AFL post-game chats draw more viewers than the game itself

Gogglebox Australia (Ten) with 721,000 beat the AFL game on Seven (Richmond beat the Weagles), which hit 681,000 (the post-game chat jumped to 799,000 and it’s sort of embarrassing that nearly 30% more people were not interested in the game itself). The NRL game (Souths thrashed Parramatta) on Nine hit a weak 567,000. The Bachelor, 677,000.

The weak performance by the NRL game shows how Nine’s ratings-to-expense ratio have worsened since the restart of the season, while AFL ratings are much higher for Seven and Foxtel.

In fact, if it hadn’t been for the current compressed fixture pace and playing the games in hubs, you’d be excused for asking what lockdown? Though the NRL did better on Foxtel with 234,000 viewers.

The Richmond West Coast game had 210,000 and the earlier Hawthorn/Essendon game (won by the ‘Dons) averaged 195,000 people. The NRL did better because of Foxtel’s rump of regional NSW and Queensland viewers from the takeover of Austar back in 2012. Along with Sydney and Brisbane, the regional areas of NSW and Queensland form the Rugby League heartland.

In breakfast Sunrise, 477,000/267,000 viewers, ABC News Breakfast, 324,000/222,000, Today, 317,000/214,000.

In regional markets Seven News, 600,000, Seven News 6.30, 563,000, The Chase Australia 5.30pm, 368,000; Home and Away, 323,000 7pm ABC News, 304,000.

Network channel share:

1. Seven (31.6%)
2. Nine (24.0%)
3. Ten (20.6%)
4. ABC (13.8%)
5. SBS (10.0%)

Network main channels:

1. Seven (20.0%)
2. Nine (17.2%)
3. Ten (13.9%)
4. ABC (9.5%)
5. SBS ONE (6.3%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7mate (4.8%)
2. 7TWO (4.6%)
3. 10 Bold (4.3%)
4. 9Life (2.6%)
5. 10 Peach (2.3%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Seven News — 1.65 million
2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.52 million
3. Nine/NBN News 6.30 — 1.16 million
4. Nine/NBN News — 1.11 million
5. 7pm ABC News — 1.03 million
6. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 936,000
7. A Current Affair (Nine)  — 915,000
8. Seven’s AFL- Post March — 799,000
9. Home and Away (Seven) — 792,000
10. Gogglebox Australia (Ten) — 721,000

Top metro programs:

1. Seven News — 1.04 million

Losers: Richmond was a solid winner, viewers looking for choice weren’t.

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 1.04 million
2. Seven News 6.30 — 965,000
3. Nine/NBN News — 898,000
4. Nine/NBN News 6.30 — 846,000
5. 7pm ABC News – 731,000
6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 625,000
7. 7.30 (ABC) — 471,000
8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 458,000
9. Ten News First — 363,000
10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 303,000

Morning (National) TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) — 477,000/267,000
2. News Breakfast (ABC, ABC News) — 324,000/222,000
3. Today (Nine) – 317,000/214,000
4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 239,000 
5. Today Extra (Nine) – 158,000
6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 65,000

Top five pay TV programs:

1. NRL: Parramatta v Souths (Fox League) — 234,000
2. AFL: Richmond v West Coast (Fox Footy) — 210,000
3. AFL: Hawthorn v Essendon (Fox Footy) — 195,000
4. AFL: Post Match (Fox Footy) — 94,000
5. Aussie Gold Hunters (Discovery) — 91,000