Off season ideas

[Rod Stroker]

After trade week, the drafts, and the obligatory annual Saints incident, nothing really happens from Dec to Feb when the pre-season comp starts. So what are some ideas the AFL could look at to keep fans interested and engaged in the off season?

Here's an idea:
Every club does time trials, say 2km, or running the Tan (for Vic clubs). So why not have an AFL wide time trial event in January where say clubs send their 3 best runners to compete against other teams. Every club is doing time trials anyway so why not make it interesting and give the fans something to watch in the quiet months.

What are some other ideas?

 

[SickQwon]

After trade week, the drafts, and the obligatory annual Saints incident, nothing really happens from Dec to Feb when the pre-season comp starts. So what are some ideas the AFL could look at to keep fans interested and engaged in the off season?

Here's an idea:
Every club does time trials, say 2km, or running the Tan (for Vic clubs). So why not have an AFL wide time trial event in January where say clubs send their 3 best runners to compete against other teams. Every club is doing time trials anyway so why not make it interesting and give the fans something to watch in the quiet months.

What are some other ideas?

Sounds like it could be a charity event

 

[WALDENPOND]

They could train for the next season in privacy. Therefore not turning the league into cringe worthy circus events.

 

[telsor]

After trade week, the drafts, and the obligatory annual Saints incident, nothing really happens from Dec to Feb when the pre-season comp starts. So what are some ideas the AFL could look at to keep fans interested and engaged in the off season?

Here's an idea:
Every club does time trials, say 2km, or running the Tan (for Vic clubs). So why not have an AFL wide time trial event in January where say clubs send their 3 best runners to compete against other teams. Every club is doing time trials anyway so why not make it interesting and give the fans something to watch in the quiet months.

What are some other ideas?

Would probably only get enough interest from the Vic clubs (as others have said, probably more as a charity thing). I can't see non-vic clubs flying people over for it.

I remember as a teenager, I umpired, and we were invited along to a pre-season inter-club athletics meet (idea was it was a fun/different thing for pre-season). Word of advice...don't invite umpires to run against players...last event was the 10k..we were 'winning' the meet already, but the 6 umpires in the event came 1,3,4,5,6,7 (2nd was a ring in for one of the footy clubs). I came 4th...and learnt that adult footballers who think they can run don't like being lapped by a 17 year old.

 

[Rod Stroker]

Would probably only get enough interest from the Vic clubs (as others have said, probably more as a charity thing). I can't see non-vic clubs flying people over for it.

AFL could fly the players over from the interstate clubs.
Similar to the drafts, the AFL would arrange it and take the cost, however they could also make money from it by televising it, like the drafts.

If it's an "event", with all clubs involved, and backed by the AFL, it would get fan interest. Particularly as there is nothing else on.

 

[telsor]

AFL could fly the players over from the interstate clubs.
Similar to the drafts, the AFL would arrange it and take the cost, however they could also make money from it by televising it, like the drafts.

If it's an "event", with all clubs involved, and backed by the AFL, it would get fan interest. Particularly as there is nothing else on.

Not really seeing it...If people don't want to watch top level athletics, they're not going to watch footy players running for more than a 'beach cricket' style curiosity factor which on TV would be filler at best (ie, little if any money involved).

 

[Mervyn Beasley]

Here's a few ideas for the summer.

- watch cricket
- watch tennis
- watch soccer
- go to a gig or two
- maybe even a music festival
- go to the zoo
- maybe the beach

I love footy but I font need it in my face and ears all summer long as well.

 

[DaVillaBlues]

I agree with Merv B, feels like the footy season is long enough as it is, and the players certainly deserve time off as well, i don't see the need for a time trial comp just to keep bored fans amused (for instance)

As someone who can't get into cricket, i find the A League feels the post AFL season void nicely.

You can have too much of a good thing (in this instance footy)

 

[Flandersss]

and the obligatory annual Saints incident

Your a funny man, where's prince? Cause we gonna party like it's 1999!

 

[Moo]

Sounds like it could be a charity event

Bob Geldoff vs Bono over 3 kms

 

[Milanista28]

I'm definitely going through withdrawal ATM lol.

 

[Flandersss]

Bob Geldoff vs Bono over 3 kms

Pfft they wouldn't even tie Michael Hutchence's shoe lace

 

[FootyJunkie]

I'm definitely going through withdrawal ATM lol.

 

[Rob]

Would probably only get enough interest from the Vic clubs (as others have said, probably more as a charity thing). I can't see non-vic clubs flying people over for it.

I remember as a teenager, I umpired, and we were invited along to a pre-season inter-club athletics meet (idea was it was a fun/different thing for pre-season). Word of advice...don't invite umpires to run against players...last event was the 10k..we were 'winning' the meet already, but the 6 umpires in the event came 1,3,4,5,6,7 (2nd was a ring in for one of the footy clubs). I came 4th...and learnt that adult footballers who think they can run don't like being lapped by a 17 year old.

One of the AFL boundary umpires over here ran a 3000m at a meet in October.....in 8:38.

