Essendon and Richmond ahead of Dreamtime at Optus Stadium, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

THE AFL is pleased to announce the Round 12 Dreamtime in Perth match between Essendon and Richmond at Optus Stadium attracted 1.09 million television viewers nationally, making it the highest-rating Saturday night home and away match in seven years.

The Dreamtime game, relocated to Optus Stadium from the MCG due to the Covid situation in Victoria, was up 30 per cent when compared to the 2020 Dreamtime in Darwin game and up 55 per cent compared to the 2019 Dreamtime at the ‘G’.

Meanwhile, the Round 12 match between Melbourne and the Brisbane Lions played at the SCG on Friday night attracted an average television audience of 1.14 million, becoming the largest Friday night audience in Queensland this season and the second-largest Friday night Victorian television audience for the season.

Round 11 saw the highest rating Friday night match of the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season with the top of the table clash between the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne attracting an average television audience of 1.14 million viewers nationally.

The attendance for the Dreamtime match in round 12, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

AFL Chief Executive Officer Gillon McLachlan said it was great to see so many Australians celebrate a spectacular round of football and expressed his thanks to broadcast partners, the Seven Network and Foxtel, and to all football fans across the country who tuned in to the 2021 Toyota AFL Sir Doug Nicholls Round matches over the past two weeks.

“The 2021 Toyota AFL Sir Doug Nicholls Round has been a truly special celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures,’ Mr McLachlan said.

“For Victorians, I acknowledge it has been a challenging period for those involved in football at all levels and I hope that tuning in to the games during the Toyota AFL Sir Doug Nicholls Round has provided some comfort as we continue to navigate the pandemic.”

AFL Executive General Manager Inclusion & Social Policy Tanya Hosch said she was pleased to see an average television audience of 7.75 million people across Australia tune in to the broadcasts of the 2021 Toyota AFL Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

“Sir Doug Nicholls Round is a highlight of the football calendar every year, and we thank everyone involved in celebrating the Round for making it one of the most memorable yet,” Ms Hosch said.

“The Dreamtime in Perth was a highlight of the Round and I would like to thank our players and their clubs for sharing their culture with the wider community through storytelling, pre-game gift exchanges and jumper designs.

“While it is disappointing we were unable to have games played in Victoria and the Northern Territory during this Round, we are grateful that so many could still tune in to the celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures on their screens.

“I would like to thank broadcast partners, the Seven Network and Foxtel, for not only their respective broadcasts of the Round, but for their overall celebration of the Sir Doug Nicholls Round.”

David Wirrpanda make this way over the Matagarup Bridge for the Long Walk ahead of the Dreamtime match. Picture: AFL Photos

Round 11

The total average TV audience for Round 11 of the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season was 3.74 million  (excluding streaming platforms).
 
Western Bulldogs vs. Melbourne

  • The average national TV audience for Friday night’s top of the table clash between the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne was 1.14 million, making it the highest rating Friday night match of the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season
  • The largest Melbourne TV audience so far throughout the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season with 443K viewers in Melbourne

Round 12

The total average TV audience for Round 12 of the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season was 4.01M (excluding streaming platforms).
 
Essendon vs. Richmond

  • This year’s Dreamtime at Optus Stadium recorded national average TV audience of 1.09M
  • The highest-rating Saturday night game in seven seasons.
  • Up 55 per cent when compared to the 2019 Dreamtime in Darwin match.
  • Up 30 per cent when compared to the 2020 Dreamtime at the ‘G’ match.

Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions

  • National average TV audience of 1.14 million
  • Largest Friday night television audience in Queensland, making it the largest Friday night audience in Queensland this year.

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