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Viewers abandon final Games events

TEN's network share last night was just 16.4% -less than half that of Seven. But it's hardly a network's fault if ticket sales have been lacklustre.

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Viewers are abandoning the final days of competition in Delhi.

The best the Commonwealth Games could average last night was 714,000 on TEN / ONE combined -lower than TEN News at Five‘s 842,000.

It is a disappointing result for network, advertisers and sportstars alike, but viewers would be equally disappointed by poor attendances at key stadiums.

TEN’s network share last night was just 16.4% -less than half that of Seven’s whopping 35.6% and Nine’s 27.6%. It barely eclipsed ABC’s 15.6% and tonight is at risk of landing fourth. The shares are now lower than TEN enjoys with its standard programming.

TEN’s primary channel was a disastrous 11.9% last night, beaten by ABC1. it was its lowest share of the year. In digital channels ONE was second at 4.45, bettered by GO!’s 4.7%.

So far the network is yet to issue its daily release talking up its overnight figures. It can usually find a positive somewhere in the evening, but today may prove tricky.

The frustration for TEN is that it has no control over the staging of the events. It’s hardly a network’s fault if ticket sales have been lacklustre and if the lead-up to the event left everybody worried about its staging. As it turns out Delhi has proceeded without any major incidents. Touch wood.

By contrast Foxtel says its shares have increased as a result of having 6 dedicated channels available at no extra cost to sports subscribers. Figures last week certainly supported that argument. Even Foxtel doesn’t wield enoughs way to get the swimming to be re-staged this week.

But numbers are numbers. Without swimming viewers are heading elsewhere via their remotes. Packed to the Rafters topped the night with 1.76m viewers.

The Closing Ceremony is 12am Friday morning AEDT.

Day 10 of events commences with diving, rugby 7’s, shooting, hockey, lawn bowls, netball and athletics.

Week 42.

34 Responses

  1. In this day and age of multichanneling, I dont know why they didnt keep regular ten programming going while the games where on. (They could show regular programming on OneSD while the games are on Ten analogue/digital and OneHD to meet legislative requirements)

  3. I watch the commonwealth games for the womens athletics, gymnastics and diving. I am not interested in the swimming events either, I dont like the bike pants swimsuit as I still believe they give a speed advantage over the traditional one piece swimsuits – the poorer countries competitiors that participated the events wore the traditionals swimsuit and they came in last by a mile.

  4. Once again I’m out of sync with the consensus – I boycotted the swimming and have been addicted to the track and field events (even with Channel ten’s frenzied over-edited field highlights crammed between races). I much prefer watching events that otherwise get little airtime; swimming seems to be on every other month.

    Channel ten’s biggest flaw has been having ex-athletes commentate events they have friends competing in – the diving guy and Melinda Gainsford have been especially guilty of overhyping their personal preferences.

  5. I think people are being way too quick to judge Ten’s figures on this.

    As has been mentioned previously, the comparisons to the ratings of previous Games are not comparing like to like. Melbourne was a national event, with local performances, production, facilities and the additional success the host usually has adding to viewing numbers.

    Further the entire FTA TV market has changed. We now have 14+ unique viewing options, compared to the 5 that were available in 2006. Not to mention the fact that Tuesday nights with Top Gear and Packed to the Rafters is one of the most competitive nights anyway.

    Swimming is traditionally the most popular sport watched – so whilst we may have seen the peak in figures – any smaller numbers are not a disaster, but rather indicative of the new media environment.

  7. To be honest, 10 don’t have a good track record with ‘Games’ coverage. That said, people are missing out. I’ve really enjoyed the netball, the hockey, the rugby 7s, and the track and field.

    Call me un-Australian, but swimming has to be the most boring sport in the world – it’s even worse than women’s tennis – and that’s saying something.

    The FTA networks however will never understand the need to provide a detailed telecast schedule. I know they just want me to start watching, and stay watching, but they need an incentive to get people to watch in the first place – and that, you have to advertise.

    @Patrick – Indians take education too seriously to give their children multiple days off school to attend a sports event.

    And whilst FTA coverage of the Glasgow games might be doubtful, I have no doubt we’ll get saturation coverage of Gold Coast 2018.

  8. The Commonweatlh Games has been a disaster for 10.

    The endless shots of empty spectactor seats has been awful as well – weren’t the organisers going to bring in school kids to fill them up? – obviously didn’t happen.

    I think 10 shot themselves in the foot by constantly building up the Commonwealth Games as being on a par with the Olympics. The 2 are completely seperate entities and the audiences have clearly judged what they prefer.

    I doubt we’ll ever see the Commonweatlh Games on FTA TV ever again after this – no network would spend the cash for bid for it after this one.

  9. Until the coverage makes use of the multiple digital channels, so that I can watch an event uninterrupted by someone who thinks I’d be happier watching something else – it is just too frustrating to bother with.

  10. Rutzie, couldn’t agree more with Foxtel’s coverage it has been great sure they have the ability with extra channels to show more but they know when and when not to put in the add breaks… at least on their Comm games channels anyway.

    The netball has been my favourite and agree with having Ann Sargeant in commentary have her and Liz together would be great .

  11. While I haven’t been bothered watching the games either (except of course the swimming/men’s diving). I do get a little tired of the responses saying, the games suck because Australia is so much better than the rest of the countries in the Commonwealth.

    We are seriously the Only nation on Earth that gets angry at our sports people when they win.
    You idiots do realise that England and Canada are in the games right?

    When it comes to the Olympics, do you think China says ” of course we’re going to win, we have 1billion people” or the U.S with their 300+million.

    Tall poppy syndrome has never been more rife than in the past two weeks.

    While I choose not to watch, I also choose not to bag out people who dedicate their lives to sport.

  12. This has been a total disaster for Ten, who should’ve known better. They’re better off letting Foxtel cover it in future – that’s if the Comm Games even has one, as it should be held in one permanent location (England) from now on, if it continues.

  13. I’ve been watching the Foxtel coverage instead of Ten/ONE. I was watching the Netball yesterday on Foxtel and switched over to ONE to see if it was on and they were in the middle of an adbreak halfway into the quarter at a crucial time in the game. I think Ten should seriously consider signing Anne Sargeant to call the ANZ Championship next year along with Liz Ellis. I’ve really enjoyed her commentary on Foxtel.

  15. So Foxtel Sport customers get the Games free but on Austar we have to pay more? No wounder I didn’t bother. I’m not into them enough to pay out more for channels I won’t watch.

    Seriously James post a sensible reply, Yes we have dominated to total metal tally but we’ve hardly had everything our way. I can’t wait to see what we can do in the UK in 4 years time.

    Yes they (India) have pulled off a great games, touch wood all goes well in the final few days.

  19. Haha TEN!! Bet they’re regretting not launching ELEVEN earlier.

    The Commonwealth Games are a joke…Australia is so much better that all other countries, that they really are a joke – they really should be wound up ASAP.

  24. Ticketsales really have no impact on how many people watch on TV, compelling sporting contests do. Putting on second rate events such as Rugby 7’s is the reason their ratings put them in the category of a niche player.

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