Week Two of the 2021 Toyota AFL Finals featuring the Geelong Cats, GWS GIANTS, Brisbane Lions and the Western Bulldogs attracted a total audience of 3.15 million viewers, up nine per cent on Week Two of the 2019 Toyota AFL Finals.
Week Two of the 2021 Toyota AFL Finals Series helped drive Channel Seven’s viewership across Friday and Saturday night with over 40 per cent of total TV audiences in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Meanwhile, Foxtel recorded a 70 per cent increase across all platforms (Foxtel / Kayo / Foxtel Now / Foxtel Go) with Saturday night’s match between the Brisbane Lions and the Western Bulldogs the largest ever AFL audience on combined Fox platforms with 621,000 viewers.
Friday night’s Semi-Final in which Geelong defeated GWS GIANTS by 35 points, had an overall audience of 1.42 million with a free-to-air audience of 937,000 and Foxtel recording a 50 per cent increase across all platforms.
Saturday night’s Brisbane Lions vs. Western Bulldogs Semi Final – which was decided by one point – attracted an overall audience of 1.73 million, the largest Semi-Final audience of the last four seasons.
AFL General Manager of Clubs and Broadcasting Travis Auld thanked all supporters for their continued support of the Toyota AFL Finals Series.
“Football continues to be the one constant in Australian lives during a challenging period for the community. Through our screens we have celebrated and applauded the players who have provided us with the entertainment we have craved,” Auld said.
“On behalf of the AFL, I want to say thank you to every single person who has supported their club and the broader game this year and eagerly anticipate another weekend of incredible matches.”
More than 30,000 fans saw a thriller at The Gabba on Saturday night while a crowd of 44,091 flocked to Optus Stadium to see Geelong defeat the GIANTS, the match marked the biggest crowd between the two sides in AFL history.
2021 Toyota AFL Finals Series Week Two – TV Ratings
Total average audience: 3.15 million
- Up 9 per cent compared to the second week of finals in 2019
- 70 per cent increase for Fox platforms (Foxtel / Kayo / Foxtel Now / Foxtel Go)
Geelong Cats v GWS GIANTS – Semi-Final
Total average audience: 1.42 million
- Sydney FTA TV audience for Geelong vs. GWS was 47,000 (up 64 per cent compared to the Friday night semi-final in 2019)
- 50 per cent increase for Fox platforms (Foxtel / Kayo / Foxtel Now / Foxtel Go)
Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs – Semi-Final
Total average audience: 1.73 million
- Up 23 per cent compared to the Saturday night match in the second week of the 2019 Finals Series, which also featured the Lions, and largest Finals Week Two audience of the last four seasons
- VIC FTA TV audience of 590,000 – up 21 per cent compared to the Saturday night match during the second week of finals in 2019
- QLD FTA TV audience of 121,000 – the largest ever Week Two Finals Series TV audience in Regional QLD (33K)
Largest ever audience on Fox platforms combined of Foxtel / Kayo / Foxtel Now / Foxtel Go (621,000)
