Two tough games, but AFL beats NRL for audience

Seven’s AFL game between Geelong and Collingwood in Perth with 897,000 national viewers easily accounted for the NRL on Nine with 591,000 nationally.

The 306,000 margin was 50% more than the NRL’s audience and yet both games were tight, tough and a battle to the end. On Foxtel the NRL game was watched by 242,000 and the AFL match by 240,000. But the top program was the post-game chat about the AFL — an extra 29,000 people tuned in (were they watching the NRL?).

Usually post-game wraps seeing a big drop in viewers, especially in the late evening on a work night.

Very little social distancing, but hey, the NRL and AFL say they have it in hand and while we all social distancing at home in front of our remotes, who are we to argue?

And if you don’t like, then Netflix, Stan or watch Bathtubs Among The Lice (sorry, that’s Bachelor in Paradise) — 632,000 nationally on Ten with 501,000 those in the metros and not too many in the regions (good taste).

That left Seven with a big win on the night from Nine, Ten and the ABC.

Bach did well in the demos, especially among young women, but the AFL crushed it and Nine’s 6pm news also did well. The Bach is not Masterchef when it comes to the demos.

Breakfast: Sunrise — 475,000/281,000, Today  –317,000/216,000, ABC News Breakfast — 311,000/206,000.

In the regions, Seven News, 624,000, Seven News 6.30, 594,000, The Chase Australia 5.30pm, 404,000, Home and Away, 382,000, 7pm ABC News, 334,000.

Network channel share:

1. Seven (33.5%)
2. Nine (24.9%)
3. Ten (18.0%)
4. ABC (14.6%)
5. SBS (9.0%)

Network main channels:

1. Seven (22.7%)
2. Nine (17.5%)
3. ABC (11.0%)
4. Ten (9.2%)
5. SBS ONE (5.7%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7mate (5.3%)
2. 10 Bold (4.5%)
3. 7TWO (3.8%)
4. ABC Kids/Comedy (2.9%)
5. 9Life (2.8%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Seven News — 1.75 million
2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.69 million
3. Nine/NBN News — 1.35 million
4. Nine/NBN News 6.30 — 1.30 million
5. 7pm ABC News — 1.10 million
6. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 1.06 million
7. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.00 million
8. AFL (Seven) — 897,000
9. A Current Affair (Nine) — 876,000
10. 7.30 (ABC) — 775,000

Top metro programs:

1. Seven News — 1.13 million
2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.09 million
3. Nine News — 1.06 million

Losers: NRL and Nine

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 1.13 million
2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.09 million
3. Nine News — 1.06 million
4. Nine News 6.30 — 997,000
5. 7pm ABC News – 768,000
6. A Current Affair (Nine) – 692,000
7. 7.30 (ABC) — 540,000
8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 529,000
9. Ten News First — 424,000
10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 308,000

Morning (National) TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) – 475,000/281,000
2. Today (Nine) – 317,000/216,000
3. News Breakfast (ABC, ABC News) — 311,000/206,000
4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 264,000
5. Today Extra (Nine) — 166,000
6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 82,000

Top five pay TV programs:

1. AFL: Post-Game (Fox Footy) — 269,000
2. NRL: Easts v Canberra  (Fox League) — 242,000
3. AFL: Geelong v Collingwood (Fox Footy) — 240,000
4. AFL: First Crack (Fox Footy) — 103,000
5. The Late Show With Matty Jones (Fox League) — 98,000