The Barassi Line is Changing – Could it Soon be a Thing of the Past?

The Barassi Line is one of the most unique phenomena in the world of sports. When the term was coined in 1978, it was an almost straight line drawn across a map of Australia that separated the prevalence of AFL and NRL.

Times are changing, though, and the influence of ARL is beginning to encroach on traditionally NRL following regions. What could this mean for the future? Will the Barassi Line soon be obsolete?

What is the Barassi Line?

The Barassi Line is a term that was coined by Ian Turner in 1978 when he was giving a lecture describing the clear sporting divide within Australia. The two major sports of the country are rugby and Aussie Rules, but these games are played predominantly in separate geographical sections.

For Australians, interest in the country’s most popular sports is prevalent, but a person’s main preference is largely based on where they grew up. There’s a huge industry for sports Down Under, with online betting in Australia being particularly popular. Estimates suggest that between one and two million people in the country place bets on sports at least once a year, and this is reflected in the number of sites they have to choose from. The easiest way to find somewhere to bet these days is to use a review page that lists all the top options.

Regardless of which side of the Barassi Line Australians find themselves on, there’s a high chance that they are keen on betting on either rugby or Aussie Rules. Indeed, the accessibility of the online betting industry could be helping rugby fans develop a passion for AFL, and vice versa.

How Has the Line Changed in Recent Years?

Recent research has shown that the once almost straight Barassi Line is beginning to change. In fact, the AFL is now beginning to encroach on areas of Victoria and New South Wales that are traditionally rugby-playing regions. For example, there was once a 70:30 split in favour of rugby league in the Murray region of NSW. Over the last few decades, that has been reversed and now AFL is the more popular sport in the area.

It seems that the AFL is trying to increase its influence on the eastern side of the Barassi Line through grassroots initiatives. The league has been known to put up goalposts in fields, encouraging more interest in the sport at an amateur level. In terms of overall dominance in Australia, AFL clearly leads the way, with 1504 Aussie Rules clubs to the 861 rugby sides. It may be the case at the NRL needs to do more now to appeal to fans on the western side of the Barassi Line.

What Does This Mean for the Future?

The fact that AFL appears to be heading for greater domination in Australia suggests that it could be time for the sport to market itself more to international audiences. Outside of the country, there are few other nations that play Aussie Rules. Indeed, there are only 13 affiliated countries in total around the globe, including Japan, Denmark, New Zealand, and Canada.

If the interest in AFL spreads to other parts of Australia and is then boosted by related industries like betting, it could start to attract more viewers from around the world. This is something that could be realistic within a few decades.

There are signs to suggest that the Barassi Line could soon be a thing of the past as interest in AFL spread to the eastern side of Australia. This could lead Aussie rules to earn more global fans in the future.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.