The AFL and NRL Footy Finals rounded out a huge year for sport for Free TV audiences. Over 11 million viewers tuned into the final clashes between AFL’s Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans on Seven and NRL’s Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm on Nine. Whether watching terrestrial TV using the aerial on their roof, or via free streaming apps like 7plus, 9Now and 10 Play, live sport is still what brings Australians together and drives social cohesion.
Both the Seven and Nine networks reported new viewing records. On 9Now both the men’s and women’s NRL Grand Finals shattered live streaming records. Similarly, Seven reports that the AFL decider was the most streamed AFL encounter in history.
But sport was the overall winner with our ten largest TV events of 2024 (to date) all major sports events, highlighting the importance of free access to sport for Australian audiences. The AFL and NRL Grand Finals, plus the State of Origin clashes and the Paris Olympics made up our most watched TV events proving yet again that sharing these big sporting moments on television is part of the cultural fabric of Australian life.