Should poor performing teams be banished from prime time?

[PrancingPony]

Bit of a silly topic but thought it could spark some discussion, but I think I speak for quite a few fans when I say that seeing the same recycled lineup of either Carlton, Essendon, Richmond playing prime time Thursday and Friday night games just about every week it gets a little boring, those slots ideally should be for some of the more exciting matchups of the week, imagine having Carlton vs Essendon for example on Friday night when in the same round you have the Showdown, or you have two finalists playing each other, nobody gives a shit about Carlton vs Essendon in that scenario.

I personally would have it that bottom four teams are automatically ruled out of prime time slots each season personally, nobody wants them taking up that slot.

Before anyone says anything, I prefer Freo in the Saturday night slot so I'm fine with us not taking it up either. What do you reckon?

 

[SC_Power]

never gonna happen, because it’s a Vic team distribution fund in every way but name.

 

[PrancingPony]

never gonna happen, because it’s a Vic team distribution fund in every way but name.

I can't imagine it ever will, still sucks having to watch the same teams stink up prime time on a near weekly basis though.

 

[Mat Mann]

never gonna happen, because it’s a Vic team distribution fund in every way but name.

You get 23 h/a games on fta!!!!
WA does, NSW/QLD does
Vic's don't and haven't for 15 years, whilst some clubs enjoy FTA every week (even if it is delayed) others barely get any exposure whatsoever. We had 7 games available on FTA last year

the waa waa waa from anyone outside of Vic is off the charts

 

[PrancingPony]

You get 23 h/a games on fta!!!!
WA does, NSW/QLD does
Vic's don't and haven't for 15 years, whilst some clubs enjoy FTA every week (even if it is delayed) others barely get any exposure whatsoever. We had 7 games available on FTA last year

the waa waa waa from anyone outside of Vic is off the charts

I see where you're coming from, but the crux of the argument is that poorer-performing Victorian teams are still given the luxury of playing in prime-time slots when they should be going to the teams that have earned those spots by playing good football.

 

[Billy ray]

You get 23 h/a games on fta!!!!
WA does, NSW/QLD does
Vic's don't and haven't for 15 years, whilst some clubs enjoy FTA every week (even if it is delayed) others barely get any exposure whatsoever. We had 7 games available on FTA last year

the waa waa waa from anyone outside of Vic is off the charts

true - but you can walkdown/train down/tram down , drive whatever and see your team live at a melbourne ground for what 15-16-17 games a year

 

[SC_Power]

You get 23 h/a games on fta!!!!
WA does, NSW/QLD does
Vic's don't and haven't for 15 years, whilst some clubs enjoy FTA every week (even if it is delayed) others barely get any exposure whatsoever. We had 7 games available on FTA last year

the waa waa waa from anyone outside of Vic is off the charts

Firstly, the Collingwood / Carlton / Essendon / Hawthorn group were the dominant beneficiaries last year. Not you.

But yeah., enjoy being able to attend 16-17 games a year in your home town.
I feel sorry for you having every game from Round 14 in Victoria this season. I wish you were on TV.

 

[Outtatym]

What's prime time?

 

[HirdyLannister]

What's prime time?

Sunday 4:40pm

 

[SC_Power]

What's prime time?

You did get 6 or 7 Thu/Fri/Sat night games at Docklands last season.
Not sure how many were FTA, probably 1 or 2 if you were lucky.

 

[Elixuh]

They either need to not get the slots or get the slots but be put up against other spud teams in a spud off. Two evenly matched sides going at it can be fine to watch. Look at the Dees and Saints on the weekend. Best game of the round.

So this season you’d be giving prime time to the dogs and swans.

Spud bowl would be like WCE and Saints.

 

[bzparkes]

Sunday 4:40pm

Sorry for WCE hogging all the prime time slots then

 

[Toump Ass]

you can walkdown/train down/tram down , drive whatever and see your team live at a melbourne ground for what 15-16-17 games a year

This is a bit ableist isn't it. Plenty of old codgers around who can't get to the games, or people with disabilities, people with young families.

