LOL - Apparently the AFL wants to kill off the NRL

[zachary]

I feel the NRL and RL supporters have an inferiority complex when it comes to competing with AFL. We believe AFL is a bigger game and consequently we are always on the back foot. The media dont help us here either.
Here are some facts I posted on another thread

QLD/NSW Population - 11.4m
NZ Population - 4.3m

VIC/SA/WA/TAS - 9.7m

Think about it. RL has a MUCH LARGER interested audience than AFL does. Yes we have the Swans in Sydney and the Lions in Brisbane but apart from the core of regular supporters, no one else in QLD or NSW really cares.

Here's another fact - ALOT more people move from the southern (AFL) states to NSW and QLD than vice-versa. If you did a census of people at Swans or Lions games you'd find the majority of them are originally from the Southern States anyway. It just masks the reality that no one in NSW or QLD really cares about AFL. We dont watch it on TV, we dont read about it in the papers.....we dont care at all. That's over half the Australian population who dont care.

Yet you will hear the AFL and the media (who probably moved from down south to Sydney as well - hey Kochie) say they are a National Game. If they can be bothered to even talk about RL they a)Dont even know a thing about it, and b) think it's a tiny little game that no one really cares about.

But look at the population figures. RL IS THE BIGGEST GAME IN TOWN!!!!!

If your theory was correct, then on those population figures, RL crowds should be huge and ratings through the roof. Instead, what you have proved is that despite having a much bigger " home" market, RL's popularity is surprisingly low.

 

[Hoops]

I feel the NRL and RL supporters have an inferiority complex when it comes to competing with AFL. We believe AFL is a bigger game and consequently we are always on the back foot. The media dont help us here either.
Here are some facts I posted on another thread

QLD/NSW Population - 11.4m
NZ Population - 4.3m

VIC/SA/WA/TAS - 9.7m

Think about it. RL has a MUCH LARGER interested audience than AFL does. Yes we have the Swans in Sydney and the Lions in Brisbane but apart from the core of regular supporters, no one else in QLD or NSW really cares.

Here's another fact - ALOT more people move from the southern (AFL) states to NSW and QLD than vice-versa. If you did a census of people at Swans or Lions games you'd find the majority of them are originally from the Southern States anyway. It just masks the reality that no one in NSW or QLD really cares about AFL. We dont watch it on TV, we dont read about it in the papers.....we dont care at all. That's over half the Australian population who dont care.

Yet you will hear the AFL and the media (who probably moved from down south to Sydney as well - hey Kochie) say they are a National Game. If they can be bothered to even talk about RL they a)Dont even know a thing about it, and b) think it's a tiny little game that no one really cares about.

But look at the population figures. RL IS THE BIGGEST GAME IN TOWN!!!!!

Your assumption is based on AFL and NRL having equal per capita support in it's heartland. when we both know that AFL has greater support in its heartlands compared to NRL, but not only that AFL has greater support outside its heartlands, and every indicator points to this.

How this for a fact

Australia population = 21m; favourite football code = Aussie Rules
New Zealand population = 4.3m ;Favourite football code = rugby Union
So based on your logic, Rugby League has zero support in those two countrys.

 

[Selggad]

All I'd like to say is I hope NRL is reduced to a suburban game that dies out. It is such a boring code of football. Of the four codes played in Australia, league has the least going for it. There are two things that happen in league; 1) Big hits 2) Occasionally there is some good back work. However, for the most part, league can be summed up as:

Run, Hit, Run, Hit, Run, Hit, Run, Hit, Run, Hit, Kick, Turn over, do the same in the opposite direction. Boring, boring, boring. Extremely one dimensional.

Union is a great game with lots of different facets and tempos. Aussie rules has more excitement in a quarter than league has in a season and soccer is both strategic and tactical with sublime skills. League is just dumb.

However, the chance of us all being relieved of this tedium is small. Thank god RL players are even more stupid than AFL players (except for Fevola, who really should be playing league) and their adminstration are mainly ex-players, hence also very stupid. There is some chance they will wipe themselves out.

 

[Harry Yorkie]

However, the chance of us all being relieved of this tedium is small. Thank god RL players are even more stupid than AFL players (except for Fevola, who really should be playing league) and their adminstration are mainly ex-players, hence also very stupid. There is some chance they will wipe themselves out.

