AFL Grand Final start time - Afternoon, twilight or night

[iameviljez]

If people can't even take time out to watch a grand final during the day how much do they care, really? It's all about ratings, ad revenue, money in the end. But that's increasingly how sports is becoming so it's probably inevitable. Don't mind a 3-4pm start but night is too long. Plus it's just less suitable for families. I like how the day is about it. The 2020 GF isnt a good indicator as it was in Brissie during covid, but really can't see many upsides.

Doesn’t matter whether they are new to the sport or old hands - everyone starts somewhere

 

[kickazz]

Doesn’t matter whether they are new to the sport or old hands - everyone starts somewhere

They do - and if you want to grab the really young ones, daytime is probably the better option.

 

[iameviljez]

Can I just say it's good to see everyone's mixed opinions in here, makes for good reading.

Pisses me off hearing people like Whately, Tony Jones and basically every other person in the media arrogantly assuming that it is clearly the best option and only a matter of time beofre it happens, whilst not declaring their considerable conflict of interest in the matter.

Why declare it? We all know they work for TV networks, it is hardly a secret

 

[iameviljez]

They do - and if you want to grab the really young ones, daytime is probably the better option.

Which is why I like the twilight compromise, tbh.

 

[Dan26]

There are plenty of great reasons in this thread if you choose to go back and read them.

Families being the biggest one.

You want to get the next generation of kids into the game but also want to potentially shut them out of celebrating the most important game of the year because it finishes too late. It doesn't make sense.

LOL families.

What a load of hypocritical crap.

Why aren't "families" a reason for hosting EVERY GAME FOR THE YEAR during the day, if that's your logic.

Why aren't "families" a reason for hosting the Geelong-Brisbane Preliminary Final during the day?

Such hypocrites. You guys act as though no other game has ever started at 7pm before. We had over 50 games start at 7pm this year alone, and I don't recall anyone ever complaining about "families" for any of those.

Have your nice cup of cocoa and be in bed by the final siren at 9:30. Jesus Christ. Since when is 9:30 on a Saturday night (a non school night) late?? It's not late.

Play it a night for crying out loud. We all know it's the right thing to do, as evidence by the fact that every other final was played at night/twilight this year and NO ONE COMPLAINED.

 

[Greenstar5]

Twilight.

Allows people to go about their Saturday. Still have ya BBQ. Still works for the pubs. Still family friendly. Win for everyone.

 

[kickazz]

LOL families.

What a load of hypocritical crap.

Why aren't "families" a reason for hosting EVERY GAME FOR THE YEAR during the day, if that's your logic.

Why aren't "families" a reason for hosting the Geelong-Brisbane Preliminary Final during the day?

Such hypocrites. You guys act as though no other game has ever started at 7pm before. We had over 50 games start at 7pm this year alone, and I don't recall anyone ever complaining about "families" for any of those.

Have your nice cup of cocoa and be in bed by the final siren at 9:30. Jesus Christ. Since when is 9:30 on a Saturday night (a non school night) late?? It's not late.

Play it a night for crying out loud. We all know it's the right thing to do, as evidence by the fact that every other final was played at night/twilight this year and NO ONE COMPLAINED.

I for one actually think there should be more red ball finals.

The only thing I would say is that the yellow ball finals are good in that they avoid clash with local league finals. And local leagues are all done by AFL GF weekend

 

[BigVic]

Twilight.

Allows people to go about their Saturday. Still have ya BBQ. Still works for the pubs. Still family friendly. Win for everyone.

The prelim a few weeks ago was a perfect example of why there should be a twilight game next year

 

[kickazz]

Why aren't "families" a reason for hosting EVERY GAME FOR THE YEAR during the day, if that's your logic.

Well obviously the Grand Final has a little more cachet when it comes to forming memories and inspiring people. It's a more important game.

 

[Dan26]

Twilight.

Allows people to go about their Saturday. Still have ya BBQ. Still works for the pubs. Still family friendly. Win for everyone.

1. You can go about your Saturday if the game was played at night
2. You can still have aa BBQ at night. Just for dinner instead of lunch
3. Night still works for the pubs. Do people not go to the pub at 7pm?
4. What's not family friendly about a Saturday night (a non-school night) at 7pm

 

[Walshawk]

The majority of the ground was in shade at 4.30 pm, I specifically looked at the clock and this was on a sunny day.

