grand finals are going to be night from now on

Jun 30, 2009
30,328
41,691
Deroesfromgero
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
east perth

As Richmond secured an unforgettable 31-point win over Geelong in the 2020 AFL grand final, Seven’s coverage reached 7.5 million people across Australia, while its average national audience of 3.812 million was 30 per cent up year on year and the biggest grand final audience since 2016.
On a night when Dustin Martin became the first player to win three Norm Smith Medals, Seven recorded an average metro audience of 2.979 million, a whopping 36 per cent up year on year. It was also the biggest metro primetime audience on any network since Seven’s coverage of the 2017 Australian Open men’s final.
Seven also recorded a 76 per cent metro commercial share, the biggest ever recorded.


etc


given this i cant see it not happening


discuss:
 
Sep 25, 2007
13,998
14,223
AFL Club
West Coast
Tigers v GWS compared to Tigers v Geelong

Can't see any reason why Melb metro numbers might have been better. Add in the State being in lockdown and more people home, there is probably a perfectly reasonably explanation.

But also, night games suck. Go twilight if worried, but gee it was a boring lead up.
 

youneverknow22

Cancelled
Oct 9, 2020
468
724
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
I think it should be a twilight game. Both sides of the argument wins if it goes that way. The game won't finish too late (which means children and families can still enjoy it), it's early enough that you can make an event out of it during the day and the ratings will leak into primetime
 
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youneverknow22

Cancelled
Oct 9, 2020
468
724
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Tigers v GWS compared to Tigers v Geelong

Can't see any reason why Melb metro numbers might have been better. Add in the State being in lockdown and more people home, there is probably a perfectly reasonably explanation.

But also, night games suck. Go twilight if worried, but gee it was a boring lead up.
Really? Explain why the prelims are on during the night? Explain why every major event game is either a thursday or friday night game? Night games are better for AFL. It's really that simple.
 
Sep 25, 2007
13,998
14,223
AFL Club
West Coast
Really? Explain why the prelims are on during the night? Explain why every major event game is either a thursday or friday night game? Night games are better for AFL. It's really that simple.


They may be better commercially, but the standard is generally better during the day. From my selfish point of view, I enjoy waking up and having a few hours to get excited then the game and the night to enjoy it.

Sitting around all day getting nervous is no fun at all.
 
Jun 30, 2009
30,328
41,691
Deroesfromgero
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
east perth
They may be better commercially, but the standard is generally better during the day. From my selfish point of view, I enjoy waking up and having a few hours to get excited then the game and the night to enjoy it.

Sitting around all day getting nervous is no fun at all.
agree with this - its a killer waiting all morning for the granny - adding hours to it would be agonising

how did you cats and tigs fans feel about it?
 

youneverknow22

Cancelled
Oct 9, 2020
468
724
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
They may be better commercially, but the standard is generally better during the day. From my selfish point of view, I enjoy waking up and having a few hours to get excited then the game and the night to enjoy it.

Sitting around all day getting nervous is no fun at all.

The objective quality of the game isn't dependant on its timeslot. Look at last year's grand final. It was a snoozefest while this years was a far more enjoyable game. I personally believe a twilight grand final is the perfect compromise, but people need to realise that it's the 21st century. We're also in a covid enviroment where the league needs as much money as possible. If Channel 7 pays more for a night grand final, and if the ratings are better during the night, and if the quality is the same (if not better), then where is the downside?
 
Oct 16, 2006
7,790
7,445
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
Really? Explain why the prelims are on during the night? Explain why every major event game is either a thursday or friday night game? Night games are better for AFL. It's really that simple.

Well put the Grand Final on a Thursday night if it’s that simple. More people will watch again.
We have a public holiday on the Friday here. Can celebrate the whole weekend.

Sounds great to you doesn’t it?
 