I would like to know where there is any evidence that a code suffers due to improper behaviour of its players. The NFL aren't that fussed with bad player behaviour, they almost regard any publicity as good publicity, it is one of the few ways to get sport on the front page of the paper. The NRL might dissapear up its own arse but it won't be due to players behaving like nongs.

 

[Professor Knowall]

I feel the NRL and RL supporters have an inferiority complex when it comes to competing with AFL. We believe AFL is a bigger game and consequently we are always on the back foot. ...

A good start here - yes, the AFL is bigger. MUCH bigger. So the NewsLtd Rugby lovers have a very good reason for having an inferiority complex - which neatly explains why you posted on an AFL forum.

...Here are some facts I posted on another thread
QLD/NSW Population - 11.4m
NZ Population - 4.3m
VIC/SA/WA/TAS - 9.7m

Think about it. RL has a MUCH LARGER interested audience than AFL does.

Um - no it doesn't - not even remotely close. Here are the real facts -What you forget is that half the residents of NSW and Qld don't really care about the NewsLtd Rugby code - and 95% of Kiwis also don't give a toss about NewsLtd Rugby - they follow their code of Rugby instead. In contrast, the overwhelming population of Vic/SA/WA/Tas support our Austtralian code of football - and it also has a far bigger following in NSW and Qld than the almost non-existant following that NewsLtd Rugby has in Vic/SA/WA/Tas

... Here's another fact - ALOT more people move from the southern (AFL) states to NSW and QLD than vice-versa. ...

Wrong again - Melbourne is the fastest growing city in Australia and has been for the last 10 years (boosted by migration particularly from Sydney), followed by Perth. Just check the stats and articles out in the ABS website - or look at this http://www.huliq.com/1/80053/melbourne-fastest-growing-capital

... If you did a census of people at Swans or Lions games you'd find the majority of them are originally from the Southern States anyway. It just masks the reality that no one in NSW or QLD really cares about AFL. We dont watch it on TV, we dont read about it in the papers.....we dont care at all. That's over half the Australian population who dont care.

Nows its getting just funny. The direst reverse is actualky the case. Sydney and Brisbanes AFL crowds dwarf the NewsLtd Rugby congregations (hardly call them crowds) in Melbourne. And surveys have shown 80% of SCG crowds have grown up in Sydney - in complete contrast to the northern refugees who attend the NewsLtd Storm games.

... It just masks the reality that no one in NSW or QLD really cares about AFL. We dont watch it on TV, we dont read about it in the papers.....we dont care at all. That's over half the Australian population who dont care. ...

The crowd numbers in Sydney and Brisbane clearly prove otherwise. So do participation numbers. And actually you DO watch it on TV (albeit not in very large numbers). This is in completye contrast to the rest of Australia where they don't even bother putting NewsLts Rugby on TV - because they know that no-one will bother to watch it.

... Yet you will hear the AFL and the media (who probably moved from down south to Sydney as well - hey Kochie) say they are a National Game. If they can be bothered to even talk about RL they a)Dont even know a thing about it, and b) think it's a tiny little game that no one really cares about.

But look at the population figures. RL IS THE BIGGEST GAME IN TOWN!!!!!

You even got Kochie in the arguement! The Sydney based media (headed by News Ltd) is the only thing keeping its code in existance, so be very greatful. But as for the biggest game in town -

Attendances - Australian Football followed by daylight (followed by several more days and nights)
Participation - Australian Football followed by daylight (just check out the ABS website on sports participation)
Revenue - ditto.

Thats because many more millions follow the Australian game ahead of the NewsLtd code - as the most recent surveys all too clearly show - http://www.roymorgan.com/news/press-releases/2009/906/

The future competition for dominance will be clearly betrween Australian Football and soccer. NewsLtd rugby will still have a bit of a regional follwing in its so-called heartlands (which compared to AFL heartlands, aren't really heartlands at all. However, it will never be able to compete nationally. It's really not much of a game.

 

[Fire Storm]

Big flippin deal. You guys are so boring. You keep bagging LU - morons even I admit - yet do the same here?

Who gives a rats. I'm a born and bred Victorian and love RL yet enjoy AFL almost as much. The pies v poo's...er...crows was as good as it gets. Well almost. If only the mighty Blues were there it would've been so much better.

I mean, did it get any better then watching 'Sticks' Kernahan, 'The Dominator' Johnston and Greg 'Diesel' Williams in glory days of Carlton? I think not.

But I digress.


Don't like it? Don't watch it. But there's plenty of us - ok, not AFL numbers - Victorians that love the Storm. Actually, quite a few ex-AFL members as well.


