This past weekend saw some fans become concerned at the flagging television ratings drawn by the A-League, with figures revealing that the competition was seen by less eyes than the Women’s Big Bash League and the Matador Cup.
In the television ratings released this past Sunday night, it was shown that the A-League had now fallen even further behind what many were expecting, now being outpaced by free-to-air showings of the Women’s Big Bash League and the Matador Cup. While many fans would see this as a reason to reach for the panic button, there are a few reasons why this recent ratings hit should not matter as much as media outlets like the Sydney Morning Herald are making them out to be.
Firstly, it is clear that there is a large divide in terms of viewing audiences between free-to-air TV (FTA) and Pay TV. This was made no more clear than on Sunday, where the Women’s Big Bash match between the Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers peaked at just over 130,000 viewers on free-to-air, almost three times the audience of the Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners match which was on Foxtel. However, the Big Bash match also out-rated the highest rating program on Pay TV for that night as well – a showing of the 2015 film Kingsman: The Secret Service, and this goes to show the significantly larger viewer base FTA has over Pay TV.
However, something of interest to note is how well the Big Bash match did against other programs on FTA for that night. While the audience of just over 130,000 is nothing to scoff at, it must be noted that the program also saw its audience doubled with a showing of Jack Frost on GO, as well as being significantly out-rated by the Men’s Big Bash match on Channel Ten and Nine News by over 700,000 viewers.
Despite this, it is fair to say that comparing FTA and Pay TV ratings will not give the best result in terms of where the A-League is standing in regards to other sports. A much better test is comparing the FTA results of the A-League. With this season seeing the competition demoted to SBS2, it is fair to say that the move has hurt the ratings, with a current average of just under 80,000 viewers per match on the broadcaster. The most recent match to play on SBS2, the Friday night clash between Adelaide United and Newcastle Jets failed to crack the top 20 for the night, suggesting an audience below 150,000 based on available data. While this could suggest that the match drew similar figures to the Women’s Big Bash League, it does not appear to be so based on past ratings from the network.
This brings everything back to the main issue of should these ratings be as worrying as they are being made out to be? The answer is both yes and no. Lower ratings are something that should be very worrying as not only does it make the league harder to market, but it also makes it significantly harder for the league to make the push to FTA and a larger viewer base. No FTA network would be willing to splash out the rumoured $80 million the FFA is seeking for a new deal in 2017 if the league is rating lower than repeats of Shaun The Sheep and The Simpsons. However, at the same time it is clear that FTA is where the league needs to head and this has already been shown by the improvement in the ratings the league gets when on SBS2 as compared to Foxtel. A move to a larger network and one that is handled properly could see the A-League boom in ratings.
[interaction id=”5678c583e6e311024a33ae1e”]
Television ratings are not something the league can simply wave away and dismiss. Viewership was a big part of the National Soccer League’s collapse in the mid 2000’s and this was in part thanks to Channel Seven’s mishandling of the league. A repeat situation could be looming in the distance if the FFA are not careful in their handling of any new TV deal and the league should be prepared.
Though to simply dismiss the A-League because the ratings are lower than the Women’s Big Bash League is rather foolish. While the Big Bash must be applauded for having exceeded everyone’s expectations, including Cricket Australia’s, it is fair to say that a lot of this initial reaction has come too early. The Big Bash has only shown two games on Television to date, and the ratings between the two showings dropped by more than 100,000 viewers. The initial hype and interest behind the matches are what lead to high ratings and there is no clear indication where the ratings floor will lie. The A-League, however, knows its ratings floor and has a dedicated audience who tune in week-after-week to see their side. The A-League can only grow from where they are, while the Big Bash still has a way to fall before being in the same position.
Fans should not be reaching for the panic buttons yet, but a closer eye should be kept on the situation at hand.
What are your thoughts? Let us know by dropping a comment below via our Facebook comment box. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Outside90 and like us on Facebook.
