Typical over-emotional melodramatic responses from most people in this thread which typifies the over-conservative nature of many Aussie Rules fans.
It's hilarious that many people actually think a shift to a twilight game would be a big deal. As if we don't know what it's like to have games fixtured under lights. Every second game of the 2007 H&A season is under lights.
The silly response of , "It's been that way for 100 years, don't change it" is ridiculous and lacking in logic.
The reaosn we have always had a daytime Grand Final is because for the first 80 years of the VFL-AFL we didn't have six huge lights towers surrounding the MCG! We do now.
For the first 80-90year of the VFL-AFL, television and money from television was not the factor it is now. The focus on entertainment and the way people attend events is different now to what it was.
People will always resist change. Back in 1987 there was an uproar over the change to a national competition. The world would end apparently and fans, "wouldn't attend games out of protest." It proved to be the best thing to ever happen to the game.
The idea of a Grand Final played starting at 5:00pm has some distinct advantages:
1.) It is over by 7:40, which is still early leaving plenty of time for celebrations.
2.) The match would conservatively get a 25% increase in viewers (the Foxtel 5pm sunday games averages about 30% more viwers than the 1pm game 4 hours earlier.) This is good for the game as it allows the showpiece event to be viewed by more people. In fact, this is the most important factor.
3.) The first half would be played in sunshine to keep the traditionalists happy. The culmination under lights would obviously have a fantastic atmopshere as night games always do.
4.) The telecast would start at 12midday instead of 8am. Let's face it an 8am start on TV for Grand Final day is a long day and it basically means Channel 10 has to fill in 6 hours of non-ratings pre-game from the moment you wake up. A midday start is a better alternative. Much better, and everyone knows it. 8am is far too early. The Superbowl is timed to have a 6pm start on America's East Coast, and their pre-game starts about midday. Perfect for BBQ's, and get togethers.
All in all it's an interesting discussion and I think it's worth a try.
Certainly the predictable conserative, over-emotional viewes of the typical AFL fan (many sterotypes of that fan here in this thread) are frustrating to say the least. Change has to happen in all things otherwise we stagnate. I think it's a typical human reaction to resist change, but once you get used to it, you accept it. A twilight Grand Final is a good example of that.
It's hilarious that many people actually think a shift to a twilight game would be a big deal. As if we don't know what it's like to have games fixtured under lights. Every second game of the 2007 H&A season is under lights.
The silly response of , "It's been that way for 100 years, don't change it" is ridiculous and lacking in logic.
The reaosn we have always had a daytime Grand Final is because for the first 80 years of the VFL-AFL we didn't have six huge lights towers surrounding the MCG! We do now.
For the first 80-90year of the VFL-AFL, television and money from television was not the factor it is now. The focus on entertainment and the way people attend events is different now to what it was.
People will always resist change. Back in 1987 there was an uproar over the change to a national competition. The world would end apparently and fans, "wouldn't attend games out of protest." It proved to be the best thing to ever happen to the game.
The idea of a Grand Final played starting at 5:00pm has some distinct advantages:
1.) It is over by 7:40, which is still early leaving plenty of time for celebrations.
2.) The match would conservatively get a 25% increase in viewers (the Foxtel 5pm sunday games averages about 30% more viwers than the 1pm game 4 hours earlier.) This is good for the game as it allows the showpiece event to be viewed by more people. In fact, this is the most important factor.
3.) The first half would be played in sunshine to keep the traditionalists happy. The culmination under lights would obviously have a fantastic atmopshere as night games always do.
4.) The telecast would start at 12midday instead of 8am. Let's face it an 8am start on TV for Grand Final day is a long day and it basically means Channel 10 has to fill in 6 hours of non-ratings pre-game from the moment you wake up. A midday start is a better alternative. Much better, and everyone knows it. 8am is far too early. The Superbowl is timed to have a 6pm start on America's East Coast, and their pre-game starts about midday. Perfect for BBQ's, and get togethers.
All in all it's an interesting discussion and I think it's worth a try.
Certainly the predictable conserative, over-emotional viewes of the typical AFL fan (many sterotypes of that fan here in this thread) are frustrating to say the least. Change has to happen in all things otherwise we stagnate. I think it's a typical human reaction to resist change, but once you get used to it, you accept it. A twilight Grand Final is a good example of that.
