Opinion The Scheduling Of An AFL Round (Start Times)

[LordLucifer]

Time to move on from this I think. These games are played at 5:10pm in Perth already on 7 mate and it works fine.

Have two games back to back on a Friday will generate a lot better ratings than playing 1 game only so they can have a thirty minute news update. The biggest issue is that the late game will work in Perth due to the time difference but not in other states. Even if WA had three teams, they can't play a late Friday night game every week.

No one is going to go to the footy at 9pm on a Friday night in other states.

Totally agree hence why I suggested having a Friday night game scheduled only in Perth at 9pm AEST (what does that make it, 7pm over there), it has to be better than what we have already.

I'm also with you about generating better ratings, Friday nights could become an even bigger "institution" with two games back to back.

 

[LordLucifer]

Agreed, if you're in the CBD already you can get dinner, chill in a pub for a bit, whatever.

If the game starts at 6pm and you work a full day and you live/work in the suburbs, good luck ever getting to a game.

I am reasonably sure that the AFL is far more interested in creating TV based events like they do in the U.S. than getting bums on seats at the venues.

 

[LordLucifer]

News flash, the game will still be going at 7:20 & 7:50 if it starts at 6pm. People will adjust or just watch the game from half time if they forget. You will then have another game start straight afterwards at 9pm and you might watch that for the whole time if it's a good game = more advertising.

Once it becomes too hard to fixture Friday night double headers, revert the stand alone game back to 7:50pm. The only way to know the impact is to test it out so I think they need to start to run an early and later Friday night game without cross over against running two games with a 1.5 hour gap. Get that data over a season or two and there's your answer.

Hallejuah ............. finally we have someone who understands the big picture here and what it takes to find out what works etc.

Thank-you for being so open-minded on the subject

 

[LordLucifer]

If they watch half the game, they're only watching half the advertisements.

Do i need to spell out exactly how that impacts the AFL?

And if the games don't overlap, they can watch all of the games and in turn, all of the adverts.

 

[tombomb]

71,000 supporters at the MCG yesterday wouldn't agree... Seven pays billions for the rights and they very much care about the news lead in.

I reckon the saturday 4.45 twilight and Sunday 3.20pm are the two best timeslots every week.

 

[hawkman]

Always interested that all these complaints especially from the media are all about people who just want to watch games at home and never worrying about people who want to attend games

 

[projectv]

I am reasonably sure that the AFL is far more interested in creating TV based events like they do in the U.S. than getting bums on seats at the venues.

Perhaps but it's a far better viewing spectacle on TV watching a game with a packed out stadium than one in a quarter filled one.

 

[LordLucifer]

Perhaps but it's a far better viewing spectacle on TV watching a game with a packed out stadium than one in a quarter filled one.

I agree with you about having a full house on TV but I'm genuinely convinced the AFL doesn't care about that.

 

[projectv]

I agree with you about having a full house on TV but I'm genuinely convinced the AFL doesn't care about that.

Well sure, at the end of the day the broadcaster cares about ratings, and the AFL wants the broadcaster to be happy.

Covid / empty stadiums have demonstrated that TV numbers are still great even if you don't cater to fans attending at all.

There should be a balance between fans attending in person and fans watching on TV. They are basically two different products.

 

[Underarm]

And if the games don't overlap, they can watch all of the games and in turn, all of the adverts.

So long as the game doesn't overlap with other things people are more likely to watch like the News.

You could maybe get away with a 6:30 start (ignoring that its still bad for spectators), followed by a 9:10 aest (7:10 perth) - But then the 2nd game is ending at 11:50 on the east coast where 80% of the population live.

 

[LordLucifer]

So long as the game doesn't overlap with other things people are more likely to watch like the News.

You could maybe get away with a 6:30 start (ignoring that its still bad for spectators), followed by a 9:10 aest (7:10 perth) - But then the 2nd game is ending at 11:50 on the east coast where 80% of the population live.

Does your Mum tuck you into bed at 9:30 on Friday nights ??

 

[Underarm]

Does your Mum tuck you into bed at 9:30 on Friday nights ??

Is it really that hard for you to imagine why ending a match at 11:40 or later isn't good business idea?

Yes, even on a Friday night most people are in bed by 11pm.

 

[mcgarnacle]

Premier League have a regular match beginning at midday on Saturday.

 

[projectv]

Premier League have a regular match beginning at midday on Saturday.

Midday games would actually be pretty good.

Premier league also has night games most days of the week, it has to have an insanely flexible schedule though. Games can be called off due to a wet pitch, and tons of games need to be rescheduled at the drop of a hat due to results of European qualifying games and domestic cup games.

The AFL doesn't really have those problems.

 

[mcgarnacle]

Midday games would actually be pretty good.

Premier league also has night games most days of the week, it has to have an insanely flexible schedule though. Games can be called off due to a wet pitch, and tons of games need to be rescheduled at the drop of a hat due to results of European qualifying games and domestic cup games.

The AFL doesn't really have those problems.

English Football schedule their last match on a Saturday at 3pm though. Fans can't be trusted to not get on the piss all arvo and riot during a late game.

I think Prem standard schedule is:
1 x fri night
1-2 x sat midday
5 x sat 3pm
1 x sun 2pm
1 x sun 4pm
1 x mon night

Like you say though, they play at other times due to flexibility required for weather, europe, international.

 

[LordLucifer]

Is it really that hard for you to imagine why ending a match at 11:40 or later isn't good business idea?

Yes, even on a Friday night most people are in bed by 11pm.

