Jump to content

NRL smashing AFL in TV ratings

The Chief
The Chief
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

  On 30/05/2018 at 00:33, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

I don't buy this argument. In 1986, being the last year of the "traditional" 12 team competition, the population of Australia was 16 million, meaning there were 1.3 million people per team. In 2018, the population of Australia is 24.7 million, meaning there are 1.3 million people per team. The talent pool should therefore be the same. Sure, there's competition from more sports and other non-sporting opportunities, but the average 17-18 year old who is drafted is far more professionally prepared than 17-18 year olds 30 years ago. 

I'm also not sure the standard of the game has dropped. It might be that all games are now shown which means we get to see the good and the bad, whereas back in the "good old days" we saw fewer and perhaps better games (because of the selectivity of which games to show.) It's also possible we just choose to remember selectively and remember the good games and not the bad ones.

Other sports have grown in popularity amongst kids and teens since the 80’s. I don’t think it’s a case of dividing our population by the amount of teams in the competition and saying “the talent pool should therefore be the same.”

Edited by Ethan Tremblay

  • Quote
    •  
      On 30/05/2018 at 00:33, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

    I don't buy this argument. In 1986, being the last year of the "traditional" 12 team competition, the population of Australia was 16 million, meaning there were 1.3 million people per team. In 2018, the population of Australia is 24.7 million, meaning there are 1.3 million people per team. The talent pool should therefore be the same. Sure, there's competition from more sports and other non-sporting opportunities, but the average 17-18 year old who is drafted is far more professionally prepared than 17-18 year olds 30 years ago. 

    I'm also not sure the standard of the game has dropped. It might be that all games are now shown which means we get to see the good and the bad, whereas back in the "good old days" we saw fewer and perhaps better games (because of the selectivity of which games to show.) It's also possible we just choose to remember selectively and remember the good games and not the bad ones.

    Many kids are turning to soccer and other sports so the figures dont equate to more people playing AFL, country leagues all across the country are either folding or merging, that to me is the telling factor, grass roots footy has been neglected for too long. Just because we have a higher population doesnt mean the talent is better/same, for all we know they may be people from other countries moving here and not playing. Grass roots is the key factor IMO

  • Quote
      On 30/05/2018 at 00:33, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

    I don't buy this argument. In 1986, being the last year of the "traditional" 12 team competition, the population of Australia was 16 million, meaning there were 1.3 million people per team. In 2018, the population of Australia is 24.7 million, meaning there are 1.3 million people per team. The talent pool should therefore be the same. Sure, there's competition from more sports and other non-sporting opportunities, but the average 17-18 year old who is drafted is far more professionally prepared than 17-18 year olds 30 years ago. 

    I'm also not sure the standard of the game has dropped. It might be that all games are now shown which means we get to see the good and the bad, whereas back in the "good old days" we saw fewer and perhaps better games (because of the selectivity of which games to show.) It's also possible we just choose to remember selectively and remember the good games and not the bad ones.

    I can only speak from my experience but AFL football is not my number 1 sport. For me the globalisation of other sports has impacted on my AFL viewing habits. 

    If, a Green Bay Packer game was on against any other team but Melbourne I would watch the Packer game. I can now watch Horse Racing 24/7 start in New Zealand, move thru Australia, then Singapore, Hong Kong, Sth Africa, France then UK. 

    And even more I will actually go to Singapore & Hong Kong to watch the races live -

    5-10 years ago I never got the global coverage of other sports so defaulted to footy. 

    AFL football is under threat from other sports globally. 

    Edited by DaveyDee

  • Quote
    •  
      On 29/05/2018 at 07:22, P-man said:

    I wonder if next season they will finally, FINALLY learn their lesson and stop allocating every other Thursday and Friday night to Carlton. Live in hope.

    Does Fitzpatrick still hold a position at AFL HQ?  

    If not Carlton may get what they deserve next year, being Sunday twilights at Doglands.  

  • Quote
      On 29/05/2018 at 21:50, SFebey said:

    AFL needs help and an 18 team competition is ludicrous, talent is spread too thin hence the rubbish we watch every weekend. Greed took control at AFL headquarters, now they just try and patch everything up on the run. 