Game time start to finish is usually 2.5 hours, add an extra 5 min for the longer half time break.
Q1 30 min
Break 5 min
Q2 30 min
Break 20 min (+ 5 grand final)
Q3 30 min
Break 5 min
Q4 30 min

I reckon a 4.40 pm start would be ideal, around 7.15pm the game finishes, allows for the presentation of the cup to finish by 8pm. You don't wanna push it back too late and miss the crowd of people heading out for dinner on Saturday night.

You need the whole ground to be in shade, not just the majority otherwise you still have issues. Watch the replay. That is around 5.02pm. And usual game time is 2hrs 35 - 40 mins. I.e. the 3.20pm Sunday game usually finishes 5.55pm - 6.02pm.

 

[Greenstar5]

Trying to remember back, The 2011 NRL grand final (I think?) Started at 5pm. Was easily the best time, out with some mates in Sydney on a Sunday arvo, had a great time time. Then they moved it back to 7.30pm. Enjoyed last year's AFL starting later too.

 

[Walshawk]

1. You can go about your Saturday if the game was played at night
2. You can still have aa BBQ at night. Just for dinner instead of lunch
3. Night still works for the pubs. Do people not go to the pub at 7pm?
4. What's not family friendly about a Saturday night (a non-school night) at 7pm

Families with younger kids don't want them up at 10.30pm (when the cup is presented). Ruins the next day. Many would not take kids to a nighttime GF party. It would be the end of that tradition for many. Twilight is fine. Solves all the issues.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Because most of their "members" aren't actual people, just membership tickets brought up by the AFL and sponsors to make it look like they have a large supporter base

Plenty of red on the screen I was watching the game on.

I was more having a dig at tje SwAns poster on here banging on about moving the starting te of the game and that the weekend's ratings were proof it needed to change.

I was intimating that the ratings were so low because the team he supports never showed up on the day.

 

[Bostonian]

And for what genuine reason? It can't be tradition, because if that was the case all the other finals would be during the day too.

Because it's a * tonne easier for all the services who have to monitor and look after people in such large numbers in daylight.

I can say from personal experience this year's day GF was far less messy and easier to deal with people wise.

Far less drunken morons to deal with later in the evening and by 9:30 relative quiet had fallen.

Compare that with the GFs that started later and those late starts created far more issues and trouble.

 

[Greenstar5]

1. You can go about your Saturday if the game was played at night
2. You can still have aa BBQ at night. Just for dinner instead of lunch
3. Night still works for the pubs. Do people not go to the pub at 7pm?
4. What's not family friendly about a Saturday night (a non-school night) at 7pm

Yeh I'm not against a night GF. Night is way better than the afternoon slot. I just prefer twilight. It works for me better.

 

[Walshawk]

If people can't even take time out to watch a grand final during the day how much do they care, really? It's all about ratings, ad revenue, money in the end. But that's increasingly how sports is becoming so it's probably inevitable. Don't mind a 3-4pm start but night is too long. Plus it's just less suitable for families. I like how the day is about it. The 2020 GF isnt a good indicator as it was in Brissie during covid, but really can't see many upsides.

Many people work Saturday. Shopping centres are open. 5.30 - 6pm pm start would suit those people (except in WA), but might be a bit late for families. It is a tricky one.

 

[Bostonian]

LOL families.

What a load of hypocritical crap.

Why aren't "families" a reason for hosting EVERY GAME FOR THE YEAR during the day, if that's your logic.

Why aren't "families" a reason for hosting the Geelong-Brisbane Preliminary Final during the day?

Such hypocrites. You guys act as though no other game has ever started at 7pm before. We had over 50 games start at 7pm this year alone, and I don't recall anyone ever complaining about "families" for any of those.

Have your nice cup of cocoa and be in bed by the final siren at 9:30. Jesus Christ. Since when is 9:30 on a Saturday night (a non school night) late?? It's not late.

Play it a night for crying out loud. We all know it's the right thing to do, as evidence by the fact that every other final was played at night/twilight this year and NO ONE COMPLAINED.