 

[Billy ray]

This is a bit ableist isn't it. Plenty of old codgers around who can't get to the games, or people with disabilities, people with young families.

Sure. Say you can go 50% of the games. Thats still 8.

I go 50% thats 5.

 

[Scotland]

I don't mind if they do this, but if you are going to do it do it properly.

The fixture is done up until Rd 15. At that point last year it was pretty obvious which teams were going nowhere, so there's no justification for any team that's won 3 or 4 games to be on Friday night if that's the path they want to go down.

But it's the AFL. They would just find a way to half arse it to get the teams they want involved. The AFL also just isn't a 'good games' competition. Victorians (who are the biggest market) froth traditional rivalries and big crowds at the MCG. 50-100k people being at the game does a lot of heavy lifting for 12th vs 15th. Each to their own, I would rather watch the best teams play than see Essendon or Carlton get pumped.

 

[Toump Ass]

Sure. Say you can go 50% of the games.

My guy some supporters can't go to any.

 

[Mat Mann]

true - but you can walkdown/train down/tram down , drive whatever and see your team live at a melbourne ground for what 15-16-17 games a year

that's just not true, even though I'm a reserved home and away(Gen Admis), far too many clubs are using the "sold out" play and forcing seats to be reserved, eg. against carlton in round 8, even though I've already paid for entry, now I have to purchase seats that would cost me another $140 for my family to attend, and these are never sold at regular prices.

Not sure how many games you attend, but it's bloody expensive, $27 an adult and $18 for a concession at Marvel, $5 for a 350ml water, not everyone has the money or time to attend, or even wants to. I try and make attending the footy a good time for my kids, so that involves food and drinks, rarely does a trip to the footy not cost me close to $100, on top of my $1400+ membership, then there is travel, an hour by car or an hour by train. Last Sunday, we left home at 1:30 pm and got home just after 7:30pm, and I don't even live that far out from the city, Who's got that time every weekend to give up?

you may have the luxury to watch every game free, we now have to spend near $50 a month to watch the games we can't attend. Then, we've played North/Hawks in Tasmania, and played Melbourne in Alice Springs last year.
Geelong for most opposition, is a no-go with travel and entry cost (it's treated as a non-Melbourne game, so away game access doesn't apply)

Firstly, the Collingwood / Carlton / Essendon / Hawthorn group were the dominant beneficiaries last year. Not you.

But yeah., enjoy being able to attend 16-17 games a year in your home town.
I feel sorry for you having every game from Round 14 in Victoria this season. I wish you were on TV.

Giants
Port
Adelaide - OH LOOK, another SA double header, how many times does that happen to a SA team? oh look, another Adelaide home game vs Saints (14 Adelaide home games vs 4 since 2011)
GCS in NT
Dockers
Sydney

all by rnd 13, who else should we play away? There's only Brisbane and WC left, how else would you alter this massive advantage we have received???

1 home game in a 6-week period (inc Rnd 4 bye), yeah, we get a good run home, but our front 1/2 is diabolical, 7 finalists in 1st 12 rounds, most of whom we play away...

 

[SC_Power]

that's just not true, even though I'm a reserved home and away(Gen Admis), far too many clubs are using the "sold out" play and forcing seats to be reserved, eg. against carlton in round 8, even though I've already paid for entry, now I have to purchase seats that would cost me another $140 for my family to attend, and these are never sold at regular prices.

