DESPITE a blowout result, the case for Thursday night football has been further strengthened by strong television ratings.
The Sydney Swans-Geelong telecast across free-to-air and subscription television combined with a crowd of 37,355 provided strong data to the League as it considers making the timeslot a more regular part of the fixture.
On Channel Seven, which broadcast the game across its main channel and 7mate in different markets, the telecast peaked at 1.052 million viewers.
The average audience was 728,000 viewers, including 341,000 in Melbourne.
With a 7.10pm bounce, the telecast began off the back of Channel Seven's nightly news, and the network said it was pleased with the result.
“For a one-sided match where the scores blew out early and a final margin of 110 points, the ratings on Channel Seven and 7mate for Thursday night football were excellent and helped deliver another nightly win for Seven,” a network spokesperson told AFL.com.au.
The broadcast also rated well on subscription television, with 232,000 viewers tuning into Fox Footy, making it the highest rating program on Foxtel for the night.
Negotiations for the next round of media rights are only in their infancy, with the current Seven, Foxtel and Telstra contract set to expire at the end of 2016.
Incoming AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan met with executives from Fox Sports and Channel Seven in Sydney on Thursday ahead of the game.
If the Thursday night timeslot is deemed a success, it could add value to the next media deal.
