Oppo Camp Non-Essendon Thread XI

[Doss]

Unless the 'other side' is Ireland, it's surprising just how often the grass on the other side isn't actually any greener.

 

[Run and carry]

There's something special about the community atmosphere on a sunny grand final day and it would be lost with an evening game. Keep it as it is.

The biggest priority (almost to the exclusion of everything else) of an AFL Grand Final is to showcase players skills at the optimum level. A night match would diminish those skills, albeit at a very minimal level, because of dew and artificial light. Plus its too big a tradition. Day Grand Final should stay.

 

[yaco55]

I will be happy to see a night GF, though I think it will be like playing footy on Good Friday, which took around 20 years to come to fruition.

 

[Old Campaigner]

There is absolutely no compelling reason to change it.

I am not a fan of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" as a rule in life, because I feel that can stymy innovation. But in this case, it applies.

Leave it as it is.

Counterpoint: some campaigner in a suit wants more money

 

[Doss]

Yes and money rules all, I guess. I'm resigned to it happening one day, don't worry.

But I absolutely hate the inference that some make that those who'd rather a day GF are anti-change, backwards dinosaurs. Sometimes, just occasionally, things are just fine as they are.

 

[vast]

My favourite pro arguement for a night gf is that u can have fireworks therefore the entertainment would be better. Like anyone gives a crap.

Its not something the afl does well so they should scrap it all together. They are better off having some presentation ceremonies for goal/mark of the year etc

 

[BrunoV]

I will be happy to see a night GF, though I think it will be like playing footy on Good Friday, which took around 20 years to come to fruition.

I don't understand the need for it.

There is nothing to suggest that viewership is compromised in anyway by the game being played in the traditional time slot.

What is the only reason for it? To have some pretty pyrotechnics during the half time entertainment and at the end to celebrate the victor?

Frankly, I don't understand why people even bother to watch the half time entertainment.

 

[Harlequin]

I wonder sometimes does the AFL use the NRL as their measuring stick.

The NRL currently have both games on Good Friday as well as a twilight grand final. Both successful mind you the Monday after the GF is a public holiday in NSW.

I like our GF being during the day as I have had no interest in it the last 4 years and Chadstone Shopping Centre is very quiet on GF day

 

[Doss]

Please don't tell me you chose Chadstone over the 2012 epic...

 

[Harlequin]

Please don't tell me you chose Chadstone over the 2012 epic...

Probably

 

[Doss]

Good lord. There better have been some amazing bargains because that truly was as good a grand final as you could hope to see.

The result just made it even better!

 

[Harlequin]

Ah yes Sydney by under 2 goals (I think).

I take it back I did watch that one

 

[Stopher]

Good lord. There better have been some amazing bargains because that truly was as good a grand final as you could hope to see.

The result just made it even better!

I wish I could've enjoyed it more, but my wedding was the following Saturday, so I was busy avoiding a heart attack in the event of a drawn game!

 

[Doss]

I watched it with a large gathering of almost exclusively Geelong and Essendon supporters.

I'm sure I don't need to explain what the dominant sentiment was.

 

[Whispering_Jack]

I think it's an overreaction to say a night GF will ruin GF parties. Start it at 5 or 6pm rather than 12 or 1pm. Is it really going to make a huge difference? I doubt it.

I never said that it will ruin GF parties, I just like the parties being a day thing.

 

[tesla1962]

The only Grand Final I went out of my way to miss was 1995 - I knew I couldn't rely on Geelong that day. Thankfully it took just 5 years for 2000 to supersede 1995 as the 'best season eva'.

 

[bomberman500]

Monday night football has finally been killed off in the NRL. Biggest night of the week in NFL - a lot doesn't just transfer from the US to here.

