The AFL season got underway for 2024 on a competitive night. The opening game topped the reach table and made the top five in average audience. That help0ed Seven to win the night with a +5% share, up three on the previous Thursday.
Meanwhile the first Thursday game of the NRL season managed just over 500k to rank 10th for the night. Also in the mix were Gogglebox and Dog House Australia that were competitive for 10 though down on the previous week.
ABC”s Foreign Correspondent and Grand Designs NZ also lost audience against the increased competition.
In the afternoon The Chase had its first win over the week nationally 10k ahead of Tipping Point while Sunrise was well down in national audience again.
6pm news numbers were unchanged week-on-week but ABC’s 7pm bulletin was down 60k.
When I get a chance later I will try to post some market breakdowns of footy results.
Big results for Seven and the AFL last night, better TBH than I’d have thought also given competition, without bvod factoring into anything too. I’d guess around 500k metro broadcast for the match, plus news and probably huge shares for 7Two (thanks to H&A in a couple of markets) and 7mate (with pre game and match in a few markets - albeit was over by quarter past 7pm in Perth so only got an hour or so prime time there due to current time zone). Interesting to see total tv shares still a large margin to Seven despite no 7Plus rights yet 9Now NRL.
10 caught by sport, with ABC doing stronger, SBS was also solid (wonder if contributed by a great SBS Movies line-up).
If they can replicate this tonight and tomorrow, they’ll be well on their way to causing a massive upset in Nine’s otherwise stellar week (spearheaded by Married).
It’s really disappointing to not be able to see the 5 city market breakdowns for AFL and NRL this year. A lot of people will be particularly interested to see how the Swans season opener rated in Sydney last night.
9News recorded a National Total TV Reach of 1.744 million and was the No. 1 news service in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It was also the No. 1 program with Total People in Sydney and Brisbane. The bulletins recorded a Total TV National Audience of 1.020 million - up 12.5% on the same night last year.
A Current Affair won its timeslot in Sydney and Melbourne. It secured a National Total TV Reach of 1.115 million and a Total TV National Audience of 703,000 - up 17.4% year-on-year. Its BVOD audience was 44,000 on 9Now - up 57.1% year-on-year.
Thursday Night NRL Live recorded a National Total TV Reach of 1.331 million and a Total TV National Audience of 505,000. It was the No. 1 program in Sydney with People 25-54 and 16-39. In Brisbane, it was the No. 1 program with People 16-39.
Tipping Point was the No. 1 afternoon game show across the 5 City Metro, as well as being No. 1 in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. It recorded a National Total TV Reach of 1.134 million and a Total TV National Audience of 571,000. Yesterday’s national audience lifted the timeslot by 53.9% when compared to the corresponding day last year.
Today achieved a National Total TV Reach of 815,000 and was the No. 1 breakfast program across the 5 City Metro, as well as in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Its BVOD audience was 30,000 - up 36.4% year-on-year.
9Now was Australia’s No.1 CFTA BVOD service with all key demos and Total People, posting shares in excess of 50% with all key demos and Total People.
Nine News won in Melbourne despite the lead out. The opening round Thursday night last year had Seven News on 253k and Nine on 217k in Melbourne.
Sunrise continues with its lowest result of the year. Currently there is a tie on average audience for the week between Sunrise and Today.
5 City
Syd
Mel
Bri
Ade
Per
Seven News
718,000
167,000
210,000
131,000
107,000
103,000
Nine News
677,000
175,000
231,000
159,000
49,000
63,000
5 City
Syd
Mel
Bri
Ade
Per
Chase Aus
317,000
79,000
92,000
58,000
41,000
47,000
Tipping Aus
340,000
88,000
109,000
77,000
43,000
23,000
5 City
Syd
Mel
Bri
Ade
Per
Sunrise
186,000
47,000
41,000
35,000
26,000
37,000
Today
179,000
54,000
57,000
44,000
12,000
12,000
News Break
128,000
31,000
43,000
29,000
16,000
11,000
Note that these are broadcast TV numbers. That may sometimes lead to PR releases seeming to differ as to which program won a market if the network is using Total TV numbers that included live BVOD.
The opening game in AFL had a 5-city average audience.
5 City
Syd
Mel
Bri
Ade
Per
465,000
68,000
264,000
19,000
71,000
43,000
That compares to last year that had 522,000 including 327,000 in Melbourne.
The NRL game had 185,000 in Sydney and 109,000 in Brisbane (total TV, inc 9Now) with 24,000 on 9Gem in the other three markets for a 5-city aggregate of 318,000.
465k last night is only down 57k from last year. Melbourne was down 63k. I think that’s a good result given the game last year involved 2 big Melbourne teams
Sounds lower than when previously on 7Two, might need to ramp up the promos next time or would’ve been better airing H&A on main channel before first bounce (now pushed back to 7:30pm from 2024 on Thursdays and Saturdays). Can’t imagine they’d be happy with, what looks like, less than 70k and 20k respectively (for a show that can do up to 200k in the former!)
