New Fixture and Starting Times

[kozi]

Let's face it, the AFL fixture gets more bizarre every year and 2014 has taken it to a new level.

Sunday night footy has been a complete failure.
Same with Monday night footy
Too many games on at the same time
Then not enough during bye rounds
Infact we've had almost 2 whole months of bye rounds in a 6 month comp.
Week one split over 2 weeks, rounds 8,9,10 + round 18 split over 2 = 7 actual weeks of byes.

Meanwhile, The AFL completely ignores the only time slot different from the norm that actually works - Thursday night footy.

Without waffling on, these are the changes I propose:

Have less games on at the same time by fixing their starting times
Thursday night footy
No opening round split round and 3 week bender split rounds
No more 4:40 time slot on a Saturday
No more Sunday night footy (maybe 1 or 2 Monday's)

Thursday - 7:10pm
Friday - 7:40pm
Saturday - 1:10pm
Saturday - 3:30pm
Saturday - 7:30pm
Satuday - 7:30pm
Sunday - 1:10pm
Sunday - 3:30pm
Sunday - 4:40pm

Round 9 is split over only TWO weeks (5 in the first 4 in the second)
Round 18 the same (4 in the first 5 in the second)

This would fix the entire fixture.

 

[Fitzey]

A round 9 split is not even needed..

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

What? No Tuesday morning game?

 

[Admiral Byng]

not sold on Thursday night games any more than I am Sunday or Monday

 

[master bate]

Moves Saturday twilight to Thursday night..... Solves entire fixture?

Sure buddy, if you say so.

No Sundays or Mondays besides Easter or other public holidays and a limited run (4-6 per year) of Thursday night games (including Easter and Opening round) and preferably 1 mid season bye is ideal. But the time slots are only part of the fixture problem.

 

[wally funk]

As far as I'm concerned, the only Thursday night that's ever worked so far was Carlton v Richmond in round one, and that only succeeds because it's two great rivals and the fans are totally starved of footy before the opening round. Public holiday fixtures aside, matches should be held between Friday night and Sunday afternoon. Sunday night, Monday night, Thursday night are rubbish timeslots.

 

[Magpie Ink]

I'm still trying to figure out why the AFL would schedule the Pies v Crows game at 4.40pm on a Sunday when it's the only game on the day

The only thing I can think of is if it's Foxtels highest rating timeslot on a Sunday and they may have requested that starting time?

 

[sverik25]

I'm still trying to figure out why the AFL would schedule the Pies v Crows game at 4.40pm on a Sunday when it's the only game on the day

The only thing I can think of is if it's Foxtels highest rating timeslot on a Sunday and they may have requested that starting time?

I'd say that's the reason, but I don't think there'd be that much difference between any timeslot on a Sunday. The AFL just pandered way too much to the requests of broadcasters this year.

 

[FootyJunkie]

Friday - 7:50pm x 1 (7)
Saturday - 1:40pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Saturday - 4:40pm x 1 (Fox)
Saturday - 7:40pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Sunday - 1:10pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Sunday - 4:10pm x 1 (Fox)

I don't like how the 7 and Fox games are staggered in the afternoon. I would rather have two games start and end at the same time.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Friday - 7:50pm x 1 (7)
Saturday - 1:40pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Saturday - 4:40pm x 2 (Fox)
Saturday - 7:40pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Sunday - 1:10pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Sunday - 4:10pm x 1 (Fox)

I don't like how the 7 and Fox games are staggered in the afternoon. I would rather have two games start and end at the same time.

This

 

[FootyJunkie]

Maybe bring back the old "highlights packages" on Ch 7 after the LIVE games in the afternoons too to lead into the 6pm news, showing highlights of the Foxtel game that they clashed with.

90 min on Saturday at 4:30pm, 2 hours on Sunday at 4pm

"If you don't want to know the score, look away now."

 

[Experimental]

No more 4:40 time slot on a Saturday

Wasn't this timeslot voted the most popular in the AFL fan survey?

 

[atdhe]

Wasn't this timeslot voted the most popular in the AFL fan survey?

Couldn't say but it is a good timeslot, much better than OP's 3:30 one. Seems all the more odd considering he also said 'Have less games on at the same time by fixing their starting times', but the 3:30 start creates an overlap with the earlier game...

This is the best solution:

Friday - 7:50pm x 1 (7)
Saturday - 1:40pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Saturday - 4:40pm x 1 (Fox)
Saturday - 7:40pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Sunday - 1:10pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Sunday - 4:10pm x 1 (Fox)
I don't like how the 7 and Fox games are staggered in the afternoon. I would rather have two games start and end at the same time.

 

[Experimental]

Friday - 7:50pm x 1 (7)
Saturday - 1:40pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Saturday - 4:40pm x 1 (Fox)
Saturday - 7:40pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Sunday - 1:10pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Sunday - 4:10pm x 1 (Fox)

I don't like how the 7 and Fox games are staggered in the afternoon. I would rather have two games start and end at the same time.