    No, i don't think it really is SFebey.

    I agree it appears that way, but the Press is rejecting more players from AFL, than there is, not being enough talent to go around.

    I think its more there isn't enough players who can play In the 'Press' style game. 

     

    I believe the press is rejecting more potential AFL players, then John West's business model.

  • Quote

      On 30/05/2018 at 02:57, DV8 said:

    No, i don't think it really is SFebey.

    I agree it appears that way, but the Press is rejecting more players from AFL, than there is, not being enough talent to go around.

    I think its more there isn't enough players who can play In the 'Press' style game. 

     

    I believe the press is rejecting more potential AFL players, then John West's business model.

    Who or what is Press? 

  • Quote
      On 30/05/2018 at 02:57, DV8 said:

    No, i don't think it really is SFebey.

    I agree it appears that way, but the Press is rejecting more players from AFL, than there is, not being enough talent to go around.

    I think its more there isn't enough players who can play In the 'Press' style game. 

     

    I believe the press is rejecting more potential AFL players, then John West's business model.

    ????? !!!

  • Quote
    • Like 1
      On 30/05/2018 at 03:02, Ethan Tremblay said:

    Who or what is Press? 

     

      On 30/05/2018 at 08:45, monoccular said:

    ????? !!!

     

      On 30/05/2018 at 02:57, DV8 said:

    No, i don't think it really is SFebey.

    I agree it appears that way, but the Press is rejecting more players from AFL, than there is, not being enough talent to go around.

    I think its more there isn't enough players who can play In the 'Press' style game. 

     

    I believe the press is rejecting more potential AFL players, then John West's business model. 

    ... not as many players can cope with this new addition to our game, 2 way running and the lack of space, kills off  a lot of creatively talented players, whom do not suit the rigid structures of the regimented "press".

    Many fall by the wayside, not finding the space to work their magic within, that they would have had back in say 2005.

    .  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..

    .

    Edited by DV8

  • Quote
    • Thanks 1
     

    Here is the distribution of Thursday and Friday night games for the rest of the year (not including Round 23 which is unfixtured):

    • Richmond - 6
    • Sydney - 4
    • Geelong - 4
    • Essendon - 4
    • St Kilda - 3
    • Port Adelaide - 3
    • Bulldogs - 2
    • Adelaide - 2
    • West Coast - 2
    • Carlton - 1
    • Melbourne - 1
    • Hawthorn - 0
    • Collingwood - 0
    • North Melbourne - 0
    • GWS - 0 
    • GC - 0
    • Fremantle - 0
    • Brisbane - 0

    That's seven sides who won't feature in prime time for the rest of the year - four of which are right in the thick of the finals race, two of which are legitimate top 4 chances (North and Collingwood).

    Meanwhile we will see Essendon, St Kilda, the Dogs and Carlton, all rubbish sides, 10 times between them.

    The distribution is just completely out. 

  • Quote
    • Angry 1
      On 03/06/2018 at 12:16, titan_uranus said:

    Meanwhile we will see Essendon, St Kilda, the Dogs and Carlton, all rubbish sides, 10 times between them.

     

    The AFL have really looked after EFC & Carlton 'titan'...

    I would be interested to know the break up of the Friday night TV audience by club. I've always thought it was more a footy fan night rather than just another club fan night.

    ...and as a footy fan you're looking for the best game which unfortunately we haven't been getting.

    For some reason the AFL & 7 must see it as a club fan night and schedule the big clubs more often.

    Maybe my thinking is wrong & they are on the money but one things for sure, somethings not working.

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    Well one can only hope it bites them in the bum big time.

    Is Gillon going to take any responsibility at all for this incompetence or will he defer it down stream.  He is just a pretty face. 

  • Quote
      On 03/06/2018 at 13:07, rjay said:

    The AFL have really looked after EFC & Carlton 'titan'...

    I would be interested to know the break up of the Friday night TV audience by club. I've always thought it was more a footy fan night rather than just another club fan night.

    ...and as a footy fan you're looking for the best game which unfortunately we haven't been getting.