Not sure how many games you attend, but it's bloody expensive, $27 an adult and $18 for a concession at Marvel, $5 for a 350ml water, not everyone has the money or time to attend, or even wants to. I try and make attending the footy a good time for my kids, so that involves food and drinks, rarely does a trip to the footy not cost me close to $100, on top of my $1400+ membership, then there is travel, an hour by car or an hour by train. Last Sunday, we left home at 1:30 pm and got home just after 7:30pm, and I don't even live that far out from the city, Who's got that time every weekend to give up?

you may have the luxury to watch every game free, we now have to spend near $50 a month to watch the games we can't attend. Then, we've played North/Hawks in Tasmania, and played Melbourne in Alice Springs last year.
Geelong for most opposition, is a no-go with travel and entry cost (it's treated as a non-Melbourne game, so away game access doesn't apply)

Giants
Port
Adelaide - OH LOOK, another SA double header, how many times does that happen to a SA team? oh look, another Adelaide home game vs Saints (14 Adelaide home games vs 4 since 2011)
GCS in NT
Dockers
Sydney

all by rnd 13, who else should we play away? There's only Brisbane and WC left, how else would you alter this massive advantage we have received???

1 home game in a 6-week period (inc Rnd 4 bye), yeah, we get a good run home, but our front 1/2 is diabolical, 7 finalists in 1st 12 rounds, most of whom we play away...

As I mentioned, the majority of the Vic benefit is concentrated in 4 main teams, not Saints.
$27 a GA ticket at Marvel, at AO it’s as high as $60 (not fixed pricing).

 

[Clark G]

Quick answer is yes but like it or not popularity of a club is also a factor.

 

[Dirty Bird]

You get 23 h/a games on fta!!!!
WA does, NSW/QLD does
Vic's don't and haven't for 15 years, whilst some clubs enjoy FTA every week (even if it is delayed) others barely get any exposure whatsoever. We had 7 games available on FTA last year

the waa waa waa from anyone outside of Vic is off the charts

Stop viewing it from a fan perspective. It's very insular and selfish of you.

View it from a club perspective. Your 7 games gets more visibility to eyeballs than GOld Coast do despite their monopoly on the local market. Therefore, you can attract better sponsorship than clubs like Fremantle/Port Adelaide/Gold Coast etc.

It hurts the non-victorian clubs more.

 

[Underarm]

If people stopped watching them, they would stop getting tv slots.

Theyve tried playing 2 non vic sides and it rates worse than 2 Vic clubs.

 

[Mat Mann]

Stop viewing it from a fan perspective. It's very insular and selfish of you.

View it from a club perspective. Your 7 games gets more visibility to eyeballs than GOld Coast do despite their monopoly on the local market. Therefore, you can attract better sponsorship than clubs like Fremantle/Port Adelaide/Gold Coast etc.

It hurts the non-victorian clubs more.

That'd be why Freo and Port are struggling financially.... Freo only had $20m extra in revenue and Port $7m extra, holy cow

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

Bit of a silly topic but thought it could spark some discussion, but I think I speak for quite a few fans when I say that seeing the same recycled lineup of either Carlton, Essendon, Richmond playing prime time Thursday and Friday night games just about every week it gets a little boring, those slots ideally should be for some of the more exciting matchups of the week, imagine having Carlton vs Essendon for example on Friday night when in the same round you have the Showdown, or you have two finalists playing each other, nobody gives a shit about Carlton vs Essendon in that scenario.

I personally would have it that bottom four teams are automatically ruled out of prime time slots each season personally, nobody wants them taking up that slot.

Before anyone says anything, I prefer Freo in the Saturday night slot so I'm fine with us not taking it up either. What do you reckon?

I don't think the term 'banished' is really appropriate. That suggests that removing them from prime time slots is done as a punishment.

But they definitely should be removed from the big games - not as a punishment for sucking, but simply to provide the average viewer a better product.

 

[Fadge]

Absolutely not.

I love watching Carlton or Essendon get completely embarrassed on a Thursday or Friday night to start the weekend.

 

[Demon13304]

If people stopped watching them, they would stop getting tv slots.

Theyve tried playing 2 non vic sides and it rates worse than 2 Vic clubs.

Not necessarily. Adelaide vs Brisbane on prime time Friday night was one of the highest ratings games of H&A 2025

People want to watch good footy between good teams. There's a reason why Channel 7 opted out of Carlton vs Essendon in round24 last year

Truth is we don't really know because we hardly get any non Vic vs non vic prime time games