8.4 million Australians watched the AFL Grand Final

A special snap Roy Morgan SMS survey taken on Sunday shows 8.4 million Australians (44.5%) aged 18+ watched Saturday’s AFL Grand Final and a further 1.8 million (9.5%) watched ‘Just the Highlights’ while 8.7 million Australians (46%) didn’t watch the AFL’s biggest game.

Of the 8.4 million Australians that watched the AFL Grand Final over 5.7 million (30.5%) primarily watched the game on TV, 1 million (5.5%) watched at a friend’s house, 360,000 (2%) watched at a Pub/ Hotel, 100,000 (0.5%) watched via an App/ Website, 100,000 (0.5%) were at the MCG while a further 230,000 (1%) watched in a different way and 820,000 (4.5%) didn’t say.

This special snap Roy Morgan SMS survey was conducted on Sunday with a cross-section of 1,667 Australians aged 18+ following Saturday’s AFL Grand Final.

Analysis by State

Analysis by State shows Victorians make up the largest share of those watching with 3.3 million Victorians watching the AFL Grand Final nearly twice as many as in New South Wales (1.7 million) and more than three times as many as in Western Australia (1.1 million), Queensland (1.0 million) or South Australia (850,000):

• Victoria: Watched AFL Grand Final (68%) cf. Didn’t watch AFL Grand Final (23%) cf. Watched ‘Just the Highlights’ (9%);
  
• Tasmania: Watched AFL Grand Final (67.5%) cf. Didn’t watch AFL Grand Final (16%) cf. Watched ‘Just the Highlights’ (16.5%);
  
• South Australia: Watched AFL Grand Final (64.5%) cf. Didn’t watch AFL Grand Final (31%) cf. Watched ‘Just the Highlights’ (4.5%);
  
• Western Australia: Watched AFL Grand Final (53.5%) cf. Didn’t watch AFL Grand Final (38.5%) cf. Watched ‘Just the Highlights’ (8%);
  
• New South Wales: Watched AFL Grand Final (27.5%) cf. Didn’t watch AFL Grand Final (63%) cf. Watched ‘Just the Highlights’ (9.5%);
  
• Queensland: Watched AFL Grand Final (27%) cf. Didn’t watch AFL Grand Final (60.5%) cf. Watched ‘Just the Highlights’ (12.5%).

AFL Grand Final – How did you watch it?

TV is still the king when it comes to big events with over 5.7 million Australians (30%) watching the game on TV and clearly the preferred method of watching the game in all States:

• Victoria: TV (44.5%); Friend’s house (9.5%); Pub/ Hotel (4%); At the MCG (2%); App/ Website (0.5%); Other (1.5%); No answer (6%); Did not watch/ ‘Just the Highlights’ (32%);
  
• Tasmania: TV (50%); Friend’s house (12%); Pub/ Hotel (0%); At the MCG (0%); App/ Website (0%); Other (2.5%); No answer (3%); Did not watch/ ‘Just the Highlights’ (32.5%);
  
• South Australia: TV (40.5%); Friend’s house (7%); Pub/ Hotel (4%); At the MCG (0%); App/ Website (1%); Other (4%); No answer (8%); Did not watch/ ‘Just the Highlights’ (35.5%);
  
• Western Australia: TV (31%); Friend’s house (7%); Pub/ Hotel (2%); At the MCG (0%); App/ Website (2%); Other (2%); No answer (9.5%); Did not watch/ ‘Just the Highlights’ (46.5%);
  
• New South Wales: TV (21%); Friend’s house (3%); Pub/ Hotel (0.5%); At the MCG (0.5%); App/ Website (0%); Other (0.5%); No answer (2%); Did not watch/ ‘Just the Highlights’ (72.5%);
  
• Queensland: TV (20%); Friend’s house (2.5%); Pub/ Hotel (1%); At the MCG (0.5%); App/ Website (0%); Other (0.5%); No answer (2.5%); Did not watch/ ‘Just the Highlights’ (73%).

