The Tasmania Devils have drawn a bigger TV audience in their home state than the AFL’s marquee Anzac Day clash, with 107,000 Tasmanians tuning in to watch the VFL side’s game against Carlton on Saturday night – Pulse can reveal.
The Channel 7 broadcast figure came on top of a record crowd of 14,122 at Hobart’s Ninja Stadium, along with listeners on SEN Tassie and ABC radio.
A total of 124,000 people watched the game across Australia, with streaming platforms allowing Tasmanian expats on the mainland to tune-in.
RegionalTAM TV ratings data shows the Devils’ audience in Tasmania outstripped the Essendon versus Collingwood Anzac Day AFL game at the MCG, which pulled in just 93,500 viewers statewide.
It also beat Saturday night’s 7NEWS Tasmania bulletin.
The crowd at the game was the largest at any VFL game since 2017.
Gary O’Keeffe, Seven’s Head of AFL and Sport Innovation, told Pulse the response the TV network has seen in Tasmania “has been extraordinary”.
“The strength of the audiences tuning in on Seven and 7plus speaks volumes – it’s a clear signal that locals, and viewers around the country, are deeply invested,” he said.
“There is a genuine appetite and pride building around the Tasmania Devils and these numbers underline just how ready and eager the state is to embrace its own AFL team when they make their debut.”
Tasmania Devils chief marketing officer Kath McCann said Saturday night’s game had been a perfect storm of factors coming together.
“It was a wonderful occasion,” she told Pulse.
“It was a number of variables coming together and it was almost a perfect night for the fans and the community to celebrate what has been a great start to the Devils playing football.”
Despite the Devils suffering their first loss, McCann said fans still had a great time.
“When people head along to a game of footy, they’re looking for a whole entertainment experience and obviously the result didn’t quite go our way,” she said.
“But I’d be really confident that those that did get to the game would’ve had a great night and will definitely be coming back to watch the Devils play when they’re next in town,” she said.
McCann said the broadcast numbers were a reflection of the Tasmanian community’s deep connection to the club, which attracted 216,000 founding members at launch, with more than 110,000 based in Tasmania.
“We were thrilled,” she said.
“To know that Tasmanians had access and that they could be a part of the journey with us, but also feel that sense of belonging and feel the need and the want to actually tune in and be on that journey … we’re absolutely thrilled.”
She said the AFL was watching the club’s progression closely, with AFL CEO Andrew Dillon visiting Hobart yesterday to meet with the club and the state government.
“The AFL and the interstate market more broadly are watching on with very, very keen interest and enthusiasm,” McCann said.
The Devils’ women’s team is set to play their first game on May 16.
The men’s side returns to action this Sunday, facing off against Sandringham at UTAS Stadium in Launceston, with tickets still available from $5.
The match will be broadcast on 7Mate in Tasmania and on 7Plus nationally from 12pm to 3pm.
A Seven spokesperson said the network is “working on upgrading 7mate to HD in Tasmania as soon as we can” to provide better picture quality for viewers.
“We’ll share a further update on timing as soon as it’s available,” the spokesperson said.