Despite what is said at LU - loseruberunlimited - I know plenty of RL fans that enjoy AFL. And I know plenty of AFL fans who enjoy RL. Good on em I say.


Life still goes on if you support more then one team in two different codes.




Carn the Blues and Go Storm!!!

 

[ARES]

We know the NRL is strong in New South Wales and Queensland, but there is so much that they can saturate the game there. Aussie Rules and soccer are in an expansion phase and will grow into these new areas and what "delicious" big markets they are

AFL tv rights 2011 - You want footy, then pay up
RL tv rights 2012 - After most $$$ would have been spent on aquiring AFL tv rights why would you pay excessive $$ for RL when ....soccers tv rights will be in 2013!! Soccer by then will have more teams in more states, Aussis national team currently ranked 14th,growing at an alarming rate in terms of participation and is the World Game.

I can see the tv stations hand balling RL to be able to bid for Soccer rather than RL

World cup 2010 perfect for soccer to increase even more in popularity just before tv rights...So if I was a RL supporter I'd be watching over my shoulder because here comes soccer....forget catching Aussie Rules, it has bolted away...

 

[finders]

I feel the NRL and RL supporters have an inferiority complex when it comes to competing with AFL. We believe AFL is a bigger game and consequently we are always on the back foot. The media dont help us here either.
Here are some facts I posted on another thread

QLD/NSW Population - 11.4m
NZ Population - 4.3m

VIC/SA/WA/TAS - 9.7m

Think about it. RL has a MUCH LARGER interested audience than AFL does. Yes we have the Swans in Sydney and the Lions in Brisbane but apart from the core of regular supporters, no one else in QLD or NSW really cares.

Here's another fact - ALOT more people move from the southern (AFL) states to NSW and QLD than vice-versa. If you did a census of people at Swans or Lions games you'd find the majority of them are originally from the Southern States anyway. It just masks the reality that no one in NSW or QLD really cares about AFL. We dont watch it on TV, we dont read about it in the papers.....we dont care at all. That's over half the Australian population who dont care.

Yet you will hear the AFL and the media (who probably moved from down south to Sydney as well - hey Kochie) say they are a National Game. If they can be bothered to even talk about RL they a)Dont even know a thing about it, and b) think it's a tiny little game that no one really cares about.

But look at the population figures. RL IS THE BIGGEST GAME IN TOWN!!!!!

Absolute load of shite!The AFL is at least a truly National AUSTRALIAN game and thugby an imported pommie game is limited to 3 states.With no one giving a shit about it in Victoria.

 

[Fire Storm]

Just because your team finished 2nd last doesn't mean you can have a cry, ARES.

 

[Redb#]

A good start here - yes, the AFL is bigger. MUCH bigger. So the NewsLtd Rugby lovers have a very good reason for having an inferiority complex - which neatly explains why you posted on an AFL forum.

Um - no it doesn't - not even remotely close. Here are the real facts -What you forget is that half the residents of NSW and Qld don't really care about the NewsLtd Rugby code - and 95% of Kiwis also don't give a toss about NewsLtd Rugby - they follow their code of Rugby instead. In contrast, the overwhelming population of Vic/SA/WA/Tas support our Austtralian code of football - and it also has a far bigger following in NSW and Qld than the almost non-existant following that NewsLtd Rugby has in Vic/SA/WA/Tas

Wrong again - Melbourne is the fastest growing city in Australia and has been for the last 10 years (boosted by migration particularly from Sydney), followed by Perth. Just check the stats and articles out in the ABS website - or look at this http://www.huliq.com/1/80053/melbourne-fastest-growing-capital

Nows its getting just funny. The direst reverse is actualky the case. Sydney and Brisbanes AFL crowds dwarf the NewsLtd Rugby congregations (hardly call them crowds) in Melbourne. And surveys have shown 80% of SCG crowds have grown up in Sydney - in complete contrast to the northern refugees who attend the NewsLtd Storm games.

The crowd numbers in Sydney and Brisbane clearly prove otherwise. So do participation numbers. And actually you DO watch it on TV (albeit not in very large numbers). This is in completye contrast to the rest of Australia where they don't even bother putting NewsLts Rugby on TV - because they know that no-one will bother to watch it.

