2024 State of the Game: Australian Football League (AFL)
By almost every measure the AFL has had a sterling year, with attendance, membership, participation and television viewing reaching unprecedented numbers. Attendance Attendance is the AFLs bread and butter, and I doubt theres anyone who seriously believes that they have a serious rival in crowd terms. A record 8.29 million people attended the entire season…
Storm to bid for 2025 NRL Grand Final
The Heraldsun reports that Storm supremo Matt Tripp has revealed his interest in joining forces with the Victorian government to make a fresh bid for the 2025 NRL grand final to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. “If the opportunity is there to bid for the grand final to be hosted in a particular…
“Terrible Location” – Now MacPoint Stadium opposed by Symphony Orchestra
News Limited and the Guardian have both reported on the Tasmania Symphony Orchestras opposition to the location of the new stadium. The TSO has commissioned two independent acoustic reports in the past 12 months. Both reports, seen by Guardian Australia, warn greater measures will be needed to address the potential for sound spill and reverberation…
Seven’s AFL Grand Final: #1 program of 2024
The Seven Network’s live, free and exclusive coverage of the 2024 AFL Grand Finalcaptured the attention of the nation on Saturday, reaching 6.09 million Australians andbecoming the most-watched program of 2024. The Grand Final, which saw the Brisbane Lions take the 2024 crown in a dominant 60 pointvictory over the Sydney Swans, captured a total…
Friday TV – NRL Prelim ratings bonanza
The Telegraph reports that more than 1.9 million people watched Melbourne’s win against the Roosters on Friday night which was a significant boost compared to the corresponding game last year. The number of people who watched the game this year was up by 36.1 per cent compared to the Panthers and Storm preliminary finals clash…
RSL Tasmania wants museum, ANZAC Day profits and naming of grandstand if Macquarie Point stadium is built
The ABC reports that RSL Tasmania wants a museum, special naming of grandstands – “such as a Cenotaph end and veteran’s end”, and naming sections of the arena after Tasmanian Victoria Cross winners – and a “recognition of service at the start of every event” as part of the Macquarie Point stadium precinct, should the…
Cronulla call for Gov Funding to upgrade stadium
The Telegraph reports that Cronulla CEO Dino Mezzatesta has come out swinging for urgent government funding to overhaul PointsBet Stadium amid the club’s chase for a historic four titles across the NRL, NRLW, NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg competitions. Despite the massive role the Sharks and Panthers play in developing the game at a grassroots…
NRL on Nine up 11% in 2024, but Sevens AFL rating higher
The AFR reports that in 2024, the Nine Network had an average television audience of 521,600 for the home and away NRL series, up 11 per cent on the previous year. There are still two weeks to go in the NRL finals, but the average audience for Nine is 759,100. Seven says the home and…
Decision delay blows timelines for Tasmanian AFL High Performance Centre
The Mercury reports that the schedule for building the Tasmania Devils’ $70m High Performance Centre has been blown out of the water by the state government’s failure to announce whether it will be located at Rosny or Kingston. Rosny Parklands was announced as the site in December beating out a bid from KIngborogh Council, however…
$50m Coopers Stadium upgrade complete
Players and fans alike will be treated to an enhanced matchday experience at Coopers Stadium when the A-Leagues’ 2024/2025 season kicks off next month, following a significant investment in South Australia’s ‘Home of Football’ by the State Government and Adelaide Venue Management. The Stadium has had a new pitch and upgraded active support zones. More…
Should the MCG be bigger?
The Heraldsun notes that a Victorian team won’t be seen, yet 100,000 spectators will still pack the MCG this Saturday. This follows the cathedral hosting two 90,000-plus finals this season for match-ups far from traditional blockbusters. There is a trend at play. Nine of the last ten finals at the MCG have topped 90,000, and…
Oztam confirms Foxtel withdrawal from ratings system
OzTAM confirmed Foxtel’s departure late today (25 September 2024), expressing disappointment at the withdrawal. The streaming and satellite TV business will stop providing audience data to VOZ for Total TV and VPM (video player measurement) from 31 December 2024 – around the time VOZ launches as the “official” media currency for linear and streamed TV…
Maquarie Point Stadium build cost doesnt include car park or Shed Relocation
The $775 million price tag for a stadium at Hobart’s Macquarie Point does not include the cost of building a multi-storey underground car park, or relocating the heritage-listed Goods Shed, the agency in charge of the build has confirmed. Ms Beach said the organisation intended to recoup the cost of building the car park by…
SportsPollAU: What is the biggest single factor in determining the strength of a sporting code
We asked the question of our 8100 twitter followers, 688 of whom voted wth the majority saying that TV and media rights were the biggest factor in determining the strength of a sport More here:
The NSW Government announces $1.5 million Legacy Program to support the 2027 Netball World Cup
The NSW Government is delivering additional investment in women’s sport, announcing $1.5 million funding for a Legacy Program to support the 2027 Netball World Cup as well as a new Netball Infrastructure Strategy. The Legacy Program will invest $1 million on participation initiatives, training and development of Netball NSW staff and volunteers as well as…
Sky (UK) has now reduced the fee it pays for Super League’s domestic TV rights
Sky has now reduced the fee it pays for Super League’s domestic TV rights in two consecutive deals, taking the league’s earnings from £40m per season in 2021 to £21.5m in 2024. In short, Super League has entered a recession. Matt Dwyer, vice-president of sports management at IMG, was heavily involved in brokering Super League’s…
Oztam Foxtel VPM Live Streaming Report 14/9-20/9
The AFLs Cats/Lions rated 506,000 according to Oztams VPM reports. This is the highest VPM rating since they began public reporting last August. This includes Foxtel Go, Foxtel Now, and Kayo. It does not include STB services. Oztam FoxBVOD VPM (fixed) 14/9-20/9 The 2024 #AFL Finals series has an aggregated average streaming audience of 3.278…
Swans and Lions top Roy Morgans 2024 AFL supporter poll
For the first time both AFL Grand Finalists have over 1 million supporters with the Sydney Swans again topping the annual Roy Morgan AFL supporter ladder with 1,337,000 supporters. The Swans are nearly 300,000 ahead of the second-placed Brisbane Lions with 1,049,000 supporters and the league’s biggest annual increase of 223,000 supporters (+27%) on a…
A-Leagues on Sky for the next three years as the competition heats up
24 September 2024: New Zealand football fans have another season of action-packed football in store, as the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and Sky confirm that the upcoming three seasons of the A-Leagues will be available to watch exclusively on Sky. The extension of the partnership means that all matches in the Isuzu UTE A-League Men (kicking…
The Impact of Online Casinos on Sports Betting in Australia
The expansion of online casinos in Australia has profoundly influenced the sports betting industry. The rise of digital platforms has made sports betting more accessible and widespread, as users can now easily place bets alongside their favorite casino games. This integration of sports betting with online casino offerings creates a seamless and engaging experience for…