    For some reason the AFL & 7 must see it as a club fan night and schedule the big clubs more often.

    Maybe my thinking is wrong & they are on the money but one things for sure, somethings not working.

    Love them or otherwise but GWS not having exposure is ridiculous. Even if they don't make the 8 they will be reasonably competitive.

    Frankly the Channel 7/AFL love for the apparent power clubs of Melbourne is becoming boring for the average footy fan.

    Interesting aside many posters on here say they are not interested in any team except the MFC. Me..I love to see the stars play.

    I have no problem watching a game between two interstate powerhouses so why do we never see them on FTA.

    Doesn't mean I don't bleed red and blue....simply I can appreciate good football.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
      On 03/06/2018 at 13:07, rjay said:

    The AFL have really looked after EFC & Carlton 'titan'...

    I would be interested to know the break up of the Friday night TV audience by club. I've always thought it was more a footy fan night rather than just another club fan night.

    ...and as a footy fan you're looking for the best game which unfortunately we haven't been getting.

    For some reason the AFL & 7 must see it as a club fan night and schedule the big clubs more often.

    Maybe my thinking is wrong & they are on the money but one things for sure, somethings not working.

    Essendon I can understand. They made finals last year and appeared to be on an upward trajectory. 

    Travis Auld was on 3AW on Saturday and grilled about the Friday/Saturday night scheduling and made a complete hash of it. He argued very unconvincingly that it had something to do with scheduling difficulties primarily associated with ANZAC Day and ANZAC eve. (In my view that might affect the two or three weeks before and after 25 April, but not the whole year.) The 3AW panel (Tim Lane, Caroline Wilson, Leigh Matthews and Jimmy Bartel) were not persuaded by his argument at all. 

  • Quote
      On 03/06/2018 at 23:39, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

    Essendon I can understand. They made finals last year and appeared to be on an upward trajectory. 

    Travis Auld was on 3AW on Saturday and grilled about the Friday/Saturday night scheduling and made a complete hash of it. He argued very unconvincingly that it had something to do with scheduling difficulties primarily associated with ANZAC Day and ANZAC eve. (In my view that might affect the two or three weeks before and after 25 April, but not the whole year.) The 3AW panel (Tim Lane, Caroline Wilson, Leigh Matthews and Jimmy Bartel) were not persuaded by his argument at all. 

    Is that who it was?

    I heard somewhere someone making this ridiculous argument.  

    Regarding the ANZAC round, we had SS V ADELAIDE on the Friday night ✔️ but WB v CARLTON the following Friday night but SS V CATS the Saturday.  So this “excuse” is absolute BS. 

    If they just came out and admitted that they had screwed up it wouldn’t change the travesty but could at least make it a little more palatable.

  • Quote
      On 03/06/2018 at 23:39, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

    Essendon I can understand. They made finals last year and appeared to be on an upward trajectory. 

    Travis Auld was on 3AW on Saturday and grilled about the Friday/Saturday night scheduling and made a complete hash of it. He argued very unconvincingly that it had something to do with scheduling difficulties primarily associated with ANZAC Day and ANZAC eve. (In my view that might affect the two or three weeks before and after 25 April, but not the whole year.) The 3AW panel (Tim Lane, Caroline Wilson, Leigh Matthews and Jimmy Bartel) were not persuaded by his argument at all. 

    The AFL in a 18 team national competition with only 1 premiership will never please all of the clubs supporters all of the time. You earn your fixture, your supporters earn respect from the AFL by actions not words. 

  • Quote

      On 04/06/2018 at 05:11, DaveyDee said:

    The AFL in a 18 team national competition with only 1 premiership will never please all of the clubs supporters all of the time. You earn your fixture, your supporters earn respect from the AFL by actions not words. 

    And how has Carlton earned their fixture?

  • Quote
      On 04/06/2018 at 05:37, FarNorthernD said:

    And how has Carlton earned their fixture?

    As I said at time of release of this years fixture, very important long-term for AFL to make Carlton finically stable on now two key strategic fronts. 

  • Quote
      On 04/06/2018 at 05:11, DaveyDee said:

    The AFL in a 18 team national competition with only 1 premiership will never please all of the clubs supporters all of the time. You earn your fixture, your supporters earn respect from the AFL by actions not words. 

