The annual review measures a range of key performance indicators across a number of areas including membership, match day attendance, the laws of the game and television ratings.
While some figures do reflect the effects of the financial downturn, overall Demetriou was buoyed the report's findings. The shining light of the review was the overall increase in club membership led by Hawthorn, Melbourne, Richmond and Carlton.
"Something that's emerging here that is telling us something about the game itself, is that people genuinely want to belong to their football clubs," Demetriou said from AFL House.
"They feel a deep sense of belonging to their football clubs, particularly during these periods of uncertainty, and I think that speaks volumes about the game.
"People want to come along and watch the game in big numbers, but they also want to belong to their football clubs and feel a little bit of ownership in their football club and their players."
With June's figures still to come, club memberships are one per cent higher than at the same time last year with the League predicting 580,000 by the time they close.
Eleven rounds into the 2009 season 3.202 million people had gone through the turnstiles compared to 3.391 million the previous year. Hawthorn, Richmond and the Brisbane Lions have recorded significant increases, while Collingwood, St Kilda and Carlton are well behind on last year's numbers.
"Everyone knows that last year we had an extraordinary year and record crowds," Demetriou said.
"On average we've been going pretty well over the last five years and we're on track, probably, to get to the second-highest attendance figure ever. We know in the second half of the year we've got some strong football rounds."
The round one clash between Richmond and Carlton drew the biggest crowd of the season to date with the figure of 87,043 eclipsing the traditional Anzac Day clash between Essendon and Collingwood that drew 84,829.
Demetriou was thrilled with the effect the new rushed behind rule has had on the flow of the game with rushed behinds dropping from an average of six per game in 2008 to just 3.6 this year. One error in interpretation of the rule has been recorded with the free paid against Matthew Kreuzer wrongly awarded.
Free kicks plus 50m for retarding a player after disposal have been awarded 25 times with 17 of those in the first three rounds with just eight paid since as umpires and players have adapted.
The introduction of four boundary umpires has seen a dramatic increase of 60 per cent in boundary umpiring accuracy and has also aided goal umpiring with just one mistake recorded.
There have been 89 recalled bounces in the 88 games completed while only two free kicks have resulted from umpire contact at a bounce.
Demetriou pointed to statistics that show small increases in both contested possessions and marks as evidence that the new laws and interpretations are having the desired effect while seeing the number of free kicks paid per game drop by an average of four.
In terms of television viewership, the free-to-air numbers are down 1.2 per cent on last year despite an increase of six per cent in the Melbourne market. Pay TV has record a 6.7 per cent increase in viewership with the Sunday twilight time slot performing well.
In a reverse of the crowd figures for the respective matches, the largest national television audience for a single game was 1,447,377 for the Anzac Day clash between Essendon and Collingwood while 1,299,009 people tuned in for the season opener between Richmond and Carlton.
Demetriou admitted to some concern over small drops in attendance, membership and free-to-air viewership in the key Sydney market, but pledged to continue working with the Swans as the League prepares for the introduction of a team in western Sydney.
"We'll continue to say that that it's one of the great challenges that we face," Demetriou said of the League's plans for a second team in the region.
"We're not deluding ourselves and thinking it's going to be easy. It's going to be one of the greatest challenges that has ever faced the AFL, but we think it's the right time.
"We think it's a great opportunity and we think it's going to be of benefit to the Sydney Swans."
