Media buyers dissect A-League and share how Paramount ANZ can increase viewership
After the Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final kicked off on Saturday, airing on Channel 10, Paramount+ and 10 Play, Mumbrella spoke to Paramount ANZ’s Nick Bower as well as a range of media buyers about the overall coverage of the season, and what the competition can provide for advertisers and brands moving forward.
The Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final between Melbourne City vs. Western United took place at AAMI Park on Saturday, and kicked off at 7:45pm airing on Channel 10, Paramount+ and 10 Play, with 22,495 people in attendance.
A total national audience of 174,000 (including metro, regional and 10 Play audiences) tuned in to watch Western United become the A-League Men champions after just three seasons in the competition, taking down Melbourne City 2-0. Compared to the 2021 Grand Final on Fox Sports (live) plus the ABC ME (delayed), Network 10’s national television broadcast audience was 34% higher.
Western United become the A-League Men champions after just three seasons in the competition, taking down Melbourne City 2-0.
If the A league was a truly national game they’d improve ratings. There’s over 1/2Million Tasmanian’s that could galvanise around a tassie team – the league would then have a national footprint; beat AFL to the table and replicate the huge success of the Tassie NBL side, and the mass support/ audiences that’s getting in the last state left without an A league franchise
Agreed. The fact that the stadium wasn’t even full for a GF (between two Vic clubs) highlights how poor the last two expansion decisions have been. Should have been Tas & Wollongong rather than filling already saturated markets. The A Leagues will get there one day but decisions like these need to be spot on in future.
Paramount need to look at how Optus do football and follow their lead. Then you’ll have a great product
Good overview and another factor often overlooked is the effect of social media &/or video in addition to highlight &/or packages included in global sports media; lots of eyeballs.
Good to hear the advertisers are happy, now what about the fans who pay for it. You will loose a lot of fans if Paramount do not sort out their app site. We have been asking from the Start of last season to give us pause, back and forward and start from beginning for all the games like all other sports sites do. Thinking long and hard if I renew for next season.
Cheers Dave P
I only subscribed to paramount for the aleague but have enjoyed other shows as well.
Find it hard to find out when non victory games are on though.
The A League’s previous viewing peak in 2013-15 was on Foxtel, which also had the English Premier League rights, the biggest draw card for football fans in Australia. Being on the same platform was immensely beneficial to the A League, fans catching A League matches before settling in to EPL on the same channel, boosting value (and ultimately product quality) of A league at the time. With OPTUS locking up EPL till 2028, it’s tough going ahead for Paramount/10 and A League.