Seven’s AFL coverage smashes Nine’s NRL and Ten’s Supercars

Seven Network’s television coverage of the AFL smashed Nine’s NRL offering and Ten’s Supercars.

Zach Tuohy of the Cats and Jarrod Berry of the Lions in action during the 2020 AFL Second Preliminary Final match between the Brisbane Lions and the Geelong Cats at The Gabba. Picture: Getty Images

It was a very busy weekend of sport, with Seven Network’s television coverage of the AFL smashing Nine’s NRL offering and Ten’s Supercars.

Seven’s extensive coverage of the second AFL preliminary final match on Saturday night was the most popular show on commercial free-to-air TV, taking four of the top 10 rating spots across the five capital cities around the country.

The broadcaster’s coverage of the AFL game between Brisbane and Geelong on Saturday was the most popular show on commercial free-to-air TV with 1.146m viewers across the five capital cities.

Seven’s prematch coverage of the match took fourth and 10th spots, with 748,000 and 322,000 metro viewers, respectively. Its post-match coverage was watched by 573,000 viewers, taking 6th spot on the TV ratings metro table.

Nine’s coverage of the NRL preliminary final, which saw Penrith Panthers beat South Sydney Rabbitohs, attracted a metro TV audience of 495,000 on Saturday night, taking seventh spot.

In eighth spot on the ratings table on Saturday was Ten’s coverage of the Supercars Championship in Bathurst with 419,000 metro viewers.

On Sunday, Seven’s coverage of the AFL Brownlow Medal event was the fifth most popular show with 683,000 metro viewers. Nine’s long-running renovation reality show The Block took first and second spots followed by news programs on Nine and Seven, respectively.

Ten’s final day of the Supercars Championship, which was won by Holden’s Shane van Gisbergen, attracted 669,000 metro viewers on Sunday, taking sixth spot.

Seven’s solid AFL ratings bode well for its coverage of the AFL grand final between major Victorian clubs Richmond and Geelong at the Gabba on Saturday night.

A day later, Nine will broadcast the NRL grand final between Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers from ANZ Stadium at Homebush in Sydney. Nine also has the State of Origin to broadcast next month following the postponement of the three game series in April because of the coronavirus crisis.