Even when I was in my 20's & 30's I never went to bed by 11pm unless I was in an absolute drunken coma which normally meant I was nowhere near my bedroom.

 

[Underarm]

Even when I was in my 20's & 30's I never went to bed by 11pm unless I was in an absolute drunken coma which normally meant I was nowhere near my bedroom.

I hope it doesn't come as a shock to you that some people aren't in their 20s and 30s. In fact most people are older or younger.

 

[JohnZ]

LordLucifer I've had a chance to think over it, and I think you'll like this one

Thursday
7.30pm

Friday
7.30pm

Saturday
12pm (moved to 2.30 on a weekday PH such as Easter Monday)
2.30pm
5pm
7.30pm

Sunday
2.30pm
5pm

Now that adds up to 8 games, so where does the 9th go?

9th Game
Bye (Middle 9 weeks of the season)
Friday 9.30pm (Played in Perth Only), Other Friday game moved to 7pm
Sunday 7.30pm (Played in Perth on Sunday or Anywhere on a PH eve - Sunday or weekday)
Sunday 12.00pm (otherwise scheduled if played in VIC/NSW/QLD etc)

Outside of the 30min shuffle to fit in the occasional Friday Doubler header, all games would start at 12/2.30/5/7.30 across the week. All times are fan friendly and accessible. Minimal overlap with 20min Qs (none if game time reduced to 18min Qs).

Ch7 can continue to do pre and post games given they don't show double-headers. Fox Footy (504) can run games into each other with minimal pre/post coverage, whilst Kayo will show full pre/post for a game selected that would also be available on 503 as overflow.

For a 2.30pm game, 503 would show the pre-game from 2pm. Switch over to 504 for the 2.30pm game, then at 5pm switch back to 503 for the post-game. On Kayo, if you chose the 2.30pm game, it's available from 2pm to 5.30pm as a continuous product with pre and post game.

 

[deck]

English Football schedule their last match on a Saturday at 3pm though. Fans can't be trusted to not get on the piss all arvo and riot during a late game.

I think Prem standard schedule is:
1 x fri night
1-2 x sat midday
5 x sat 3pm
1 x sun 2pm
1 x sun 4pm
1 x mon night

Like you say though, they play at other times due to flexibility required for weather, europe, international.

They quite regularly have a 5.30pm Saturday game.

 

[LordLucifer]

LordLucifer I've had a chance to think over it, and I think you'll like this one

Thursday
7.30pm

Friday
7.30pm

Saturday
12pm (moved to 2.30 on a weekday PH such as Easter Monday)
2.30pm
5pm
7.30pm

Sunday
2.30pm
5pm

Now that adds up to 8 games, so where does the 9th go?

9th Game
Bye (Middle 9 weeks of the season)
Friday 9.30pm (Played in Perth Only), Other Friday game moved to 7pm
Sunday 7.30pm (Played in Perth on Sunday or Anywhere on a PH eve - Sunday or weekday)
Sunday 12.00pm (otherwise scheduled if played in VIC/NSW/QLD etc)

Outside of the 30min shuffle to fit in the occasional Friday Doubler header, all games would start at 12/2.30/5/7.30 across the week. All times are fan friendly and accessible. Minimal overlap with 20min Qs (none if game time reduced to 18min Qs).

Ch7 can continue to do pre and post games given they don't show double-headers. Fox Footy (504) can run games into each other with minimal pre/post coverage, whilst Kayo will show full pre/post for a game selected that would also be available on 503 as overflow.

For a 2.30pm game, 503 would show the pre-game from 2pm. Switch over to 504 for the 2.30pm game, then at 5pm switch back to 503 for the post-game. On Kayo, if you chose the 2.30pm game, it's available from 2pm to 5.30pm as a continuous product with pre and post game.

Not too shabby at all Johnny !!!

Let me think a bit more about how to squeeze in that 9th game, I think there may be a better option, I'll read through your concept a couple more times too.

 

[JohnZ]

Let me think a bit more about how to squeeze in that 9th game

For the most part, it would be Sunday 12.00, but you need some flexibility to move it around depending on state based PHs, Friday double headers etc.

 

[LordLucifer]

The big issue in regards to scheduling and on the basis of not wanting games to overlap, then you have to factor in how long a match actually goes for.

Q1 - 30mins
1/4 Time - 6mins
Q2 - 30mins
Half-Time - 20mins
Q3 - 30mins
3/4 Time - 6mins
Q4 - 30mins

That adds up to 152min (2hrs 42mins) which eliminates the thought of having games scheduled 2.5 hrs apart.

If there is a serious injury and the game delayed them it may blow out further to say 2hrs 50mins.

 

[parano1a]

Only hardcore footy tragics actually want to sit through all 9 games every round.

The majority of fans would watch - in addition to their own team, a few of the following timeslots:

Thursday Night Football
Friday Night Football
Saturday Night Football
Sunday Afternoon Football
Public Holiday Football (e.g. ANZAC Day)

 

[maskmcgee]

9pm on the eastern seaboard, not in Perth !!

Great, so that Saturday 9pm match which for some reason despite both having a weekend day after them isn't Perth only, you think a match finishing at midnight or after and getting home at 2am in Melbourne is appropiate?

 

[LordLucifer]

Great, so that Saturday 9pm match which for some reason despite both having a weekend day after them isn't Perth only, you think a match finishing at midnight or after and getting home at 2am in Melbourne is appropiate?

If it was possible to have both Perth teams playing at home then it would be fine, could also work for SA too.

And are you trying to tell me you have never got home at 2am on a Saturday night ??