Talking Footy

has told the AFL that its national audience would increase by about 500,000, a key selling point in the game's developing markets in NSW and Queensland

The Sydney audience for the AFL GF reduced by 300,000 last year...

You can take that number off again when the Swans don't make the GF this year, regardless of what time of the day they show it...

And yet the AFL GF still attracted a larger audience than the NRL GF last year. This of course despite the fact that the AFL GF was broadcast on Saturday afternoon whilst the NRL GF was broadcast during prime time on a Sunday night with Melbourne Storm participating.

When was the last time the NRL GF attracted a bigger audience than the AFL GF? Answer - yet to happen.

It will happen this year...

I don't see how it will happen this year. Maybe in 2-3 years.

Willis 21 wrote:

It will happen this year...

Why would this year be any different than every other year in history?

Because this will be the first year in a while where the AFL rigging of the competition through salary cap concessions and preferential drafts will not result in either the Swans or Lions getting in the grand final...

I can't see people in NSW and QLD getting worked up over Essendon and West Coast or Geelong and Adelaide...

Can you??

Meanwhile if the Storm make the NRL GF....

The Storm will make the GF again. The AFL has never been rigged! It takes time to build a premiership side,. if WC don't win it, a Victorian side will.! (Not the pies hopefuly)

The only Victorian side I would be tipping for are the Dons..

I'm tipping another West Coast/Sydney grand final. The best Victorian chance is Geelong.

Beauaussie is right - the NRL GF has NEVER outrated the AFL GF. I'd go as far as to say that it's never happened since both were first broadcast live on TV (in the case of the then VFL that was in 1977 - not sure about the NSWRL/NRL).

And how many times have Sydney been in it during that time?

I think Willis needs to do a massive rethink on his view.

You realise that 1 million people watched the NRL grand final in Melbourne last year, compared to about 700,000 who watched the AFL final in Sydney??

The norm for Sydney watching the AFL GF is about 400k...

Willis 21 wrote:

You realise that 1 million people watched the NRL grand final in Melbourne last year, compared to about 700,000 who watched the AFL final in Sydney??

No Willis, your information is incorrect again. There was no where near 1 million people from Melbourne watching the NRL GF?

According to OzTam it was 871,000.

http://www.oztam.com.au/documents/2006/E_20061001.pdf

And the AFL GF averaged 759,000 in Sydney not 700,000 as you'd have us believe.

http://www.oztam.com.au/documents/2006/E_20060924.pdf

I watched it in Sydney coz the Swans were playing sadly the result was not wha I hoped but a good game all the same

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 82,00.html

MELBOURNE didn't win the rugby league grand final but rugby league won Melbourne. In an incredible ratings result for the Nine network, more people watched the NRL finale between Melbourne Storm and the Brisbane Broncos in Melbourne than in Sydney or Brisbane.
Nine’s telecast averaged 2.56 million across the five capital cities, with a peak of 2.98 million viewers.

Melbourne’s audience peaked at 8.29pm with 1.064 million and averaged 903,000, to become the city’s highest rating league telecast ever.

I say leave it as it is. Too much has already changed in footy and not all for the best. Keep the tradition of the great Aussie BBQ lunch, beers and footy going!!!!

I agree.