The Swannettes for example

NRL killed off MNF because crowd figures were poor, TV figures however were still very high (considering its only on Fox)
NFL is almost guaranteed to fill almost any stadium on almost any night, so a MNF game will still draw near max capacity, while also having extremely high TV ratings.
Also the NFL cant play on Fridays and Saturdays because thats for college ball

 

[Stopher]

To add to that, the massive cash cow that is the English Premier League is only just trialling this crazy idea of Friday night games!

 

[BrunoV]

To add to that, the massive cash cow that is the English Premier League is only just trialling this crazy idea of Friday night games!

Was thinking that the FA Cup final is played during the day at a neutral venue.

It shits me to no end that English soccer is ignored as a model for a supporter engagement. For a start we share more cultural similarities with the Brits than anyone else and our game is even more rich in its traditions and history. In the AFL, the tribal part of supporting a football club was identical until the early 90s when the suburban grounds were phased out of the game. In the VFL, SANFL and WAFL it existed until the the game became national.

If the AFL is really concerned with being overtaken by soccer it will need to dramatically change its direction. The most important thing to develop and maintain is the good parts of the tribal culture which are withering to the point of non-existence. Young generations of fans need to be taught to love the game for what it is or it will all be for nothing. This starts in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania (not ****ing Western Sydney or on the Gold Coast).

The problem with the Premier League as a model for supporter engagement is that we were there and there are no shiny lights and nothing sexy to sell stakeholders.

Only marketing people could fool themselves into the sort of circular thinking that results in a brand pandering to the short attention spans of contemporary markets. It seems to me that once your engaged you've become the latest fad to be dismissed.

 

[LB#16]

Was thinking that the FA Cup final is played during the day at a neutral venue.

It shits me to no end that English soccer is ignored as a model for a supporter engagement. For a start we share more cultural similarities with the Brits than anyone else and our game is even more rich in its traditions and history. In the AFL, the tribal part of supporting a football club was identical until the early 90s when the suburban grounds were phased out of the game. In the VFL, SANFL and WAFL it existed until the the game became national.

If the AFL is really concerned with being overtaken by soccer it will need to dramatically change its direction. The most important thing to develop and maintain is the good parts of the tribal culture which are withering to the point of non-existence. Young generations of fans need to be taught to love the game for what it is or it will all be for nothing. This starts in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania (not ******* Western Sydney or on the Gold Coast).

Only executives driven by profit margins would show the contempt for the heartland that is shown by the AFL and only marketing people could fool themselves into the sort of circular thinking that results in a brand pandering to the short attention spans of contemporary markets (I can't really be bothered with going into the game day experience now). It seems to me that once your engaged you've become the latest fad to be dismissed.

I don't see any new decisions the AFL makes being for this reason. The A-League is blundering and was never a threat. People watch overseas competitions if they're keen on it and it doesn't stop them form following the local code. It's more so to do with tapping into the NSW/QLD markets. Plenty of people watch State of Origin here because it's on a Wednesday night. Not a lot of people there watch the AFL GF because they live their normal lives during the day. Night time is a big timeslot because it's downtime for most people.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

Was thinking that the FA Cup final is played during the day at a neutral venue.

It shits me to no end that English soccer is ignored as a model for a supporter engagement. For a start we share more cultural similarities with the Brits than anyone else and our game is even more rich in its traditions and history. In the AFL, the tribal part of supporting a football club was identical until the early 90s when the suburban grounds were phased out of the game. In the VFL, SANFL and WAFL it existed until the the game became national.

If the AFL is really concerned with being overtaken by soccer it will need to dramatically change its direction. The most important thing to develop and maintain is the good parts of the tribal culture which are withering to the point of non-existence. Young generations of fans need to be taught to love the game for what it is or it will all be for nothing. This starts in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania (not ******* Western Sydney or on the Gold Coast).

The problem with the Premier League as a model for supporter engagement is that we were there and there are no shiny lights and nothing sexy to sell stakeholders.

Only marketing people could fool themselves into the sort of circular thinking that results in a brand pandering to the short attention spans of contemporary markets. It seems to me that once your engaged you've become the latest fad to be dismissed.

