Calculating the perfect fixture

[MightyHawks]

People might think I'm being wilfully difficult, but if someone can nut out a full season fixture that is fair - revenue, home games, travel, space between games, repeat games, etc - I'd be interested to see it. Time to get-over the paronia.

Good point you make... but anyone with half a brain could make the fixture more fair within 5 minutes of seeing the 2013 fixture.

The excuse that because we can't get a perfectly fair fixture we'll try as hard as we can to make it unfair is just silly

What about the new top 4 teams won't play a bottom side twice next year... unless you happen to be Sydney or Adelaide... (be easier to just say that neither Hawthorn or Collingwood will get to play two matches against anyone crap)

 

[Demonic Ascent]

People might think I'm being wilfully difficult, but if someone can nut out a full season fixture that is fair - revenue, home games, travel, space between games, repeat games, etc - I'd be interested to see it. Time to get-over the paronia.

You don't think these "super computers" that create a fixture based on all the "rules" the AFL makes them include (re: when games are played, return matches etc) could come up with a fixture based on less inputs? Your suggestion is not wilfully difficult, it's fanciful.

 

[Doss]

Would they even really need a computer to make it anymore?

So many aspects of the fixture are set in stone already..

 

[Pottering]

Without parameters a fixture is very simple; rotating over a 3 year period you play each other team (bar 1) 4 times. Where you finish each year is irrelevant. No "blockbusters". Factoring playing 1 week home 1 week away is equally simple (2 weeks away on trot would be a rarity). Ignore travel; West Coast/Freo travel 10 times a year and given there are 8 "interstate" teams no Melbourne side could equal that even if they played all "interstate" teams away. "Interstate" fans survive seeing their teams live once a fortnight, Melbourne fans would likewise survive.

Using this system there could be no complaints from fans. Of course the AFL would moan because they might miss out on "marquee" games. Maybe a few less "blockbusters" would create some new "blockbusters", as it stands now there is truly only Collingwood/Blues, Collingwood/Dons, Derby and Showdown. Some other rivalries develop, ie Hawthorn/Cats but these can fade just as fast a la Eagles/Swans.

Broadcasters might whinge, but the game has to call the shots, not the broadcaster. If that means a bit less money, so be it. The game's integrity must be worth something. Basketball sold its soul in this country a few years back and is still trying to get back to where it was.

 

[Doss]

Without parameters a fixture is very simple; rotating over a 3 year period you play each other team (bar 1) 4 times. Where you finish each year is irrelevant. No "blockbusters". Factoring playing 1 week home 1 week away is equally simple (2 weeks away on trot would be a rarity). Ignore travel; West Coast/Freo travel 10 times a year and given there are 8 "interstate" teams no Melbourne side could equal that even if they played all "interstate" teams away. "Interstate" fans survive seeing their teams live once a fortnight, Melbourne fans would likewise survive.

Using this system there could be no complaints from fans. Of course the AFL would moan because they might miss out on "marquee" games. Maybe a few less "blockbusters" would create some new "blockbusters", as it stands now there is truly only Collingwood/Blues, Collingwood/Dons, Derby and Showdown. Some other rivalries develop, ie Hawthorn/Cats but these can fade just as fast a la Eagles/Swans.

Broadcasters might whinge, but the game has to call the shots, not the broadcaster. If that means a bit less money, so be it. The game's integrity must be worth something. Basketball sold its soul in this country a few years back and is still trying to get back to where it was.

That scenario doesn't even have to involve the loss of said 'blockbusters'- the AFL can just still have Anzac Day, Dreamtime, Queens Birthday and so on involving the same teams, they just wouldn't be guaranteed the return fixture. It's the guaranteed return fixture that stuffs up the fixture, far more than a few blockbusters set in stone once per year.

 

[Pottering]

That scenario doesn't even have to involve the loss of said 'blockbusters'- the AFL can just still have Anzac Day, Dreamtime, Queens Birthday and so on involving the same teams, they just wouldn't be guaranteed the return fixture. It's the guaranteed return fixture that stuffs up the fixture, far more than a few blockbusters set in stone once per year.

Quite correct, as each team will play each other at least once. It's all very well for a few teams to hog the limelight, but it distorts the competition. As a West Coaster one Derby for 2 out of every 3 years and 2 for the other year is far from unreasonable. Sure you'd love 2 a year but I'd happily sacrifice for a fairer draw.

I'd guarantee that the English Premier League would love more Manchester United V Arsenal and Liverpool V Chelsea clashes, the broadcaster would love it! But imagine the outcry if that was done by cancelling games against lesser crowd pulling sides.