     

      On 04/06/2018 at 06:44, DaveyDee said:

    As I said at time of release of this years fixture, very important long-term for AFL to make Carlton finically stable on now two key strategic fronts. 

    So that bit where you said you earn your fixture was rubbish? 

     

  • Quote
    • Like 2
      On 04/06/2018 at 09:47, FarNorthernD said:

     

    So that bit where you said you earn your fixture was rubbish? 

     

    Nope - you earn the fixture over many years not 6 games of fantastic onfield results. Think the AFL prefers to have a proven history - think first game of the season every year. 

  • Quote

    NRL crowds are generally under 15,000 except in Brisbane where they're usually between 20 and 30.

    Not at all unusual to have crowds under 10,000.

    Their fans goggle at the thought of a modest 40,000 crowd which is unexceptional in traditional Aussie Rules states.

  • Quote
      On 04/06/2018 at 10:24, DaveyDee said:

    Nope - you earn the fixture over many years not 6 games of fantastic onfield results. Think the AFL prefers to have a proven history - think first game of the season every year. 

    There is a lot of pent up enthusiasm for the first game each year. The Carlton factor in that game is irrelevant aside from it being an AFL gift.

  • Quote
      On 04/06/2018 at 12:37, FarNorthernD said:

    There is a lot of pent up enthusiasm for the first game each year. The Carlton factor in that game is irrelevant aside from it being an AFL gift.

    Ironic we are having this discussion a week before the QB game. 

    However, every year AFL accepts requests from ALL clubs for their preferences

    mfc request  

    1/ 2 home games in NT against interstate teams financial reason

    2/ Anzac Eve

    3/ QB home game at MCG

    The AFL does the best it can with ALL 18 clubs requests - will it please all supporters of all 18 teams - No

    Dont forget MFC current administration also supports the AFL rights to maximise revenue from its fixture arrangements. 

     

    Edited by DaveyDee

  • Quote
    •  

    its not that the talent pool is too small. Its not. Our population is nearing 25 million people. its not the skill level that makes poor games. 

    Its the state of the game. 36 players chasing a footy like a flock of seagulls fighting over a bag of chips is not appealing television for all but the most die hard footy fans.

    look how few highlights there are now. its very hard to put an exciting highlights reel together from a round of footy these days because apart from a rolling maul and squabble of a mass of players, nothing happens! 

    I used to love watching most games each week. I cant sit through footy as a natural observer any more. Its garbage.

    I love watching melbourne games but even then i feel a bit hollow. We are winning games but its not great footy. Its 10 blokes in a 5 sq m area squabbling over shittty handballs and fumbles until someone finally gets free for a cheap one over the back. 

    The game is simply not appealing anymore. Its grown in to a massive snore fest, then add on the relentless wave of weekly issues and changing and bending of prexisting rules to counter previous rule changes. 

    Its snowballing in to a non marketable sport.

    Years ago my friends and aquaintances overseas used to love watching the game. the speccys and the great goals. I can assure you in its current format very very few first time observers of the game on Tv are being wowed like they used to.

    ITs become so sterile. Its all about structures and 2 on 1s and zones. 

    Remember the days when in the lead up to a game the streets, pubs and trams used to full of chat about up coming matchups.  the history that developed between carey/jakovich, fletcher/longmire. whos going to fondly remember all those 3 on 1 contests of today in the future?? 

    it all changed in 2005. 2004 there were an average of 34 rotations a game. It jumped to 60 in a year and then malthouse took it to a new level. This facilitated a game style of up and back running that was previously not possible. 

    I cant stand the argument of the players not being able to withstand a game of restricted rotations. they would adapt just as they did going the other way.

    maybe its not possible to go back but the argument of 70s/80s footy is a furphy. we dont have to go back that far. footy in the brisbane lions, essendon PA flag eras was epic. Most players and young fans are too young to really remember it but anyone who does remember the closing years of positional play remembers a game where THE FOOTY moved quickly. Now the footy moves very slowly but the players move quickly.

