The shambolic mess of Opening Round

[The Tilt]

Crowds are always higher in round 1, people are desperate for footy, and their teams haven’t crushed expectations yet.

And for what it’s worth, Sydney vs Carlton had 40372 people there. Round 11 last year had 39082. Round 11 2024 had 44047 people there. So I don’t really buy it

The Swans have many crowds on or around 40,000. I was thinking more of the Giants/Suns opening round crowds.

 

[The Tilt]

Your trying to convince people that more people would go to Sydney v Carlton at the SCG in the opening round of the season with only 4 other games being played. But less people would turn up if the opening round had 9 games being played over the weekend?

Nope. Didn't say that. I'm on board with going back to a standard opening round with 9 matches.

I'm just pointing out that promoting key matches in NSW & Qld (for example, by having the season launch there) is a good idea and has been shown to deliver the results. This is one of those baby/bathwater situations.

 

[Crankyhawk]

Yeah, that one definitely needs a re think. But you get what I mean, play a full round just outside of Victoria (or Melbourne at the very least).

I’m sure there’s another option or 2 that would make it work without the obvious showdown in Canberra issue

Um why not have all the interstate sides host, with one all vic game either north or hawks hosting in Tasmania? So all vic teams are travelling.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Um why not have all the interstate sides host, with one all vic game either north or hawks hosting in Tasmania? So all vic teams are travelling.

Don’t mind that either

 

[STPer18]

The flop that was flOpening Round has flopped for the last time.

 

[The Tilt]

Um why not have all the interstate sides host, with one all vic game either north or hawks hosting in Tasmania? So all vic teams are travelling.

What's the reasoning behind having no games in Melbourne? Assuming it falls on a public holiday weekend in Victoria, they may as well make use of the Sunday night/Monday.

 

[greatgatsby]

 

[Crankyhawk]

What's the reasoning behind having no games in Melbourne? Assuming it falls on a public holiday weekend in Victoria, they may as well make use of the Sunday night/Monday.

Travel equity/ equalisation. By starting all the vic teams with an away game it’s one less plane trip for interstates but no vic club gets to cry “so and so got to play in Melbourne and get financial benefits)

 

[deck]

Nope. Didn't say that. I'm on board with going back to a standard opening round with 9 matches.

I'm just pointing out that promoting key matches in NSW & Qld (for example, by having the season launch there) is a good idea and has been shown to deliver the results. This is one of those baby/bathwater situations.

But the numbers v Carlton the previous 2 times don't show that. Last year had only 1300 less and the year before had almost 4000 more. And both those games were mid year. Last years game only had 1300 less and both teams were struggling outside the top 8.

 

[The Tilt]

But the numbers v Carlton the previous 2 times don't show that. Last year had only 1300 less and the year before had almost 4000 more. And both those games were mid year. Last years game only had 1300 less and both teams were struggling outside the top 8.

As I said, attendance figures at the SCG probably aren't the best indicator: it's not uncommon now for Swans home games to have crowds of 40,000 or higher (basically a sell out), so it's hard to judge the impact. Still, it's hit that benchmark for each of the three years we've had OR (with two of those 3 against non-Big 4 clubs), so there's that.

GWS and Gold Coast crowds are a better indicator. For GWS, there three biggest ever H&A crowds at the Showgrounds (excluding derbies) have been in Opening round.

 

[deck]

GWS and Gold Coast crowds are a better indicator. For GWS, there three biggest ever H&A crowds at the Showgrounds (excluding derbies) have been in Opening round.

I'll give you GWS but the Gold Coast numbers are all in the range when they have played big Vic clubs in the past and with less optimism around them.

All the numbers the 3 clubs excluding GWS are nothing out of the ordinary. If anything like anything with attendance numbers in Sydney's west they look very fishy at best.

 

[Bay53]

The flop that was flOpening Round has flopped for the last time.

I am saddened by the loss of Opening Round but the reality is it is not practical in 2027 due to the delayed start to the season whilst from 2028 we are probably going to have a 26 round season (24 games) meaning an Opening Round would see the season start in February.

 

[Billy ray]

I wont be happy until opening round returns, starting on boxing day night after the cricket finishes for the day

 

[Aussie in exile]

When is that scheduled?
Test cricket is usually done and dusted first week of January after Sydney test
Rest of the summer is limited over dross

I don't like limited over dross cricket, but crowds at some games suggest a lot of people do

 

[Mighty Eagles]

This was always destined to fail.

The bulk of the fans don’t like and neither do the clubs.

The AFL could’ve done what they did in 2013-14, and had a split round for R1, giving the Qld & NSW clubs prominence on one week and playing another five matches the next.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

When is that scheduled?
Test cricket is usually done and dusted first week of January after Sydney test
Rest of the summer is limited over dross

The 150th anniversary game is mid-March. And normally the BBL, which does attract crowds, runs through January and maybe into February.
I would like to see CA change the domestic calendar so the Tests ran through January, when more people have days off for the mostly day games.
But even if there was a slight inclination of CA to prioritise Test cricket the partial BBL sale will put paid to that, and quite possibly eventually push Tests to end before Christmas.