To put that in perspective, that would have broken the draft camp record by almost a minute up until Jack Hiscox ran 9:18 this year (and was obviously still well in front of that). Only a handful of footballers would be capable of not getting lapped.

Big difference between footballers and runners. Mostly the 15kg or so on the upper body.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

There's already too much footy in the offseason with the AFL trying to keep it in the news.

- the fixture "release", showing you basically the exact same fixture you've had for the last 3 years

- "trade week", which is two weeks of nothing and journalists talking shite and then a few trades over a few hours

- the draft, which the AFL and media seem to want to build into a U.S.- style event, problem being nobody has ever heard of any of the players so wouldnt know how to feel about a selection

- international rules, where to start, what an ungodly wank

- the NAB series which seems to go forever and means nothing

I'll take the 26 weeks worth and you can jam the rest

 

[copa mundials]

Sounds like it could be a charity event

Isn't that called equalisation?

 

[Scotland]

 

[TheKanga]

The off-season gives me time to focus on other interests but I am starting to miss it a little atm.
Probably because I've been quite bored the last few days.

 

[PenAndPaper]

After trade week, the drafts, and the obligatory annual Saints incident, nothing really happens from Dec to Feb when the pre-season comp starts. So what are some ideas the AFL could look at to keep fans interested and engaged in the off season?

Here's an idea:
Every club does time trials, say 2km, or running the Tan (for Vic clubs). So why not have an AFL wide time trial event in January where say clubs send their 3 best runners to compete against other teams. Every club is doing time trials anyway so why not make it interesting and give the fans something to watch in the quiet months.

What are some other ideas?

A 2km time trial with the elite players from each club would last roughly 6-mins im guessing...hardly much of an 'event' would be useless as a televised product and then people also wont go out of their way to watch a 6min event

 

[mike91]

After trade week, the drafts, and the obligatory annual Saints incident, nothing really happens from Dec to Feb when the pre-season comp starts. So what are some ideas the AFL could look at to keep fans interested and engaged in the off season?

Here's an idea:
Every club does time trials, say 2km, or running the Tan (for Vic clubs). So why not have an AFL wide time trial event in January where say clubs send their 3 best runners to compete against other teams. Every club is doing time trials anyway so why not make it interesting and give the fans something to watch in the quiet months.

What are some other ideas?

lol no.

 

[Rod Stroker]

A 2km time trial with the elite players from each club would last roughly 6-mins im guessing...hardly much of an 'event' would be useless as a televised product and then people also wont go out of their way to watch a 6min event

3 players from 18 teams is 54 runners, so you'd have heats over 2-3 hours to determine the finalists and then say have the best 8 or 10 players race in the final.

 

[Rod Stroker]

lol no.

Because you've got a better idea? Or because Freo have shit runners?

 

[Allikat]

I could see a time trial become just as important as the Grand Final sprint. Why derail a player's pre-season to compete in a time-trial that not many people will care about? Preseasons are very finely tuned, and add an extra day travel time for the interstate clubs, and that's 3 days out of preseason a player would have to miss. I know the Freo boys are training 6 days a week so that's quite significant. And they might not be in a running cycle at the time of the trial - should they tailor their runner's pre-season just to compete in this event?

I'm happy with the amount of footy we've got. The summer is for cricket & the beach. If you really need to be watching more footy, watch repeats of 2015, travel to NT and watch their league play, or follow the drug cheats through the courts - they're providing plenty of off-season entertainment.

 

[bombersfan4000]

After trade week, the drafts, and the obligatory annual Saints incident, nothing really happens from Dec to Feb when the pre-season comp starts. So what are some ideas the AFL could look at to keep fans interested and engaged in the off season?

Here's an idea:
Every club does time trials, say 2km, or running the Tan (for Vic clubs). So why not have an AFL wide time trial event in January where say clubs send their 3 best runners to compete against other teams. Every club is doing time trials anyway so why not make it interesting and give the fans something to watch in the quiet months.

What are some other ideas?

things to do in the AFL off season & season
get a job
get a life
get a girlfriend
get some hobbies



but some form of competition, for the players to compete in, a skills and best athlete & team award. make it a safe event, throw some money in as an award for the players & teams

 

[Rod Stroker]

I could see a time trial become just as important as the Grand Final sprint. Why derail a player's pre-season to compete in a time-trial that not many people will care about? Preseasons are very finely tuned, and add an extra day travel time for the interstate clubs, and that's 3 days out of preseason a player would have to miss. I know the Freo boys are training 6 days a week so that's quite significant. And they might not be in a running cycle at the time of the trial - should they tailor their runner's pre-season just to compete in this event?

As I said, every club is doing time trials anyway, so why not make it interesting for both the players and fans by having an event.
If they did it say late January then they could do it together with an official season launch a couple of weeks out of the NAB comp.

I'm happy with the amount of footy we've got. The summer is for cricket & the beach.

Not for those of us who don't give a **** about cricket.

If you really need to be watching more footy, watch repeats of 2015,

watch repeats of games that haven't happened yet?

travel to NT and watch their league play, or follow the drug cheats through the courts - they're providing plenty of off-season entertainment.

I'm done with all the drugs bullshit.