    The footy used to fly up one wing, transition out of defence and fly down the other wing. Now it gets bogged down in a pocket for minutes until finally a free kick is pulled out someones arsse just to get the ball moving.

    Lets get rotations back to 8 a quarter. The argument of the clubs then only recruiting athletes is a furphy as well. An arms race will then develop to recruit the most talent footballing athletes. The game plan will be developed to move the footy quickly so that skilled footballers can compete against unskilled runners.

    The solution is on every youtube clip or DVD of early 2000's pre malthous, pre Roos football. 

    Edited by Fitz Fitzpatrick

  • Quote
    • Like 3
      On 04/06/2018 at 12:57, DaveyDee said:

    Ironic we are having this discussion a week before the QB game. 

    However, every year AFL accepts requests from ALL clubs for their preferences

    mfc request  

    1/ 2 home games in NT against interstate teams financial reason

    2/ Anzac Eve

    3/ QB home game at MCG

    The AFL does the best it can with ALL 18 clubs requests - will it please all supporters of all 18 teams - No

    Dont forget MFC current administration also supports the AFL rights to maximise revenue from its fixture arrangements. 

     

    Yeah well next year's wish list ad better have the following.

    1. No game at Geelong..

    2. No game against West Coast in Perth.

    3. Home games against larger supported Melbourne clubs at the "G" as well as the above.

    Last years performance and this year's demand it.

  • Quote

    • Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • REPORT: Hawthorn

      There was a time during the current Melbourne cycle that goes back to before the premiership when the club was the toughest to beat in the fourth quarter. The Demons were not only hard to beat at any time but it was virtually impossible to get the better them when scores were close at three quarter time. It was only three or four years ago but they were fit, strong and resilient in body and mind. Sadly, those days are over. This has been the case since the club fell off its pedestal about 12 months ago after it beat Geelong and then lost to Carlton. In both instances, Melbourne put together strong, stirring final quarters, one that resulted in victory, the other, in defeat. Since then, the drop off has been dramatic to the point where it can neither pull off victory in close matches, nor can it even go down in defeat  gallantly.

        • Clap
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Footscray

      At twenty-four minutes into the third term of the game between the Casey Demons and Footscray VFL at Whitten Oval, the visitors were coasting. They were winning all over the ground, had the ascendancy in the ruck battles and held a 26 point lead on a day perfect for football. What could go wrong? Everything. The Bulldogs moved into overdrive in the last five minutes of the term and booted three straight goals to reduce the margin to a highly retrievable eight points at the last break. Bouyed by that effort, their confidence was on a high level during the interval and they ran all over the despondent Demons and kicked another five goals to lead by a comfortable margin of four goals deep into the final term before Paddy Cross kicked a couple of too late goals for a despondent Casey. A testament to their lack of pressure in the latter stages of the game was the fact that Footscray’s last ten scoring shots were nine goals and one rushed behind. Things might have been different for the Demons who went into the game after last week’s bye with 12 AFL listed players. Blake Howes was held over for the AFL game but two others, Jack Billings and Taj Woewodin (not officially listed as injured) were also missing and they could have been handy at the end. Another mystery of the current VFL system.

        • Thanks
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: Brisbane

      The Demons head back out on the road in Round 10 when they travel to Queensland to take on the reigning Premiers and the top of the table Lions who look very formidable. Can the Dees cause a massive upset? Who comes in and who goes out?

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 124 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PODCAST: Hawthorn

      The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 12th May @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we dissect the Demons loss to the Hawks. Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human.

        • Clap
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 52 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • POSTGAME: Hawthorn

      Wayward kicking for goal, dump kicks inside 50 and some baffling umpiring all contributed to the Dees not getting out to an an early lead that may have impacted the result. At the end of the day the Demons were just not good enough and let the Hawks run away with their first win against the Demons in 7 years.

        • Clap
        • Love
        • Like
      • 354 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • VOTES: Hawthorn

      After 3 fantastic week Max Gawn has a massive lead in the Demonland Player of the Year award from Jake Bowey, Christian Petracca, Kade Chandler and Ed Langdon who round out the Top Five. Your votes please. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1.

        • Thanks
      • 34 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland
    View All