You even got Kochie in the arguement! The Sydney based media (headed by News Ltd) is the only thing keeping its code in existance, so be very greatful. But as for the biggest game in town -

Attendances - Australian Football followed by daylight (followed by several more days and nights)
Participation - Australian Football followed by daylight (just check out the ABS website on sports participation)
Revenue - ditto.

Thats because many more millions follow the Australian game ahead of the NewsLtd code - as the most recent surveys all too clearly show - http://www.roymorgan.com/news/press-releases/2009/906/

The future competition for dominance will be clearly betrween Australian Football and soccer. NewsLtd rugby will still have a bit of a regional follwing in its so-called heartlands (which compared to AFL heartlands, aren't really heartlands at all. However, it will never be able to compete nationally. It's really not much of a game.

well dissected post and on the money.

If this was LU - there would be comments like this "die Storm die"

So in the spirit of the code war and in retribution for Sydney ignoring the Swans when they are not winning - "die Herald sun storm die" and take Bennett with you the scared wierd little bloke with the personality of a poddy mullet.

Redb

 

[West Syd Story]

Here are some facts I posted on another thread

QLD/NSW Population - 11.4m
NZ Population - 4.3m

VIC/SA/WA/TAS - 9.7m

Think about it. RL has a MUCH LARGER interested audience than AFL does.

...

But look at the population figures. RL IS THE BIGGEST GAME IN TOWN!!!!!

The demographic numbers Brisbane Broncos has mentioned is one of the arguments as to why the AFL are expanding into Gold Coast and West Sydney.
The population of the league heartland states is bigger than the population of the Australian Football heartland states, and that gap is likely to widen.
If Australian Football was confined to its heartland, it's share of the Australian sporting market would decline. To maintain market share, the AFL's plan is to build a stronger following in its non-heartland areas - while it will always be a minority, the AFL will be stronger in NRL areas than the NRL is in AFL areas.

The AFL won't kill the NRL, and it certainly won't happen in our lifetime. But that doesn't mean the AFL can't expand its operations and increase the reach of the game.

 

[Redb#]

The demographic numbers Brisbane Broncos has mentioned is one of the arguments as to why the AFL are expanding into Gold Coast and West Sydney.
The population of the league heartland states is bigger than the population of the Australian Football heartland states, and that gap is likely to widen.
If Australian Football was confined to its heartland, it's share of the Australian sporting market would decline. To maintain market share, the AFL's plan is to build a stronger following in its non-heartland areas - while it will always be a minority, the AFL will be stronger in NRL areas than the NRL is in AFL areas.

The AFL won't kill the NRL, and it certainly won't happen in our lifetime. But that doesn't mean the AFL can't expand its operations and increase the reach of the game.

Exactly right.

News Ltd press in Sydney the Daily Telegraph are selling newspapers by breeding fear into the RL public about the AFL invasion into the RL heartland - Western Sydney.

When RL coaches like Bennett over-react you know the fear mongering is working, its time to hit back and boycott the News Ltd owned Herald Sun Storm.

Every action creates an opposite reaction. If they object to our games expansion its only fair that there expansion is met head on.

By attending Storm games or watching on TV you are helping News LTd with their objectives. News Ltd should not be in sport. To be succinct it is News Ltd who want to kill Aussie Rules.

 

[Fire Storm]

Oh for petes sake. I've head everything now.

Firstly I just get banned at LU, now this. Am I in la la land? Somebody hold up fingers, quick.


There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no...

 

[The Ghost Of Glenferrie]

I feel the NRL and RL supporters have an inferiority complex when it comes to competing with AFL. We believe AFL is a bigger game and consequently we are always on the back foot. The media dont help us here either.
Here are some facts I posted on another thread

QLD/NSW Population - 11.4m
NZ Population - 4.3m

VIC/SA/WA/TAS - 9.7m

Think about it. RL has a MUCH LARGER interested audience than AFL does. Yes we have the Swans in Sydney and the Lions in Brisbane but apart from the core of regular supporters, no one else in QLD or NSW really cares.

Here's another fact - ALOT more people move from the southern (AFL) states to NSW and QLD than vice-versa. If you did a census of people at Swans or Lions games you'd find the majority of them are originally from the Southern States anyway. It just masks the reality that no one in NSW or QLD really cares about AFL. We dont watch it on TV, we dont read about it in the papers.....we dont care at all. That's over half the Australian population who dont care.

Yet you will hear the AFL and the media (who probably moved from down south to Sydney as well - hey Kochie) say they are a National Game. If they can be bothered to even talk about RL they a)Dont even know a thing about it, and b) think it's a tiny little game that no one really cares about.

