Australia’s largest telco – the AFL’s digital rights partner - says its Tracker data reveals that the number of Telstra Live Pass subscribers has surpassed 3 million subscribers for the first time - reaching 3.2 million, up 29% on 2018.

And Collingwood was the most streamed team in 2019, with 57.4 million minutes of Pies’ games in 2019 watched through the AFL official app and Telstra Live Pass.

Here’s the streaming stats released by the AFL:

• In total, 403 million minutes of AFL were streamed in 2019 to the end of the regular season, up 10% on last year
• Streaming on the AFL’s official app and Telstra Live Pass recorded its biggest ever weekend in Round 22 (in terms of minutes streamed) – surpassing the previous record (Round 22, 2018), up 19%
• The biggest single streamed match in 2019 was when Richmond edged out West Coast in Round 22 - almost 7 million minutes streamed
• Victorians accounted for 41% of all devices streaming AFL matches – the most of any state or territory
• Collingwood was the most streamed team at 57.4 million minutes watched in the AFL official app and Telstra live pass
• Following Collingwood defending premiers West Coast Eagles showed strong support in second place, with their matches being streamed for 51.9 million minutes, narrowly eclipsing Carlton with 51.8 million minutes
• The number of Telstra Live Pass subscribers has surpassed the three million mark for the first time, currently at 3.2m up 29% on the same time last year.

And Telstra Tracker data also reveals that:

• Richmond half-back Oleg Markov recorded the highest speed by any player in 2019 – a blistering 37.4km/h against Collingwood in Round 2
• North Melbourne’s Ben Brown was the player with the highest average distance covered per game across the entire season, travelling 15.6km per game
• Combining the running efforts of all players across the entire season, they travelled 111,628 kilometres – almost three times around the circumference of the planet
• The Sydney Swans covered the most distance in a single game – 306.3km against Melbourne in Round 4, well above the league average for the season of 281.9km.

Telstra Product & Technology Media Executive Rebecca Haagsma said Telstra was proud to use its network and leading technology to enhance the way people watch and interact with sports in Australia.

“The growth in subscribers and minutes streamed shows there is strong demand from fans to be able to watch sport on the go, when they aren’t able to get to the game or watch it on TV,” Haagsma said.

According to Telstra, 2019 has been it’s biggest year yet as digital rights partner of the AFL as well as the NRL, Netball Australia and the FFA, bringing nearly 850 games to its mobile customers and subscribers “live, fast, and data-free”.

Telstra says it has had a long association with professional sport in Australia and today is a key partner of the country’s leading codes, providing sponsorship, technology, and broadcast innovations that allow fans to stay connected, and get closer with news and insights at their fingertips.

And the telco says fans are also benefiting from the launch of Kayo Sports - available to Telstra customers to add to their monthly broadband or mobile service - which brings more than 50 sports live and on demand to more devices than just mobile, including AFL, NRL, cricket, football, rugby union, motorsports, basketball and tennis.