AFL & NRL Footy TV Ratings - 2026

[WookieReturns]

They are still estimates though yes - so 1 person viewing equates to 3000 estimated viewers. Inferential statistics yes?

Yes its literally a survey. 12,000 homes are extrapolated out to the rest of the population.

[Beaussie]

Monday 1 June

Footy shows outside of the top 30.

Program Network Average Total TV

AFL

FOOTY CLASSIFIED -MON NINE 168,000

THE AGENDA SETTERS - ENCORE SEVEN 123,000
THE AGENDA SETTERS SEVEN 103,000


NRL

100% FOOTY Nine 176,000

THE AGENDA SETTERS: RUGBY LEAGUE - ENCORE SEVEN 64,000
THE AGENDA SETTERS: RUGBY LEAGUE SEVEN 31,000

[leeroy*NRL*]

Simple and easy to understand below >>>>>

Traditional & Connected TV (e.g., Nielsen, OzTAM, BARB)

Reach: Counts unique viewers who tune in for a minimum of 1 consecutive minute (or >15 seconds for broadcast video on demand / BVOD)

Average Viewership: The sum of all individuals watching each minute, divided by the total duration of the program.

Actually not quite. Average viewership is the total sum who watch for a minimum period of time, in this case 15 minutes.

ok 15 min's (that is actually a better estimate i guess)

[Terry]

For clarity below is the definitive reasoning behind TV ratings reach V average numbers. It is made by TV Blackbox boss and broadcast expert Rob McKnight. His last paragraph says it all:

The Industry Spin: McKnight points out that networks push "reach" figures for PR spin because it yields massive, inflated numbers. However, when it comes down to a definitive ratings win, true industry professionals and news outlets only recognize the average audience size.

Read the whole article folks. The argument is over!!



Australian television and media commentator Robert McKnight argues that a program’s success should be judged by its average audience rather than its reach. He strongly criticizes the industry’s shift toward promoting reach, stating that network executives use it to spin false narratives and that no legitimate claim to a ratings win is based on it.

In his Media McKnight commentary on TV Blackbox, McKnight specifically highlighted these key points: The Definitions:Average Audience represents the true, consistent number of viewers who watch a show from start to finish. It measures actual, engaged viewership.

Reach represents the cumulative, unique number of people who tune in for a much shorter, fractional period (e.g., watching just one minute of broadcast TV or 15 seconds of BVOD).

The Industry Spin: McKnight points out that networks push "reach" figures for PR spin because it yields massive, inflated numbers. However, when it comes down to a definitive ratings win, true industry professionals and news outlets only recognize the average audience size.

[Beaussie]

Another big Thursday night tv ratings win for the AFL, with Adelaide winning a close game against Geelong. The Thursday night trend of AFL games outrating the NRL continues following Manly defeating South Sydney last night. There was more AFL tv viewers in Sydney than NRL viewers in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth combined.


Thursday 4 June

SEVEN’S AFL: THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Seven 1,764,000 697,000 95,000

Sydney 32,000
Melbourne 237,000
Brisbane 23,000
Adelaide 120,000
Perth 67,000

5 city total 479,000


THURSDAY NIGHT NRL LIVE Nine 1,393,000 609,000 129,000

Sydney 208,000
Brisbane 128,000
Melbourne/Adelaide/Perth 28,000

5 city metro total 364,000

[Beaussie]

Yet another big Friday night win for the AFL in reach and average, with the Western Bulldogs winning a close game against the Hawthorn Hawks.

In the NRL, another blowout scoreline game saw the Sydney Roosters thrash the Canberra Raiders who could not score a single point. With the recent trend of AFL games easily out rating the NRL, do you think there may be an issue with the lopsided nature of rugby league games in 2026? Viewers appear to be switching off. It would be reasonable to think the same free to air decline trends are happening on Fox/Kayo for the NRL yeah?


Friday 5 June

SEVEN’S AFL: FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Seven 1,718,000 633,000 93,000

FRIDAY NIGHT NRL LIVE Nine 1,231,000 524,000 111,000