they numbers you have provided as compiled by publicly available OzTAM ratings reports?

The article uses information from an article previously published in the AFR that did use data tables compiled by me from VOZ - and I didnt require credit for, as its not why I do this. In both articles, they got data from Seven and Nine directly, but nothing from Foxtel.

With me its a case of saying heres the data I have, this is what it says, this is what other media releases have said from the broadcasters and Nine and letting them find their own conclusions.

I dont require citation or credit when I assist a journo, although sometimes they do it anyway. Ive had journos from NRL.com, SEN, News Limited - including the Telegraph, Nine newspapers including the SMH, the ABC, and the Guardian ask for information or just clarification from time to time.

 

[The_Wookie]

Not even sure this is accurate given the AFL have multiple games broadcast into local markets concurrently on FTA. The broadcasts may be averaging 547,000 but the games aren’t. In contrast, all FTA NRL games are broadcast nationally.

I could answer this, but you can always just write to oztam or the broadcasters and find out.

Its quite at odds with the VOZ data - Seven told the AFR they had 77 broadcasts - VOZ reports show 103 matches matches reported at 587,000 per game in them (515,000 exc finals).

Now what VOZ isnt showing is the overlaps - actual matches included included in the ratings are 147 at 406,000 (138 games at 346,000 pre finals). This doesnt include a further 49 matches, mostly shown in single markets or low rating markets, that failed to make the VOZ ratings.

Seven hasnt clarified its position to the AFR in either article they wrote, but we know from the past that Seven dont care about the Fox produced matches they have to broadcast under the contract, and dont consider their ratings when they report ratings like this. Which means this is likely Thursday, Friday, Saturday night and Public Holidays only.

 

[insert.pause]

Dude at this point I dont think it matters what I have to say. You dont think im worth shit on this subject. I get it. Have a good night.

I didn’t mean to offend you. Your data is not accurate, which is understandable since you don’t have access to a costly OzTAM subscription and only have what is made publicly available to work with. It’s not a criticism of you, your twitter account is great for fans to get a snapshot of things, I just don’t believe it’s the best source of information for a journalist to use. Not that much can be expected from newspapers these days.

 

[The_Wookie]

I didn’t mean to offend you. Your data is not accurate, which is understandable since you don’t have access to a costly OzTAM subscription and only have what is made publicly available to work with. It’s not a criticism of you, your twitter account is great for fans to get a snapshot of things, I just don’t believe it’s the best source of information for a journalist to use. Not that much can be expected from newspapers these days.

Its not the best source of anything. For somethings its the most convenient source when others drag their feet or refuse to answer ina tiimely fashion. And sometimes, its just to get clarity on the data they have.

 

[insert.pause]

I could answer this, but you can always just write to oztam or the broadcasters and find out.

Its quite at odds with the VOZ data - Seven told the AFR they had 77 broadcasts - VOZ reports show 103 matches matches reported at 587,000 per game in them (515,000 exc finals).

Now what VOZ isnt showing is the overlaps - actual matches included included in the ratings are 147 at 406,000 (138 games at 346,000 pre finals). This doesnt include a further 49 matches, mostly shown in single markets or low rating markets, that failed to make the VOZ ratings.

Seven hasnt clarified its position to the AFR in either article they wrote, but we know from the past that Seven dont care about the Fox produced matches they have to broadcast under the contract, and dont consider their ratings when they report ratings like this. Which means this is likely Thursday, Friday, Saturday night and Public Holidays only.

It is probably something the NRL would have liked the AFR to have acknowledged, particularly given Abdo’s misgivings about their reporting.

 

[insert.pause]

The article uses information from an article previously published in the AFR that did use data tables compiled by me from VOZ - and I didnt require credit for, as its not why I do this. In both articles, they got data from Seven and Nine directly, but nothing from Foxtel.

With me its a case of saying heres the data I have, this is what it says, this is what other media releases have said from the broadcasters and Nine and letting them find their own conclusions.

I dont require citation or credit when I assist a journo, although sometimes they do it anyway. Ive had journos from NRL.com, SEN, News Limited - including the Telegraph, Nine newspapers including the SMH, the ABC, and the Guardian ask for information or just clarification from time to time.

I didn't think you were in it for the fame! I do think readers should know where the information is coming from, even if it is indirectly. I’m probably too idealistic but I think journalistic standards should be just that, standard, and not rise or fall based on expediency.

 

[The_Wookie]

It is probably something the NRL would have liked the AFR to have acknowledged, particularly given Abdo’s misgivings about their reporting.

And this was something we did have a lengthy chat about, and its been a thing for years - Sevens official position and the actual ratings position are two different things - and I wonder if that matters when they bid for rights - In the end journos kind of have to go with what they get from Seven or Oztam over whatever I have to say, even if I can show the specific data it comes from - you shouldnt be able to beat the source.

 

[The_Wookie]

I didn't think you were in it for the fame! I do think readers should know where the information is coming from, even if it is indirectly. I’m probably too idealistic but I think journalistic standards should be just that, standard, and not rise or fall based on expediency.

Look in an ideal world everyone would get credit - and some are better than others at it. In the case of the first AFR article earlier in the week, they asked if I wanted it, and I said no. The Telegraph had a thing for just outright stealing graphs Id made - specifically one that Rothfield used which showed the difference between broadcast and actual average for Seven a couple of years ago. The ABC, the Guardian and others have always given credit where they cite me.

 

[Jacko11]

Jacko, are you going to continue giving ratings updates ? Comparing the league internationals to the Aussie Rules internationals ?

AFL isn’t an international sport numb nuts, it’s just king of Australia, your code is king of PNG

 

[Jacko11]

Congrats, a rare ratings win by the AFL.

Only need to win another 29 weekends and you'll officially be the 'big dog'

Ratings are based on average viewers for the entirety of the game, AFL games go for around 150 minutes compared to Neanderballs 110 including breaks obviously, some AFL games overlap too, then we look at attendance where the AFL goes balls deep on Neanderball.