more people actually attend the matches per capita than watch on tv per capita by a huge margin. So that is a very valid question for the clubs to ask.
The FFA are using the Phoenix and metrics to deflect attention away from their own poor performance and controversies (Warner Payment anyone?)
Average 64,000 viewers per game on fox tv last season.
Average 13,000 in attendance at games last season.
Given the population tv draws from is much bigger than those that can reasonably attend games within a catchment area, that tv figure is all kinds of shocking, while the attendance figure looks comparatively good. Twice as good in fact.