Saturday Night Double-headers - Why aren't we trialing Perth "late night" games?

[Scotland]

A simple solution would be to overlap the games so it's not a "true" double-header, but the last quarter of the first game overlaps with the first quarter of the second game.

Assuming game 1 is on FTA and game 2 is on Fox, there's no way Channel 7 would agree to this.

 

[Scotland]

We used to do it in the Eagles' early days. Games started at 8pm local time and finished after midnight here.

Personally, would appreciate a Friday night double-header, especially if the first game's a bust. Preferable to Sunday twilight.

Hasn't happened for a while. I remember going to late games at the WACA as a kid in the 90s. When Subi got floodlights there was a couple of late games there but all most have been at 5.40/6.40 since 2000. The AFL want that, and it would not surprise me if the City of Subiaco kicked up a stink about the lights being on late also.

Double headers wouldn't work in the first few rounds of the season due to the 3 hour time difference but if we went with an 8pm start time would people actually stay up to watch a game that runs ~10pm-1am?

 

[footyfan1978]

Double headers wouldn't work in the first few rounds of the season due to the 3 hour time difference but if we went with an 8pm start time would people actually stay up to watch a game that runs ~10pm-1am?

plenty will

 

[Rob]

Assuming game 1 is on FTA and game 2 is on Fox, there's no way Channel 7 would agree to this.

How is it any worse than the current arrangement? You now have 2 games that completely overlap.

 

[telsor]

A simple solution would be to overlap the games so it's not a "true" double-header, but the last quarter of the first game overlaps with the first quarter of the second game.

If the first game is a fizzer, you have people switching off by three-quarter time to begin to watch the other game.

If it isn't, well, people aren't really missing out on much if the first quarter of the later game was pretty close. Nobody gets too upset if they miss just the first quarter of a neutral footy game.

Brings the game forward half an hour earlier for the Melbourne fans.

The games could start 7.10 and 9.10 Victorian time - going to 9.40 and 11.40, with the non-Daylight savings Perth start time being 7.10.

The 2nd game would need to be exceptional not to lose the vast majority of it's east coast audience for the last qtr or so. (and really, if you know you're not likely to watch it to the end, would you even start?).

It's worth remembering that most people aren't nearly as into the game as those on BF are.

 

[Scotland]

How is it any worse than the current arrangement? You now have 2 games that completely overlap.

My bad I went full Easybeats and had Friday on my mind.

 

[telsor]

Hasn't happened for a while. I remember going to late games at the WACA as a kid in the 90s. When Subi got floodlights there was a couple of late games there but all most have been at 5.40/6.40 since 2000. The AFL want that, and it would not surprise me if the City of Subiaco kicked up a stink about the lights being on late also.

I don't recall, but I'm pretty sure not all games were broadcast back then (at least, not live/nationally). I dare say those games didn't make it to the East Coast.

 

[Scotland]

I don't recall, but I'm pretty sure not all games were broadcast back then (at least, not live/nationally). I dare say those games didn't make it to the East Coast.

Back in the late 90s over here at least we'd get a midday game, then a replay some time in the arvo after that (often shortened) then a night game usually delayed until 6.30 or 7.30 and then a late replay of something about 10.30.

We have it good now with live sport on demand.

 

[telsor]

Back in the late 90s over here at least we'd get a midday game, then a replay some time in the arvo after that (often shortened) then a night game usually delayed until 6.30 or 7.30 and then a late replay of something about 10.30.

We have it good now with live sport on demand.

Simple matter of having more channels now. (both because there are more to show it, and more demand for content).

It lead to WA missing out on genuine 'night' games due to the national TV demands....pros and cons.

 

[matt_bas]

If a AFL games is played in Perth did it really happen?

 

[footyfan1978]

If a AFL games is played in Perth did it really happen?

This happened.

 

[Scotland]

Simple matter of having more channels now. (both because there are more to show it, and more demand for content).

It lead to WA missing out on genuine 'night' games due to the national TV demands....pros and cons.

Even with multichannels there's only so much demand for live sport from the FTA networks. Channel 7 would like to have the rights to all 9 games a round, but not for $400m or whatever it is. Most of it doesn't rate relative to their regular programming. The 2012-17 rights deal was the game changer IMO, giving Foxtel the ability to screen all 9 games live even if they are on FTA at the same time.

