2023 Crowds and TV/Streaming

[Demon13304]

I'll give the (slightly) more pessimistic view:

It's hard to get more than 90k to H&A games, as shown by Coll/Carl in R23 last year, which despite more anticipation than any normal H&A game for years and 'selling out' way in advance still only got 88k.

So be prepared for high 80s on Thursday and low 80s on Friday.

Melbourne got 58k against WB as a season opener and GF rematch but have very few other 50k games against non Big 4 teams. This is tricky to predict but I wouldn't be surprised to see it stall in the 40s.

Ess/Haw has currently underwhelming ticket sales but maybe people know they don't need to reserve a seat and can just turn up. Maybe 55-60k.

As for the rest, home games against interstate opposition for StK, North, GC, GWS and Port is about as bad a combination as is possible. Are we expecting any more than 10-15k for either the GC or GWS games? St Kilda and North v the Perth teams at Docklands both look like being mid 20s if we're lucky. Port hardly ever get to 45k if it's not a Showdown.

We could easily be looking at only 120k between those 5 games.

What's hurting here is the lack of a Perth game. Switch one of the Marvel games to Perth (as would normally be expected) and you can add 20-30k and 400k in total would be a breeze.

As it is I think it'll be touch and go for the overall round record.

Hopefully though your prediction is closer than mine. Would be great to smash 400k!

Just on Melbourne vs Doggies, that was on a Wednesday night, which just plainly sucks, and still had that lingering covid effect. Plus it wasn't the most appetising game for Doggies fans to go to ona Wednesday night.
But yeah you're right though, there's only been 2 non-big 4 crowds higher than 50k against the Doggies (since 1997) so even 50k would be a good crowd


And on gold coast, I wouldn't be surprised if they had a good year for crowds, last team they went decent in 2014, they averaged 16k and I think with covid having much less of an effect, you'll have more travelling fans. It'd be good if they got about 15k against the Swans.
I don't think 2022 was really the year to judge crowds, it didn't start feeling normal until the very end.

 

[manicmagpie]

Just on Melbourne vs Doggies, that was on a Wednesday night, which just plainly sucks, and still had that lingering covid effect. Plus it wasn't the most appetising game for Doggies fans to go to ona Wednesday night.
But yeah you're right though, there's only been 2 non-big 4 crowds higher than 50k against the Doggies (since 1997) so even 50k would be a good crowd


And on gold coast, I wouldn't be surprised if they had a good year for crowds, last team they went decent in 2014, they averaged 16k and I think with covid having much less of an effect, you'll have more travelling fans. It'd be good if they got about 15k against the Swans.
I don't think 2022 was really the year to judge crowds, it didn't start feeling normal until the very end.

I agree. I think this year feels different and we are primed to see some great crowds.

I‘m trying to keep a lid on it until they actually happen, though.

 

[CarnTheScray]

Barely any dogs fans bothered turning up last year and I don’t blame them. Wednesday night vs the team that belted us at the MCG which isn’t the most ideal place to get to after finishing work in the western suburbs, with work the next day and trains back to the western suburbs ending relatively early.

We had plenty turn up vs Richmond in 2021 on a Saturday night.

 

[Rob]

I'll give the (slightly) more pessimistic view:

It's hard to get more than 90k to H&A games, as shown by Coll/Carl in R23 last year, which despite more anticipation than any normal H&A game for years and 'selling out' way in advance still only got 88k.

So be prepared for high 80s on Thursday and low 80s on Friday.

Melbourne got 58k against WB as a season opener and GF rematch but have very few other 50k games against non Big 4 teams. This is tricky to predict but I wouldn't be surprised to see it stall in the 40s.

Ess/Haw has currently underwhelming ticket sales but maybe people know they don't need to reserve a seat and can just turn up. Maybe 55-60k.

How many people actually buy a ticket at the gate now?

 

[manicmagpie]

How many people actually buy a ticket at the gate now?

Not that many in the outer, but there’ll probably be a big number of AFL members who will be scanning in on the day rather than reserving seats as there are currently bugger all in that area sold.

 

[Sammoll]

Two 90k+ games to open the season

 

[MattF185]

Two 90k+ games to open the season

90k, not so sure. I’m guessing, tonight 88.5k, tomorrow night 88k

 

[The_Wookie]

16.03.23

AFL Media Release – Friday R1 blockbuster sold out

The AFL is pleased to announce that general public tickets for the Geelong Cats v Collingwood on Friday, 17 March at the MCG sold out this morning.

Club members will be able to access general admission areas by scanning their memberships.

Executive General Manager Customer and Commercial Kylie Rogers said ticket sales for Round One were a reflection of the excitement ahead of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

"Footy is back tonight and excitement is reaching fever-pitch. If you're a club member or MCC member and weighing up going tonight – it is an event not to be missed," Rogers said.

"We're expecting crowds of more than 80,000 tonight and tomorrow night, and approximately 350,000 fans across the entire Round One," Rogers said.

"We sold out general public tickets for tonight's season opener and now we've sold out Friday's qualifying final rematch. This is off the back of selling out the Anzac Day match in less than a week, and four out of the nine Gather Round matches.

General public tickets for the Anzac Day blockbuster between Collingwood and Essendon went on sale for the general public on Wednesday 22 February and sold out less than a week later on Tuesday 28 February.

Should further tickets become available for the Anzac Day match, they will be released via Ticketek at 11am (AEST) Friday 21st April 2023.

 

[manicmagpie]

Apparently just over 87k at the moment.

Source: BT

 

[manicmagpie]

88,084 according to BT.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

88,084.

