Seven vs Nine – Who won the footy over the weekend?
This weekend was one of the biggest TV ratings battles of the year, as both the AFL and NRL got down the pointy end of the 2024 season, and the Bledisloe Cup was fought out between Australia and New Zealand in the rugby union.
This weekend saw two preliminary AFL finals on Seven, two rugby league semi-finals on Nine, as well as the Bledisloe Cup – also on Nine.
On Friday night, the Sydney Swans vs Port Adelaide comfortably took the ratings win, being watched by 3.02 million viewers, with an average national audience of 1.18 million.
The Cronulla Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys match was watched by 1.811 million viewers on Nine, with an average audience of 845,000.
Saturday night was even bigger for the AFL, as 3.22 million tuned in to watch the Brisbane Lions beat Geelong on Seven, with an average national audience of 1.32 million. The NRL’s Roosters/Sea Eagles math up fared slightly better than the Friday night match, with 1.811 million tuning in, and a nation average audience of 845,000.
The Bledisloe Cup drew a further 1.17 million viewers for Nine on Saturday night with an average audience of 475,000 – so I guess the real winner is football.
Next weekend will be the AFL Grand Final, and the first time the Swans and Lions have met in a final in the game’s 125-year history, so it’s safe to say Seven will trounce everyone in the ratings again next weekend (unless Neighbours decides to end again).
Of course, being a Sydney-based publication, Mumbrella is choosing to believe the win went to the AFL due to the return of legendary commentator Bruce McAvaney, who hosted this weekend’s two preliminary finals, and will be back next Saturday for the big one.
While such healthy TV ratings are a blessing for all involved, it comes as a billion-dollar gambling advertising ban hangs over both the leagues and the networks.
Rugby league chief Peter V’landys used the spotlight this weekend to comment about the proposed bans, attacking the “loud voices who are expounding an ideology” around the hot-button issue.
“Unfortunately, these people want to run everybody’s lives and force their will upon the majority of people who will never have a gambling problem and who enjoy a flutter – especially considering that less than 1 per cent of Australians will ever have an issue with problem gambling,” V’landys told the Herald over the weekend.
He called a complete gambling advertising ban a “nanny state ideology” that “has significant ramifications on the funding of junior sport.”
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Nathan Jolly is the Features Editor at Mumbrella. He joined the team in July, 2023.
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