The AFL has dicked around WA fans with game times for years to accommodate Victorian (& SA) TV audiences but these days they've started to dick everyone around inventing new and improved time slots each year. 4.40pm on a Sunday in Winter? Who the hell wants that?

 

[telsor]

Even with multichannels there's only so much demand for live sport from the FTA networks. Channel 7 would like to have the rights to all 9 games a round, but not for $400m or whatever it is. Most of it doesn't rate relative to their regular programming. The 2012-17 rights deal was the game changer IMO, giving Foxtel the ability to screen all 9 games live even if they are on FTA at the same time.

The AFL has dicked around WA fans with game times for years to accommodate Victorian (& SA) TV audiences but these days they've started to dick everyone around inventing new and improved time slots each year. 4.40pm on a Sunday in Winter? Who the hell wants that?

Timeslots = whatever the TV networks want.

Oh, and it's not just Vic/SA TV audiences they dick over WA fans for....it's the whole country except for WA...NSW, QLD,TAs & NT have the same timezones after all, and as much as it might suck for those in WA, favoring the 90% of the country with a different timezone does make sense.

 

[Scotland]

Timeslots = whatever the TV networks want.

Oh, and it's not just Vic/SA TV audiences they dick over WA fans for....it's the whole country except for WA...NSW, QLD,TAs & NT have the same timezones after all, and as much as it might suck for those in WA, favoring the 90% of the country with a different timezone does make sense.

True but Qld and NSW don't care about footy

 

[telsor]

True but Qld and NSW don't care about footy

Not to the same degree anyway, and the AFL is spending a lot of time and effort to bring them into the fold....but even if you take them out, you're still talking about something like 75% of the football TV market being in that timezone.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Timeslots = whatever the TV networks want.

Oh, and it's not just Vic/SA TV audiences they dick over WA fans for....it's the whole country except for WA...NSW, QLD,TAs & NT have the same timezones after all, and as much as it might suck for those in WA, favoring the 90% of the country with a different timezone does make sense.

Technical point but the NT is in the central time zone with SA.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

True but Qld and NSW don't care about footy

Naaah.
We're allright Jack. All the NSW and QLD teams are live on FTA in their home state. . We get two other games.

 

[telsor]

Technical point but the NT is in the central time zone with SA.

Yeah, I know, but 30mins difference isn't really significant in the broader topic.

 

[telsor]

Naaah.
We're allright Jack. All the NSW and QLD teams are live on FTA in their home state. . We get two other games.

Damn non-Vic privilege.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Damn non-Vic privilege.

yup

It is unfair the WA and SA clubs dont get all their teams games live on FTA, because it could easily be done.

With about 7-8 games a round Victoria would be difficult, but what can you do.

 

[PP34]

AFL is greedy. Probably worried about people getting tired and switching off.

Always thought it would be a brilliant idea on Friday or Saturday nights.

Friday nights you could have two games. You're not going to be relying on just two teams to play an entertaining game. If one game tanks, the next might at least be watchable, unlike in the current system where the AFL seems to be really good at overrating s**t teams and picking teams that are injury riddled messes by the time their Friday game comes around. There's been too many s**t contests to count over the last 4 years.

Saturdays are definitely interesting too. For me at least the current games almost feel too early for a Saturday night. The game is essentially over 9:30-10ish and unless you're a young kid or an adult that can't be bothered staying up you're pretty unlikely to be going to bed at that time on a Saturday night. Pubs and bars especially start to pick up at that time and the footy is basically over. Would love a game over in WA playing on a TV at that time.

What about fans, more so kids who want to watch their team? Some adults also work weekends and don't have the luxury of staying up on Saturday nights. Back when Friday footy was delayed to 8:30 EST, i was in school and often played sport the next day. I had to go to bed at around halftime, 3qtr time. Imagine a game starting at 9:50.

Honestly are you that sleep obsessed? It's the weekend. How many bloody hours of sleep did you need a night?

As a kid I always watched sport late if I wanted to. I'm sure parents could make exceptions for the rare time their kids' footy team is on late. If they don't then they must be campaigner parents.

