With a massive Socceroos game mid week – in what was the highest viewing audience for some time, and a record for a secondary channel as ratings climbed over a million – a healthy 40,000+ at ANZ Stadium for a game – world cup qualifier or not – against a relatively small and unheralded nation in Syria – it was always going to be hard to hype up the second round of the A-league.
February 28 2009.THE AGE SPORT. Picture by SEBASTIAN COSTANZO
Attendances
The round got off to a reasonable start with 11.178 turning out to Suncorp for the game against Adelaide on Friday night.
On Saturday, Wanderers crowds continue to be somewhat disappointing at Spotless Stadium with 11,650 turning out for the game there against Central Coast – about 30% less than the average crowd figure for this fixture at Parramatta. Victory and City managed 35,792 for the Melbourne derby, the second lowest attendance for a Melbourne derby and only a hundred or so ahead of Round 18s turnout last season.
On Sunday a good 14,000 crowd at Newcastle was matched by a poor crowd for Sydney against Wellington in what many believe is an unpopular timeslot and expect that 7pm Sunday night slot to be a graveyard for crowds.
Round 2 of the Aleague was down 8% on Round 2 in 2016-17, but overall the seasons crowds are down 24% on last season. With the Sydney derby to come next week, hopefully we’ll see attendances start to level out a bit.
At the close of Round 2, Aleague crowds remain down (-24%) on 2016-17, with a total of 151,551 @ 15,155. Note though, it is only round 2. pic.twitter.com/rcc9FWeRw2
— sportsindustry (@footyindustryAU) October 15, 2017
By Request: @wswanderersfc home fixture crowds v @CCMariners 2012-present pic.twitter.com/lL58zTa2UB
— sportsindustry (@footyindustryAU) October 14, 2017
Television and Foxtel Ratings
The Melbourne Derby was the featured game on One this weekend on Saturday, and at 90,000 metro, 35,000 regional, it outrated last seasons round 2 friday game, adelaide v Western Sydney – 76,000.
On Foxtel, the derby dominated the weekend at 121,000 – but was still 12,000 shy of the Round 2 Derby in 2016-17. A-league Round 2 Ratings on Foxtel were down 23% on Round 2 last year and down 21% on season, with an average Fox viewing audience of 81k (101k last season).
Brisbane v Adelaide had 89,000 viewers, Wanderers v Central Coast 77,000, Newcastle v Perth 59000, Sydney v Wellington 21.000.
A-league Round 2 Ratings down 23% on Round 2 last year and down 21% on season, with an average Fox viewing audience of 81k (101k last season
— sportsindustry (@footyindustryAU) October 15, 2017
Over on SBS, EPL Ratings for Liverpool v Manchester United reached 234,000 (Metro 196k Regional 38k).
