Nine had hoped an overhaul of the Footy Show format would bring about a change in fortunes for the weekly staple but on the early evidence it doesn't look great for the broadcaster.
The Footy Show, now hosted by Anthony 'Lehmo' Lehmann, Neroli Meadows, Dylan Alcott and Brendon Fevola, was given a battering by Seven's rival The Front Bar on Wednesday night.
Both programs were airing their second shows for the year, with the revamped Footy Show pulling in 163,000 five-city metro viewers, well down on their 290,000 opening week.
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This was despite the show following ratings winner Married At First Sight in the traditional football markets.
Conversely, The Front Bar pulled in 383,000 five-city metro viewers, more than double their counterparts on Nine but still slightly down on their 400,000 season premiere.
The difference was even larger in Melbourne, where The Front Bar had 277,000 viewers compared with the Footy Show's 96,000.
That figure is the lowest in the show's 25-year history.
Despite repeated line up changes in recent years, the decline of the show's appeal seems set to continue, with the likes of Rebecca Maddern and Craig Hutchison featuring in the host's chair alongside regulars such as Eddie McGuire, James Brayshaw and Sam Newman.
Long-time panelists McGuire and Newman will not be involved in 2019, though the former's production company will still be in charge.
McGuire and Newman are however expected to host specials on the network throughout the football season.