Majority of adults work 9-5 Monday to Friday. Some do work on weekends early mornings yes. Some also work Saturday/Sunday afternoons. The AFL doesn't care about them. So why should the others be prioritised?

 

[telsor]

AFL is greedy. Probably worried about people getting tired and switching off.

Always thought it would be a brilliant idea on Friday or Saturday nights.

Friday nights you could have two games. You're not going to be relying on just two teams to play an entertaining game. If one game tanks, the next might at least be watchable, unlike in the current system where the AFL seems to be really good at overrating s**t teams and picking teams that are injury riddled messes by the time their Friday game comes around. There's been too many s**t contests to count over the last 4 years.

Saturdays are definitely interesting too. For me at least the current games almost feel too early for a Saturday night. The game is essentially over 9:30-10ish and unless you're a young kid or an adult that can't be bothered staying up you're pretty unlikely to be going to bed at that time on a Saturday night. Pubs and bars especially start to pick up at that time and the footy is basically over. Would love a game over in WA playing on a TV at that time.

Honestly are you that sleep obsessed? It's the weekend. How many bloody hours of sleep did you need a night?

As a kid I always watched sport late if I wanted to. I'm sure parents could make exceptions for the rare time their kids' footy team is on late. If they don't then they must be campaigner parents.

Majority of adults work 9-5 Monday to Friday. Some do work on weekends early mornings yes. Some also work Saturday/Sunday afternoons. The AFL doesn't care about them. So why should the others be prioritised?

You answered your own point in that last paragraph. The AFL caters to the majority. Be that 9-5 M-F workers, or the east coast TV audience.

 

[PP34]

You answered your own point in that last paragraph. The AFL caters to the majority. Be that 9-5 M-F workers, or the east coast TV audience.

Well yeah I said in my first line the AFL is greedy and probably won't ever seriously consider something like this because of the majority of fans being in the East of Australia.

In the last paragraph I was merely comparing one group of weekend workers to another. I think it is ridiculous saying no to the occasional later game because a few people might work early on Sundays.

I think for the majority a late Saturday night game really wouldn't be that bad. From memory junior footy on Sundays never started ridiculously early but I could be remembering wrong. The rest of the population probably isn't doing a hell of a lot on Sunday mornings to have to be up early.

 

[PP34]

I really hate this argument. It held back Thursday and Monday night football until the AFL came to its senses. Granted it's broadcasters driving it, but still, the whole, "WON'T YOU PLS THINK OF THE CHILDREN!" argument is soooo played. I'm sure kids and families can survive going to bed 2 hours later on a Saturday night for one week. And I'm sure shift workers will survive. I'm one. I work nights and during finals I would get up early, go to the game, lose maybe 2-3 of sleep that I'd usually get, and then go to work.

Somehow it doesn't seem to impact families in the US when games on the West Coast start at 10pm EST. And yes I know "WE'RE NOT AMERICA" but we are in the 21st century.

It truly is a strange one. I remember rocking up early as a youngster on Saturday/Sunday mornings for basketball or footy and talking to my mates about what transpired in the game the night before. Don't ever recall kids going "I was in bed I didn't see it.".

Sure you probably get the occasional parents who don't let their kids stay up but I wouldn't have thought that would be very common.

And gee how are some of these whinging adults going to cope about a few hours less sleep when they have kids and their baby starts crying all night?

 

[Strahany]

It’s not for commercial reasons; it’s to protect the travelling players.

In the case of Melbourne teams, the flight is a shade over 3 hours (then factor in all additional processes of course) with a time difference of 2 hours. So when a Perth team is flying home, their flight is effectively adjusted to about 1 hour (plus the processes) whilst a Melbourne team flying home has an adjusted flight time of about 5 hours.

With standard night matches finishing at about 10PM, teams could be on the plane by 12-1AM. This means Perth teams would touchdown by 1-2AM in their timezone whereas a Melbourne team would touchdown by 5-6AM in their timezone. Sure, both teams have been awake for the same duration of time in each example, but it’s far easier to slip into the rest of the week when you touch down by 1-2AM as opposed to 5-6AM; especially on shorter breaks. Staying overnight is not a suitable solution as it means you’re either sacrificing recovery or getting back in Melbourne very late the day after the match.

NB - I’ve spitballed the figures so they may not be inherently accurate, but the gap between them is consistent.