Fixture may not come out until January or February

[kickazz]

Fixture delay as AFL seeks certainty, decision on quarters looms

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan says the fixture might not be released until January or February

www.afl.com.au

The justification is so that the AFL can give everyone more certainty - I suppose that's a plausible reason.

Thing is, I wonder if most clubs will still be expecting people to renew memberships and seat packages by the end of the year. That's a bit of an ask when you don't know how many games you'll get at different grounds, or what times you'll have allotted (some people can only make certain timeslots)

Are the AFL/clubs taking the piss out the fans again here? Many people kept their memberships in 2020 without getting much in return - pay first, find out what you get later is probably not the best way to start the 2021 season.

 

[Cotchy9]

As a Tasmanian, this is going to make it extremely difficult to lock in trips with very little notice. I get the landscape that we are in atm, but this rules out trips for a lot of interstaters I would have thought

 

[Gralin]

Not surprising at all give the circumstances right now

 

[Bald]

It's annoying, but I understand and support this decision.

 

[kickazz]

It's annoying, but I understand and support this decision.

By support, does that also mean paying upfront no knowing what you'll get for it?

 

[deskc]

I read in the article that crowds will be 50% capacity at the start of next season. If by that time victoria has gone 4 months without a single case then why isn't it 100% crowd. This miracle vaccine that leaders believe will completely wipe the virus from the planet will not do that. The virus will at least be with us for years to come so surely we can assume that crowds will never be 100% ever again. You cant go much longer than 4 months with zero cases

 

[Mentallo]

As a rule I usually renew my membership in the New Year but after pretty much sacrificing $650 to the Gods this season for my full AFL membership I am reluctant to cough up the $437.50 for 2021 until I have fixture certainty and that I can also attend games.

 

[Bald]

By support, does that also mean paying upfront no knowing what you'll get for it?

I understand not everybody could but I maintained a membership during 2020. I can't imagine anything could happen in 2021 to not be a loyal member, outside of me not being able to afford it.

 

[Dirty Bird]

I just realised the first deadline for membership was this week just passed.

Bull****

Im not sure what the best action is, but at least allow fans to hold off on their membership until the fixture's known.

I for one umpire community football. So if we get loaded with Saturday afternoon and twilight games I'm not sure I Id want to get an 11 game membership.

And I know some of our Victorian members sign up, then the fixture comes out after the deadline for renewels. Only to see we have 2 regional games (NT + Tas/Ballarat). The membership is good value for 5 games, adequate for 4. But for 3 it's a rip off.

So let the people know before automatic renewel.

 

[GeelongFTW]

I read in the article that crowds will be 50% capacity at the start of next season. If by that time victoria has gone 4 months without a single case then why isn't it 100% crowd. This miracle vaccine that leaders believe will completely wipe the virus from the planet will not do that. The virus will at least be with us for years to come so surely we can assume that crowds will never be 100% ever again. You cant go much longer than 4 months with zero cases

Reckon they would not risk it with hotel quarantine meaning a case could come in even if no community transmission for months. Say a breach occurs and they travel to a packed MCG- would be asking for trouble.

 

[Gavin Excell]

West Coast will be crucified by the fixture

 

[BF Tiger]

I think this is a bit rich. Release a provisional fixture at least - that is actually giving clubs and fans more certainty now.

 

[tandino]

You're not stakeholders. Just customers.

 

[Coolangatta]

And you can be 99.9% sure it won't be a fixture where everyone plays each other once, and then the last five rounds are reverse fixtures of 1 vs. 2, 3 vs. 4 etc., then 1 vs. 3 and so on. This is as close to a fair and interesting fixture as you'll get without teams playing each other twice, reducing the number of dead rubbers.

 

[projectv]

This is to be expected. It's not like Covid has gone away, it will impact 2021 as much as it impacted 2020. The fixture will be drip fed in 4-6 game blocks just like this year.

 

[Kappa]

Fixture delay as AFL seeks certainty, decision on quarters looms

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan says the fixture might not be released until January or February

www.afl.com.au

The justification is so that the AFL can give everyone more certainty - I suppose that's a plausible reason.