 

[Our Game]

88,084.

Now lets see if tomorrow nights match at the G can get over 90,000.

 

[gaelictiogar]

Marvelous crowd. Any H and A attendance in the high 80s is effectively a full house.

 

[The_Wookie]

Friday AFL
7 Metro 522,000
Fox 286,000

Data: Oztam

 

[The_Wookie]

 

[Our Game]

View attachment 1631504

And more importantly 168,000 ahead of the combined NRL figures!

The AFL was the fifth most viewed show on FTA TV last night and the NRL 11th and was only 5000 behind the RL on Foxtel = the days of NRL TV viewing dominance is over and that is why the AFL gets the TV big bucks.

 

[The_Wookie]

Friday, 17 March 2023


AFL season opener reaches 2.14 million

Audience up 19% on 2022 season average

The 2023 AFL Premiership Season scored high on the Seven Network last night, with the live and free season opener between Richmond and Carlton reaching 2.14 million viewers on Channel 7 and 7mate.

The showdown peaked at 1.07 million viewers nationally, with the match averaging 699,000 viewers, up 19% compared to the 2022 AFL series average and up 5% on the 2022 season opening Thursday night.

Richmond and Carlton’s thrilling draw dominated TV viewing in their home town last night – ranking as the #1 program in Melbourne in total people, 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s – and was up 7% in Sydney on the 2022 season opening Thursday night.

Seven’s coverage captured 69.4% of the overall AFL TV audience for last night’s game, including 75% of all viewers in regional Australia.

Played in front of a sold-out crowd at the MCG, the blockbuster clash helped the Seven Network grow its overnight prime time audience in total people by 50% week-on-week, 81% in 25 to 54s and 132% in 16 to 39s.

Managing Director Seven Melbourne and Head of Network Sport, Lewis Martin, said: “After a huge 2022 AFL season on Seven and the AFL Grand Final ranking as the #1 program in the 2022 ratings survey year, we’re thrilled to once again bring Australians the country’s number one sport, live and free.


“Seven’s unparalleled coverage, with an exceptional team of expert commentators, delivers the energy and passion of the new season to fans across Australia, and we can’t wait to see what new heart-stopping stories and unforgetting matches will unfold in 2023.”

 

[The Educator]

Friday, 17 March 2023


AFL season opener reaches 2.14 million

Audience up 19% on 2022 season average

The 2023 AFL Premiership Season scored high on the Seven Network last night, with the live and free season opener between Richmond and Carlton reaching 2.14 million viewers on Channel 7 and 7mate.

The showdown peaked at 1.07 million viewers nationally, with the match averaging 699,000 viewers, up 19% compared to the 2022 AFL series average and up 5% on the 2022 season opening Thursday night.

Richmond and Carlton’s thrilling draw dominated TV viewing in their home town last night – ranking as the #1 program in Melbourne in total people, 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s – and was up 7% in Sydney on the 2022 season opening Thursday night.

Seven’s coverage captured 69.4% of the overall AFL TV audience for last night’s game, including 75% of all viewers in regional Australia.

Played in front of a sold-out crowd at the MCG, the blockbuster clash helped the Seven Network grow its overnight prime time audience in total people by 50% week-on-week, 81% in 25 to 54s and 132% in 16 to 39s.

Managing Director Seven Melbourne and Head of Network Sport, Lewis Martin, said: “After a huge 2022 AFL season on Seven and the AFL Grand Final ranking as the #1 program in the 2022 ratings survey year, we’re thrilled to once again bring Australians the country’s number one sport, live and free.


“Seven’s unparalleled coverage, with an exceptional team of expert commentators, delivers the energy and passion of the new season to fans across Australia, and we can’t wait to see what new heart-stopping stories and unforgetting matches will unfold in 2023.”

I wonder where that came from?

Of the revealed numbers, 7 has 71% of the total audience by my calcs (which is obviously slightly larger than 69%)

Presumably the networks get a very detailed breakdown, including of foxtel numbers.

 

[The_Wookie]

I wonder where that came from?

Of the revealed numbers, 7 has 71% of the total audience by my calcs (which is obviously slightly larger than 69%)

Presumably the networks get a very detailed breakdown, including of foxtel numbers.

Its a Seven media release

 

[The Educator]

Its a Seven media release

Yeah I was more asking where the calculation and underlying data came from (obviously aware nobody could answer it)

 

[The_Wookie]

Yeah I was more asking where the calculation and underlying data came from (obviously aware nobody could answer it)

that would be Oztam/Regtam

 

[MattF185]

Going off my calculations, last night’s crowd of 88,084 comes in as the 24th highest ever H&A crowd.

12 of the top 20 are ANZAC Day clashes between Coll and ESS. 4 others are public holiday matches. The only non public holiday matches to have a higher crowd are:

8th all time: 91,571 Carl v ESS 2000 (top of table clash)
13th all time: 90,151 Rich v Carl 2018 (season opener)
17th all time: 88,468 ESS v Rich 2007 (Sheedy and Hird last Melb match)
20th all time: 88,287 Carl v Coll 2022
21st all time: 88,181 Carl v Coll 2011
22nd all time: 88,180 Rich v Coll 2018
23rd all time: 88,115 Coll v Geel 2010

Would love if tonight can move into the Top 25 all time!

 

[manicmagpie]

What a start to the season! Two amazing crowds.

 

[kranger]

The opening two crowds are fantastic, but it is a shame that despite being sold out, there is still 10-15% of the capacity missing.

 

[The_Wookie]