Much as I agree with regard to on-field treatment of the game, that's a rosy view of English football. Fans have been priced out of attending the game (a cheeky £100 a ticket to see a "big" team), most of the stadia are decrepit, pay TV has a broadcast monopoly, games are rescheduled at late notice for broadcast reasons and very little thought is given to the travel demands placed on away fans. Oh, and this year's FA Cup Final had a 5:30PM kickoff, a royal **** you to those coming down from Manchester.

 

[Runk]

I don't see any new decisions the AFL makes being for this reason. The A-League is blundering and was never a threat. People watch overseas competitions if they're keen on it and it doesn't stop them form following the local code. It's more so to do with tapping into the NSW/QLD markets. Plenty of people watch State of Origin here because it's on a Wednesday night. Not a lot of people there watch the AFL GF because they live their normal lives during the day. Night time is a big timeslot because it's downtime for most people.

I wouldn't believe for a second that the AFL don't think Soccer is a threat. Sheer participation numbers and a growing A-League with free to air rights up for grabs screams threat in my opinion. What the AFL are lucky about is that they're seperated by the seasons themselves, but the main one last year, and I see your point about them 'blundering,' was the free to air A-League moving away from HD & the time slot being completely hijacked by the growing interest in The Big Bash League. Big Bash had a game on every night almost and it was almost impossible not to see a game. They made themselves so visible, the A-League was learn from that & the signing of Tim Cahill is a massive step in the right direction also. The interest levels in Melbourne alone come derby will be huge and so will the press around. Melbourne Victory have bolstered their stocks in Rojas and Troisi also. Interesting times though.

 

[LB#16]

I wouldn't believe for a second that the AFL don't think Soccer is a threat. Sheer participation numbers and a growing A-League with free to air rights up for grabs screams threat in my opinion. What the AFL are lucky about is that they're seperated by the seasons themselves, but the main one last year, and I see your point about them 'blundering,' was the free to air A-League moving away from HD & the time slot being completely hijacked by the growing interest in The Big Bash League. Big Bash had a game on every night almost and it was almost impossible not to see a game. They made themselves so visible, the A-League was learn from that & the signing of Tim Cahill is a massive step in the right direction also. The interest levels in Melbourne alone come derby will be huge and so will the press around. Melbourne Victory have bolstered their stocks in Rojas and Troisi also. Interesting times though.

Participation numbers is such a weak argument, Netball has high participation numbers. Kids quit soccer once they hit their teens and it has never translated to the higher level of the game. I think you'll find soccer is the lucky one to have their season opposite to the AFL and NRL for they'd not be in the conversation.

 

[Runk]

Participation numbers is such a weak argument, Netball has high participation numbers. Kids quit soccer once they hit their teens and it has never translated to the higher level of the game. I think you'll find soccer is the lucky one to have their season opposite to the AFL and NRL for they'd not be in the conversation.

Not an arguement, just an opinion as I said. What soccer has is potential. Piggybacking off World & Asian Cups success is enough to cause immense groundswell and excitement, and anyone can play it. It'd be silly to believe it wasn't a threat. Will it ever be the number one game in the country, I don't know? Time is a funny mistress so I guess we all just have to wait and see.

 

[LB#16]

Not an arguement, just an opinion as I said. What soccer has is potential. Piggybacking off World & Asian Cups success is enough to cause immense groundswell and excitement, and anyone can play it. It'd be silly to believe it wasn't a threat. Will it ever be the number one game in the country, I don't know? Time is a funny mistress so I guess we all just have to wait and see.

How is professional success going to get people to stop following their AFL/NRL teams and invest in local soccer teams? People love to see Juventus and Liverpool when they come and play at our grounds but it hasn't translated to A-League crowds.

As for time, we've had a lot of time. There's been numerous articles about how soccer will take over in Australia and North America in due time because of immigrants bringing their preference with them yet it's barely made a dint over the course of a century.