But look at the population figures. RL IS THE BIGGEST GAME IN TOWN!!!!!

I like facts too, as much as I like apples:

T.V Rights:

NRL Television Rights = $500 Million over 6 years = $83 Million Per Year
AFL Television Rights = $780 Million over 5 years = $156 Million Per Year

Foxtel pays $315 million over five years ($63 Million Per Year) for the four AFL games over 22 rounds - ($717,045 per game)

Foxtel pays $252 million over six years ($42 Million Per Year) for five NRL games a week over 25 rounds – ($336,000 per game.)

Organizational Revenue for 2008:

AFL Total Revenue = $285 Million
NRL Total Revenue = $130 Million

Salary Cap for 2008:

AFL Cap = $7,800,000
Average Player Payments = $225,000
NRL Cap = $4,100,000
Average Player Payments = $160,000

Club Revenue

Brisbane Broncos Annual Revenue = $18.5 Million (Largest NRL Franchise)
Collingwood Magpies Annual Revenue = $62 Million (Largest AFL Club)
St Kilda Saints Annual Revenue = $24 Million (Lowest Turnover in AFL)

Average NRL Club Revenue = $14 Million
Average AFL Club Revenue = $31 Million

Match Attendances – (2008)

AFL Match Attendances = 6,800,000 (Match Average 36,000)
NRL match Attendances =3,100,000 (Match Average 15,000)

Club Memberships

AFL Club Memberships = 590,000 Members
NRL CLUB Memberships = 103,000 Members

AFL Clubs > than 40,000 members = 6
NRL Clubs > than 40,000 members = 0

Global Participation Of Registered Players

NRL = 450,000
AFL = 650,000

And they call our sport gay. In the NRL every bloke has his head up his mates arseh*le!

How do you like them apples bum sniffer:

 

[Dimenhydrinate]

Global Participation Of Registered Players

NRL = 450,000
AFL = 650,000

I do find that a little hard to believe.

 

[The_cockateil]

I'm afraid that if the NRL dies all their flogs might come over to AFL --- Last thing Collingwood needs is the western bulldog flogs joining our supporter base, because all the other supporters will have to worry about no teeth and knives.

 

[Redb#]

I like facts too, as much as I like apples:

T.V Rights:

NRL Television Rights = $500 Million over 6 years = $83 Million Per Year
AFL Television Rights = $780 Million over 5 years = $156 Million Per Year

Foxtel pays $315 million over five years ($63 Million Per Year) for the four AFL games over 22 rounds - ($717,045 per game)

Foxtel pays $252 million over six years ($42 Million Per Year) for five NRL games a week over 25 rounds – ($336,000 per game.)

Organizational Revenue for 2008:

AFL Total Revenue = $285 Million
NRL Total Revenue = $130 Million

Salary Cap for 2008:

AFL Cap = $7,800,000
Average Player Payments = $225,000
NRL Cap = $4,100,000
Average Player Payments = $160,000

Club Revenue

Brisbane Broncos Annual Revenue = $18.5 Million (Largest NRL Franchise)
Collingwood Magpies Annual Revenue = $62 Million (Largest AFL Club)
St Kilda Saints Annual Revenue = $24 Million (Lowest Turnover in AFL)

Average NRL Club Revenue = $14 Million
Average AFL Club Revenue = $31 Million

Match Attendances – (2008)

AFL Match Attendances = 6,800,000 (Match Average 36,000)
NRL match Attendances =3,100,000 (Match Average 15,000)

Club Memberships

AFL Club Memberships = 590,000 Members
NRL CLUB Memberships = 103,000 Members

AFL Clubs > than 40,000 members = 6
NRL Clubs > than 40,000 members = 0

Global Participation Of Registered Players

NRL = 450,000
AFL = 650,000

And they call our sport gay. In the NRL every bloke has his head up his mates arseh*le!

How do you like them apples bum sniffer:

Slotted it thru from outside 50!!

 

[fabulousphil]

Dont know whether all these stats are right or not but club revenue is a funny one.. especially leagues clubs with pokoe revenue.

Clubs like Penrith, Parramatta etc turn over hundreds of millions of dollars through pokies but the football clubs are just given a grant, whereas Hawthorn, Bulldogs probably would include pokie revenue in their full turnovr.

Having said that i think the numbers are increasingly looking good for footy.

Southport footy club would turn over more money than many AFL clubs but obviously not through its football operations.