The only thing I'd change is swapping the two games @ 1:40pm on Saturdays to two @ 4:40pm on Saturdays, purely based off the twilight games being so popular.

 

[FootyJunkie]

The only thing I'd change is swapping the two games @ 1:40pm on Saturdays to two @ 4:40pm on Saturdays, purely based off the twilight games being so popular.

As long as you can convince Channel 7 to put the 6pm news on 7TWO.

 

[Experimental]

As long as you can convince Channel 7 to put the 6pm news on 7TWO.

Just chuck the footy on 7mate like they do in QLD!

 

[FootyJunkie]

Just chuck the footy on 7mate like they do in QLD!

Makes logical sense to just have all sport on 7mate, or just rebrand it or make a new digital channel call 7sport where Ch 7 can show all LIVE and classic stuff on there. Where all those late night 'footy flashback' games they used to show on 7TWO?

I think the idea though is that the primary channel is still what Channel 7 wants to take care of the most in terms of ratings and such, so they prefer to keep the footy on it, at least in the Melbourne/Adelaide/Perth markets.

 

[kozi]

Couldn't say but it is a good timeslot, much better than OP's 3:30 one. Seems all the more odd considering he also said 'Have less games on at the same time by fixing their starting times', but the 3:30 start creates an overlap with the earlier game...

Yes, a massive 10 minute overlap with the earlier game which would finish at 3:40pm. If you're worried about that then why would you rate a proposal that has 6 out of 9 games on at exactly the same time as the "best" solution?

Friday - 7:50pm x 1 (7)
Saturday - 1:40pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Saturday - 4:40pm x 1 (Fox)
Saturday - 7:40pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Sunday - 1:10pm x 2 (7 and Fox)
Sunday - 4:10pm x 1 (Fox)

Would if be better if all the games were on at exactly the same time?

 

[FootyJunkie]

Yes, a massive 10 minute overlap with the earlier game which would finish at 3:40pm. If you're worried about that then why would you rate a proposal that has 6 out of 9 games on at exactly the same time as the "best" solution?



Would if be better if all the games were on at exactly the same time?

I'd be all for multiple games (more than 2) happening at the same time, like in the good old days... but neither Ch 7 or Fox want to split their audience.

Love how its done in the NFL, where you can have about 10 games going on at the same time with the RedZone channel switching from game to game showing the best bits from every game as they happen, LIVE!

 

[atdhe]

Yes, a massive 10 minute overlap with the earlier game which would finish at 3:40pm. If you're worried about that then why would you rate a proposal that has 6 out of 9 games on at exactly the same time as the "best" solution?



Would if be better if all the games were on at exactly the same time?

Well the last two games on a Sunday are overlapping enough to make it inconsequential if they were to be started at the same time or staggered at the times you suggested. And Thursday night games every week is unlikely to happen. The way I see it, FootyJunkie's proposal means you could watch 6 games a weekend without overlap, with 3 of the times offering a choice between 2 games. Seems like a good compromise to me.

 

[glengowan]

Fri 7:40* x 2
Sat 1:40 x 2
Sat 4:40
Sat 7:40* x 2
Sun 1:40
Sun 4:40

*If a game in Perth, start 1 game EST 6:40 and other WST 7:20 so you have a Fri or Sat night double header.

 

[brucetiki]

As far as I'm concerned, the only Thursday night that's ever worked so far was Carlton v Richmond in round one, and that only succeeds because it's two great rivals and the fans are totally starved of footy before the opening round. Public holiday fixtures aside, matches should be held between Friday night and Sunday afternoon. Sunday night, Monday night, Thursday night are rubbish timeslots.

So Adelaide v Collingwood earlier this season - with 50000+ at the game - was a complete failure then

 

[kozi]

Well the last two games on a Sunday are overlapping enough to make it inconsequential if they were to be started at the same time or staggered at the times you suggested.

So you're writing off a whole half game of footy as inconsequential.

The way I see it, FootyJunkie's proposal means you could watch 6 games a weekend without overlap, with 3 of the times offering a choice between 2 games. Seems like a good compromise to me.

Not sure what you're on about here tbh when your point is that you WANT MORE GAMES WITHOUT OVERLAPPING TIMES!

That proposal: 6 games out of 9 overlapping. (2 Saturday afternoon, 2 Saturday night, 2 Sunday afternoon)
My proposal: 2 1/2 games out of 9 overlapping. (2 Saturday night, 1/2 Sunday afternoon)

So you want to watch more footy with less overlap. But you like a fixture that gives you much more overlap, instead of one with much less. #Logic

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

all about maximum tv exposure.

 

[L_W_P]

Maybe if the game was in WA but an 11.30am VIC start means 9.30am for WA TV which would be a ratings disaster.