Pretty obvious why.

You don't have large amounts of people getting tanked all day for a regular night games.

Families and elderly won't want to be dealing with large numbers of rowdy drunks which later games are more likely to create.

 

[Dan26]

Pretty obvious why.

You don't have large amounts of people getting tanked all day for a regular night games.

Families and elderly won't want to be dealing with large numbers of rowdy drunks which later games are more likely to create.

That's such a poor excuse. Going by that logic, no big event anywhere in the world would be played at night. Spoiler hint - they nearly all are.

 

[Bostonian]

That's such a poor excuse. Going by that logic, no big event anywhere in the world would be played at night. Spoiler hint - they nearly all are.

It's reality.

We have a pisshead culture and we have a Melbourne city that's not that pretty at night with all the trash that wander about.

Families and Elderly don't want to deal with that.

People feel safer in the day and it's easier to deal with large crowds during the day.

 

[Blackhawk42]

LOL families.

What a load of hypocritical crap.

Why aren't "families" a reason for hosting EVERY GAME FOR THE YEAR during the day, if that's your logic.

Why aren't "families" a reason for hosting the Geelong-Brisbane Preliminary Final during the day?

Such hypocrites. You guys act as though no other game has ever started at 7pm before. We had over 50 games start at 7pm this year alone, and I don't recall anyone ever complaining about "families" for any of those.

Have your nice cup of cocoa and be in bed by the final siren at 9:30. Jesus Christ. Since when is 9:30 on a Saturday night (a non school night) late?? It's not late.

Play it a night for crying out loud. We all know it's the right thing to do, as evidence by the fact that every other final was played at night/twilight this year and NO ONE COMPLAINED.

There are plenty of complaints from families about those very things. You're simply not hearing it because it doesn't affect you.

Two games are scheduled on preliminary final weekend for one.

Also, here is a list of marquee games during the H&A season.

Easter Monday
Anzac Day
Queens Birthday

When the calender allows for it, these games are played stand alone and exclusively during the afternoon. Why do you think that is?

Nobody is arguing that a kid can't stay up until 9:30 one day a year to finish watching the footy. But when we had night Grand Finals during Covid it finished far later than yet.

I hosted a party last Saturday that had 13 children attend. Half of those were home in bed by 7:30. You play the game at night and the party doesn't happen. I guarantee all those kids had such a ball that they'll look forward to doing it again in 12 months time. THAT'S how you grow the game. By giving kids a reason to anticipate it.

Now, if you play it at 4:00 and finish around 7, then that is achievable. Afternoon is perfect. Twilight is doable. Night was proven to not work for anybody except those who believe TV ratings during stay at home orders actually meant something.

 

[Kram]

Trying to remember back, The 2011 NRL grand final (I think?) Started at 5pm. Was easily the best time, out with some mates in Sydney on a Sunday arvo, had a great time time. Then they moved it back to 7.30pm. Enjoyed last year's AFL starting later too.

Traditional Saturday night game start in WA is 5.40pm.

Great time to have a game of footy, sun is setting quickly into darkness in September and it's not too late for kids.

If anyone thinks pushing the start time back a whopping 3 hours is going to 'ruin' things for families or destroy the 'fabric' of the game just lmao.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Traditional Saturday night game start in WA is 5.40pm.

Great time to have a game of footy, sun is setting quickly into darkness in September and it's not too late for kids.

If anyone thinks pushing the start time back a whopping 3 hours is going to 'ruin' things for families or destroy the 'fabric' of the game just lmao.

5 hours. Not 3. There is a huge difference.

 

[Kram]

5 hours. Not 3. There is a huge difference.

5.40 where the game would be played in Victoria is what I meant.

Which is 3 hours. Heck even 5.10 is good which would be only 2.5 hours later.

I agree that 7.40 is a poor time, it's too late for the little ones.

 

[Blackhawk42]

5.40 where the game would be played in Victoria is what I meant.

Which is 3 hours. Heck even 5.10 is good which would be only 2.5 hours later.

I agree that 7.40 is a poor time, it's too late for the little ones.

You'll find most of us who strongly want the afternoon slot retained would still be able to accept a twilight start time.

It's just a purely night GF that can get in the bin.