 

[gostk86]

Global Participation Of Registered Players

NRL = 450,000
AFL = 650,000

And they call our sport gay. In the NRL every bloke has his head up his mates arseh*le!

How do you like them apples bum sniffer:

I love apples..and btw we dont bum sniff, thats rugby union who love the scrums lol

btw NRL is a competition..not the sport

Theres more than 450k world wide - Adding in UK, France, Pac Islands and etc

You've done your homework on most other areas..and btw I dont think anyone has suggested the AFL doesnt deserve the money you get, its just that RL deserves more

 

[kane249]

Theres more than 450k world wide - Adding in UK, France, Pac Islands and etc

The 650K also doesn't includes worldwide for Aussie Rules as well

http://www.afl.com.au/international leagues/tabid/10240/default.aspx

Britain
Canada
China
Germany
Denmark
India
Ireland
Japan
Middle East
Nauru
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
South Africa
Tonga
USA

All have established Aussie Rules league in them, only the ignorant think the game hasn't spread beyond Australia yet. There might not be the same participation as league, but we are growing

 

[gostk86]

The 650K also doesn't includes worldwide for Aussie Rules as well

http://www.afl.com.au/international leagues/tabid/10240/default.aspx

Britain
Canada
China
Germany
Denmark
India
Ireland
Japan
Middle East
Nauru
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
South Africa
Tonga
USA

All have established Aussie Rules league in them, only the ignorant think the game hasn't spread beyond Australia yet. There might not be the same participation as league, but we are growing

yep knew all that as well

 

[Brisbane Broncos]

NRL is on the up for all you one eyed AFL flogs.

The Telstra NRL Premiership has tonight recorded the highest regular season attendance in the game’s history.

Tonight’s crowd of 35,112 for the match between Brisbane and Canberra took the overall attendance for Telstra Premiership matches this season to 3,081,849.

That mark surpassed the previous best of 3,061,338, set in the 20-team ARL competition in 1995. Earlier today attendances surpassed the previous NRL record of 3,024,149, set in 2007.

The 2009 Telstra Premiership will also record its second highest ever average attendance (16,051), after the 2005 season (16,466).

It is only the second time in the code’s history that the regular season average has surpassed 16,000.

 

[jerry springer]

I feel the NRL and RL supporters have an inferiority complex when it comes to competing with AFL. We believe AFL is a bigger game and consequently we are always on the back foot. The media dont help us here either.
Here are some facts I posted on another thread

QLD/NSW Population - 11.4m
NZ Population - 4.3m

VIC/SA/WA/TAS - 9.7m

Think about it. RL has a MUCH LARGER interested audience than AFL does. Yes we have the Swans in Sydney and the Lions in Brisbane but apart from the core of regular supporters, no one else in QLD or NSW really cares.

Here's another fact - ALOT more people move from the southern (AFL) states to NSW and QLD than vice-versa. If you did a census of people at Swans or Lions games you'd find the majority of them are originally from the Southern States anyway. It just masks the reality that no one in NSW or QLD really cares about AFL. We dont watch it on TV, we dont read about it in the papers.....we dont care at all. That's over half the Australian population who dont care.

you are one of the majority that forgets that qld actually extends further north than the Sunshine Coast

 

[kane249]

NRL is on the up for all you one eyed AFL flogs.

The Telstra NRL Premiership has tonight recorded the highest regular season attendance in the game’s history.

Tonight’s crowd of 35,112 for the match between Brisbane and Canberra took the overall attendance for Telstra Premiership matches this season to 3,081,849.

That mark surpassed the previous best of 3,061,338, set in the 20-team ARL competition in 1995. Earlier today attendances surpassed the previous NRL record of 3,024,149, set in 2007.

The 2009 Telstra Premiership will also record its second highest ever average attendance (16,051), after the 2005 season (16,466).

It is only the second time in the code’s history that the regular season average has surpassed 16,000.

16,000! WHOAH! you must be so proud to average something that would be poor by AFL's standards!

 

[Grongey]

By junior participation and with the burgeoning A-League, plus the Socceroos improving world ranking, and going into a World Cup year - I'd say soccer is already the number two behind AFL, and is the real competition.

There is no need to worry about the NRL. It has been eclipsed by the AFL. If the AFL would wake up and insist on decent FTA TV coverage into Sydney and Brisbane, along with continued schools and juniors programs - then the AFL's trailing margin in those cities would narrow.