Thing is, I wonder if most clubs will still be expecting people to renew memberships and seat packages by the end of the year. That's a bit of an ask when you don't know how many games you'll get at different grounds, or what times you'll have allotted (some people can only make certain timeslots)

Are the AFL/clubs taking the piss out the fans again here? Many people kept their memberships in 2020 without getting much in return - pay first, find out what you get later is probably not the best way to start the 2021 season.

Would you prefer the afl puts out a fixture now then has to change it in 3 months when the Corona situation changes?

SA just got cut off from the country for a week in a blink of an eye, long term fixtures are obviously not viable right now.

 

[kickazz]

Would you prefer the afl puts out a fixture now then has to change it in 3 months when the Corona situation changes?

SA just got cut off from the country for a week in a blink of an eye, long term fixtures are obviously not viable right now.

Yes I'd prefer that. Let us know the intention, with the obvious proviso that it all might change. At least then there is a basic benchmark.

Either that or not having to pay for membership seat packages until some sort of fixture comes out.

 

[kickazz]

I read in the article that crowds will be 50% capacity at the start of next season. If by that time victoria has gone 4 months without a single case then why isn't it 100% crowd. This miracle vaccine that leaders believe will completely wipe the virus from the planet will not do that. The virus will at least be with us for years to come so surely we can assume that crowds will never be 100% ever again. You cant go much longer than 4 months with zero cases

This is is the sort of stuff were need to know before handing over cash.

Not only do we not know how many home games we might get, we don't know what percentage we'd be able to attend, if there'll be a rotation, a ballot, etc.

It's just hand over the money now and we'll get back to you later.

 

[Plugger35]

Looking forward to Carlton getting whipped by Richmond on a Thursday night to kick off the season,

 

[kickazz]

This is to be expected. It's not like Covid has gone away, it will impact 2021 as much as it impacted 2020. The fixture will be drip fed in 4-6 game blocks just like this year.

Clubs risk supporters drip feeding them money with this approach though.

 

[Rowan18]

I had already paid my full membership by the time lockdown had hit, as had most of the seated members. The club just gave us credits for the games we couldn't attend in the end. I assume 2011 will work the same way if there is reduced crowd capacity etc.

 

[kickazz]

I had already paid my full membership by the time lockdown had hit, as had most of the seated members. The club just gave us credits for the games we couldn't attend in the end. I assume 2011 will work the same way if there is reduced crowd capacity etc.

Interesting to hear what different clubs are doing. As arguably the wealthiest club, the Eagles can probably afford some flexibility here.

 

[Hamingja]

As a Tasmanian, this is going to make it extremely difficult to lock in trips with very little notice. I get the landscape that we are in atm, but this rules out trips for a lot of interstaters I would have thought

I don't know why you would risk it next year even if you could.

Look at the people from SA that tried to go to the State of Origin in QLD. 20 people in the whole state have COVID and anyone that was on a plane flying out is rounded up by the SS and thrown in hotel quarantine for two weeks.

Just not worth the risk for a weekend of footy.

 

[CarnTheScray]

I read in the article that crowds will be 50% capacity at the start of next season.

Well what, thats 27,000 at Marvel which is all we get on a Sunday arvo deathslot anyway so we start the season as usual.

 

[footyfan1978]

As a rule I usually renew my membership in the New Year but after pretty much sacrificing $650 to the Gods this season for my full AFL membership I am reluctant to cough up the $437.50 for 2021 until I have fixture certainty and that I can also attend games.

We are same boat with same type of membership. I'm giving the AFL a grace period as it is not hard for them to plan ahead either but for 2022 I will no longer be a member if going to games no longer has certainty I grew up used to and why I originally become a member. Also shorter quarters I won't put up with once this stuff is past. If get to 2022 and got shorter quarters and still a heavily congested games and no pre-game entertainment of reserves games, I can see myself no longer bothering to be a member as cannot justify paying for something less than what I grew up getting.