Brandwave

AFL vs NBA:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?

In August 2026, AFL had more branded searches than NBA among sports leagues in New Zealand. AFL was estimated to have 108K branded searches compared to NBA’s 68.9K, and held a 2.9% Share of Search versus NBA’s 1.8%.

Share of Search among sports leagues in New Zealand in August 2026Which is more popular in search, AFL or NBA?
AFL2.9%108K searches
vs
NBA1.8%68.9K searches

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Which is more popular in search, AFL or NBA?

Compare the professional sports leagues New Zealand fans watch and follow. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

AFL and NBA among sports leagues in New Zealand, by month

Share of Search by month for AFL, NBA. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of search table
MonthNRLPremier LeagueA-LeagueAFLNFLNBA
Oct 202514.4%24.8%15.2%0.52%16.8%28.2%
Nov 20253.5%24%16.2%0.27%14.9%41.1%
Dec 20251.8%30.8%20%0.13%14.3%33.1%
Jan 20262.2%27.8%19.9%0.16%16.9%33.1%
Feb 202610.7%34%21.2%0.32%3.4%30.4%
Mar 202634%23%14.5%1.8%0.61%26.2%
Apr 202638.4%19.1%11.9%2%0.91%27.7%
May 202633.8%20.9%10.8%1.7%0.28%32.6%
Jun 202656.7%1.3%0.86%2.4%0.57%38.2%
Jul 202685.2%3%1.8%4.2%0.72%5.1%
Aug 202676.1%11.5%5.7%2.9%2.1%1.8%
Sep 2026——————

How has the AFL and NBA comparison changed over the last 12 months?

  • The lead changed hands once in the 11 months ending August 2026: AFL took it in August 2026.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, AFL’s estimated Share of Search among sports leagues in New Zealand moved from 0.52% to 2.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 13.3K to 108K.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, NBA’s estimated Share of Search among sports leagues in New Zealand moved from 28.2% to 1.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 731K to 68.9K.

How did search popularity change for New Zealand sports leagues in August 2026?

  1. In August 2026, Premier League overtook NBA to rank 2nd among sports leagues in New Zealand, at 11.5%.

  2. In August 2026, A-League overtook NBA to rank 3rd among sports leagues in New Zealand, at 5.7%.

  3. In August 2026, NFL overtook NBA to rank 5th among sports leagues in New Zealand, at 2.1%.

  4. In August 2026, NBA lost estimated Share of Search among sports leagues in New Zealand, from 5.1% to 1.8%.

  5. In August 2026, AFL lost estimated Share of Search among sports leagues in New Zealand, from 4.2% to 2.9%.

How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using AFL’s and NBA’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.

AFL

19 branded search terms

  • afl
  • afl collingwood
  • afl com au
  • afl draw
  • afl fixture
  • afl grand
  • afl ladder
  • afl live
  • afl live scores
  • afl match
  • afl near me
  • afl new zealand
  • afl nz
  • afl online
  • afl results
  • afl results today
  • afl scores
  • afl teams
  • afl w

NBA

22 branded search terms

  • nba
  • nba com
  • nba draft
  • nba draw
  • nba finals
  • nba fixtures
  • nba games
  • nba games today
  • nba ladder
  • nba near me
  • nba news
  • nba nz
  • nba online
  • nba players
  • nba playoffs
  • nba result
  • nba result today
  • nba scores
  • nba standings
  • nba stats
  • nba today
  • nba trades

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

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