Analysis by Gender

Analysis by gender shows more men (4.6 million) than women (3.8 million) watched the AFL Grand Final and a further 1.0 million men and 850,000 women watched ‘’Just the Highlights’:

• Men: Watched AFL Grand Final (49%) cf. Didn’t watch AFL Grand Final (40.5%) cf. Watched ‘Just the Highlights’ (10.5%);
  
• Women: Watched AFL Grand Final (39.5%) cf. Didn’t watch AFL Grand Final (51.5%) cf. Watched ‘Just the Highlights’ (9%).

AFL Grand Final – How did you watch it?

TV was clearly the preferred method of watching the AFL Grand Final for both men and women:

• Men: TV (32.5%); Friend’s house (7%); Pub/ Hotel (1.5%); At the MCG (1%); App/ Website (0.5%); Other (1%); No answer (5.5%); Did not watch/ ‘Just the Highlights’ (51%);
  
• Women: TV (28%); Friend’s house (4%); Pub/ Hotel (2%); At the MCG (0.5%); App/ Website (0.5%); Other (1.5%); No answer (3%); Did not watch/ ‘Just the Highlights’ (60.5%).

Analysis by Age

Analysing by age shows the biggest audience for the AFL Grand Final is those aged 35-49yrs old with 2.2 million watching the AFL Grand Final just ahead of those aged 50-64yrs old (1.9 million viewers) and those aged 65+yrs old (1.9 million). A further 1.5 million aged 25-34yrs old watched the AFL Grand Final and 950,000 aged 18-24yrs old:

• 18-24yr olds: Watched AFL Grand Final (41%) cf. Didn’t watch AFL Grand Final (51.5%) cf. Watched ‘Just the Highlights’ (7.5%);
  
• 25-34yr olds: Watched AFL Grand Final (42.5%) cf. Didn’t watch AFL Grand Final (45%) cf. Watched ‘Just the Highlights’ (12.5%);
  
• 35-49yr olds: Watched AFL Grand Final (44.5%) cf. Didn’t watch AFL Grand Final (49%) cf. Watched ‘Just the Highlights’ (6.5%);
  
• 50-64yr olds: Watched AFL Grand Final (44%) cf. Didn’t watch AFL Grand Final (44%) cf. Watched ‘Just the Highlights’ (12%);
  
• 65+yr olds: Watched AFL Grand Final (49.5%) cf. Didn’t watch AFL Grand Final (42%) cf. Watched ‘Just the Highlights’ (8.5%).

AFL Grand Final – How did you watch it?

TV was the preferred method of watching the AFL Grand Final for all age groups, ahead of watching at a friend’s house which was highest amongst the youngest age group:

• 18-24yr olds: TV (26%); Friend’s house (10.5%); Pub/ Hotel (2%); At the MCG (0%); App/ Website (0.5%); Other (0%); No answer (2%); Did not watch/ ‘Just the Highlights’ (59%);
  
• 25-34yr olds: TV (26%); Friend’s house (8%); Pub/ Hotel (1.5%); At the MCG (1%); App/ Website (1%); Other (1%); No answer (4%); Did not watch/ ‘Just the Highlights’ (57.5%);
  
• 35-49yr olds: TV (29%); Friend’s house (5.5%); Pub/ Hotel (2.5%); At the MCG (1.5%); App/ Website (1%); Other (1.5%); No answer (3.5%); Did not watch/ ‘Just the Highlights’ (55.5%);
  
• 50-64yr olds: TV (33%); Friend’s house (4%); Pub/ Hotel (1%); At the MCG (1%); App/ Website (0.5%); Other (1%); No answer (3.5%); Did not watch/ ‘Just the Highlights’ (56%);
  
• 65+yr olds: TV (36%); Friend’s house (2%); Pub/ Hotel (2%); At the MCG (0%); App/ Website (0%); Other (2%); No answer (7.5%); Did not watch/ ‘Just the Highlights’ (50.5%).

Gary Morgan, Executive Chairman, Roy Morgan Research, says:

Roy Morgan SMS Polling was extremely accurate at both the last two Federal Elections.
Results analysed by Roy Morgan Helix Personas are available on a subscription basis.
www.HelixPersonas.com.au

Questions:

“Did you watch the AFL Grand Final?” If YES: “Did you primarily watch the AFL Grand Final on TV, App, Website, Friend’s House, Pub/Hotel, At the MCG or Other?”

Analysis by Age & Gender – Watching AFL Grand Final

Analysis by State – Watching AFL Grand Final

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