MORE than six million people tuned in to watch the weekend's finals games – the largest television audience over four matches since the AFL introduced a top-eight system in 1994.
Attendances at the four games were the fourth best in AFL history since the finals series went to a top-eight system in 1994, with 238,840 people pouring through the gates across the weekend.
The cumulative rating figures reached 6.34 million, topping the 6.07 million who watched the opening four matches of the 2006 finals series.
The four games drew the following average TV audience:
- Thursday night, West Coast v Western Bulldogs – 1.66 million
- Friday night, Geelong v Hawthorn – 1.78 million
- Saturday afternoon, Sydney Swans v GWS Giants – 1.51 million
- Saturday night, Adelaide v North Melbourne – 1.38 million
The figures can be seen as an endorsement of the AFL's decision to schedule a Thursday night final following a bye after round 23.
AFL general manager clubs and operations Travis Auld said the figures underlined a successful first week for the League.
"The opening to the Toyota AFL Finals series was a fantastic result for the AFL, with tremendous television audiences on the back of really strong crowds at the four games," Auld said.
"The four games drew nearly 240,000 supporters through the gate and to have great crowds supported by record television audiences was a great recognition for the opening to the biggest month of our season."
Leading attendances at week one finals
2011 – 270,678
2009 – 241,315
2014 – 239,202
2016 – 238,840
2013 – 238,485