Angus Young

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 3, 2008
7,392
7,872
AFL Club
Hawthorn

As Richmond secured an unforgettable 31-point win over Geelong in the 2020 AFL grand final, Seven’s coverage reached 7.5 million people across Australia, while its average national audience of 3.812 million was 30 per cent up year on year and the biggest grand final audience since 2016.
On a night when Dustin Martin became the first player to win three Norm Smith Medals, Seven recorded an average metro audience of 2.979 million, a whopping 36 per cent up year on year. It was also the biggest metro primetime audience on any network since Seven’s coverage of the 2017 Australian Open men’s final.
Seven also recorded a 76 per cent metro commercial share, the biggest ever recorded.


etc


given this i cant see it not happening


discuss:

was always going to happen

will be night from now on

all good
 
Feb 23, 2009
32,139
45,738
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
New York Jets
100% it will happen.

Which I vehemently disagreed with. Of course it was going to rate its socks off when the entire heartland of footy is locked down.

The experience of the day wasn't as good and added nothing to the spectacle.

As usual the AFL will go ratings over fans though.
 
Oct 16, 2006
7,790
7,445
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
Of course. All the boomers would be asleep by 8, so I would have no issue with that.

Thursday night would be a bloody disgrace but with your reasoning of ratings and the look, than the game shouldn’t be Saturday at all.

The game obviously is more than just ratings and pretty lights. People who argue for a night grand final cannot also argue for a Saturday night.
 

youneverknow22

Cancelled
Oct 9, 2020
468
724
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Thursday night would be a bloody disgrace but with your reasoning of ratings and the look, than the game shouldn’t be Saturday at all.

The game obviously is more than just ratings and pretty lights. People who argue for a night grand final cannot also argue for a Saturday night.

I said I would prefer the game to be a twilight grand final, but can understand the decision to move it to prime-time.
 

marcus1232

Club Legend
Apr 19, 2009
1,398
2,520
knoxfield
AFL Club
St Kilda
100% it will happen.

Which I vehemently disagreed with. Of course it was going to rate its socks off when the entire heartland of footy is locked down.

The experience of the day wasn't as good and added nothing to the spectacle.

As usual the AFL will go ratings over fans though.
Of course ratings and revenue is going to win out.

the grand final is going to sell out be it whenever it is played. So using the fans as an excuse is silly. This will allow for more fans to watch in the west. Better time slot for overseas as it will be played Saturday morning decent time
In America as opposed to 2-3am.

only thing
I would do is start at like 7.10 and have a 30 min half time break
 

Rusty Brookes

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 9, 2001
6,702
8,678
Preston
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Hawthorn, Manningham Cobras
In 2018, I had 15 people over at my house watching the game, this year it was just me watching. Would I count as a rating point in both scenarios?

In Melbourne, there would have been far more TV sets tuned into the game - it doesn't necessarily mean there were more viewers.
 

kid_a

Club Legend
Apr 5, 2010
2,317
1,177
Perf
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Hammarby IF, East Freo, Glory
Doesn't look or feel anywhere near as good though. Hope it goes back to day.
 
Sep 13, 2015
18,683
48,481
Hillary Step
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
76ers
Ratings have been up all year due to shorter games and the largest market being in their own homes all year.

‘Up 33% on last year’
But last year was the lowest rating GF for years
2020 - 3.8mil
2019 - 2.9mil
2018 - 3.4mil
2017 - 3.5mil
2016 - 4.1mil
2015 - 3.5mil
2014 - 3.7mil

It fits right in with the rest.
 
Jun 7, 2007
34,406
42,763
Melbourne
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur
Ratings have been up all year due to shorter games and the largest market being in their own homes all year.

‘Up 33% on last year’
But last year was the lowest rating GF for years
2020 - 3.8mil
2019 - 2.9mil
2018 - 3.4mil
2017 - 3.5mil
2016 - 4.1mil
2015 - 3.5mil
2014 - 3.7mil

It fits right in with the rest.
So about less than 300k above the general amount. 70k of those would be at the ground in normal circumstances.

You would have been hoping for a much bigger spike given the situation in Victoria
 
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