Why businesses base serious $'s of adveretising spending on them is well beyond me.
Because it's the best that they have got.
Question: How much weight does the GF rating have in determining a TV contract's worth? Probably less than one would think. The average throughout the year would be much more important to a TV exec given the GF rating depends heavily on who is playing in it, something that can't be determined when the contracts are signed (though I guess this apsect could be factored into the equation by considering odds for certain combinations of teams to appear in the finals).
This said, the biggest ratings come when at least one team from outside traditional states playoff. The odds of this occuring are about even in both competitions at present with both AFL and NRL having two teams outside traditional areas (well, only one really for the NRL), though the probability will double for AFL in the next two years with the addition of their two new teams.
The fact that the two GFs are generally on par with each other means all the squabbling about the highest figure is largely a waste of energy.
Sidenote: odd Andrew Demetriou Fact: Andrew Demetriou has factories in
Brazil and
India which manufacture dental products and export them to 70 markets, including Australia.