Twilight Grand Final?

[Demonic Ascent]

I don[t give a stuff about fireworks. I am simply making the point the entertainment (for those that care about it) is unarguably better at night.

The AFL decided, in their wisdom that Saturday afternoon is such a complete TV wasteland, that they got rid of all free-to-air footy on Saturdays. And rightly so. Then, these idiots decided that the very same wasteland timeslot is what should be used for the biggest game of the year, even though ALL THE OTHER FINALS ARE PLAYED AT NIGHT,

Playing the Grand Final on a Saturday afternoon is simply the most idiotic, stupid, game-hurting piece of crap you expect form people who seem to be doing everything in their power to ensure that the biggest game of the year is NOT watched by the most amount of people it potemtially could be.

It's the God Damn Grand Final for crying out loud. Play it in Prime time, like you know.... EVERY OTHER MAJOR EVENT IN THE WORLD.

Why play it on Saturday night? Friday night is the premiere timeslot in the fixture. The Grand Final should be on Friday night because that's what Channel 7 would want.

 

[Dan26]

Why play it on Saturday night? Friday night is the premiere timeslot in the fixture. The Grand Final should be on Friday night because that's what Channel 7 would want.

I'd personally play it on the Sunday night (like the Superbowl) the week after the NRL Grand Final and have the public holiday on the Monday and the Grand Final parade on the Saturday

If the Grand Final was played on the second Saturday (or in my opinion) Sunday night in October, then it has a totally clear weekend with no competition from other sports. The Prelimnary Final weekend the week before would have no competition with one Prelim on the Friday night, the second Prelim on the Saturday night, then the NRL Grand Final on the Sunday. Perfect. Northern state fans would be able to watch the AFL games without any competition.

It would be the best way to grow the game in the Northern states having the three biggest games of the year free from any competition.

Saturday afternoon is simply idiotic. A Sunday night Grand Final would probably be the biggest TV event in Australian television history. It's the ideal television timeslot. Instead of the usual 3-4 million, you could get 5-6 million. I want that. The AFL is the premiere event in Australia and it should prove that by getting the biggest audience.

 

[Bjo187]

It's not a good sign how weak and incompetent Craig Drummond's first big decision seemed to be, it's the last thing we needed after Goyder. I saw the press conference today, between Drummond and Dillon there were about 50 ummm's and ahhh's.

 

[Macca180]

I'd personally play it on the Sunday night (like the Superbowl) the week after the NRL Grand Final and have the public holiday on the Monday and the Grand Final parade on the Saturday

That won't happen. That's too smart and getting more people than ever before to watch the game.

Dillon is piss weak.What a shit job he's doing. The AFL are dumb.

Dead time 2pm Saturday. flipping LOL

Keep not progressing and not growing the game.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

then twilight would be better than night.

The dim lighting for a half is not better than a full night match. All the lighting went into the crowd in that 2021 GF, looked awful. Twilight football shouldn't even be a thing at all, the lighting is the worst.

 

[iameviljez]

Why play it on Saturday night? Friday night is the premiere timeslot in the fixture. The Grand Final should be on Friday night because that's what Channel 7 would want.

Because you have the whole build-up during the day if you play it Saturday or Sunday.

 

[stevothedevo]

Night GFs are for losers who's Saturday night life is so lame they need football to cover it up.

 

[Boppo]

Shame they didn't go twilight. Every year we have committments with the kids on Saturdays and I keep saying I'll watch the GF later but never do.

 

[Boppo]

Why are you thinking about the NRL? Completely different sport

The NRL GF was a far superior spectacle, even non hard core fans got caught up in the hype and exhibition.

 

[Deepthroat]

Comparing the AFL Day and NRL Night is stupid.

The NRL gets a MASSIVE boost in ratings at there is no AFL footy that weekend.

It's the point of debate that nearly everyone in the media pushing for a Night GF is loathe to admit.

There is a groundswell of AFL fans that flip into the last NRL game simply for the reason that there is no AFL to watch anymore and it's a significant number.

Look at the rest of the finals series ratings for both codes, the AFL easily outrates the NRL.

If you swapped GF weekends around, the NRL ratings would drop by 25%.

Also take the Storm out of the last game and see how many Vic drop off. Add another 10% to the 25%.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Why does anyone care about the NRL GF or how well it rates? The only people who should worry about this is broadcasters and advertisers.

 

[bigleague]

Comparing the AFL Day and NRL Night is stupid.

The NRL gets a MASSIVE boost in ratings at there is no AFL footy that weekend.

It's the point of debate that nearly everyone in the media pushing for a Night GF is loathe to admit.

There is a groundswell of AFL fans that flip into the last NRL game simply for the reason that there is no AFL to watch anymore and it's a significant number.

Look at the rest of the finals series ratings for both codes, the AFL easily outrates the NRL.

If you swapped GF weekends around, the NRL ratings would drop by 25%.

Also take the Storm out of the last game and see how many Vic drop off. Add another 10% to the 25%.

The NRL finals series also outrated the AFL, curiously their day finals in particular.

By the same token, take Brisbane out of the aflgf…

 

[Deepthroat]

The NRL finals series also outrated the AFL, curiously their day finals in particular.

By the same token, take Brisbane out of the aflgf…

The NRL finals series did not outrate the AFL finals series.

 

[heem]

Why play it on Saturday night? Friday night is the premiere timeslot in the fixture. The Grand Final should be on Friday night because that's what Channel 7 would want.

Why not play it both nights? A half each night with 5 minute ad breaks after each score, goal or point to maximise the tv experience. At the ground spectators can network and listen to the relevant players song. For rushed behinds they could play Money for Nothing.
Or better yet, play the Grand final over three nights including the Sunday. Best of three full games. That way anyone who works Friday or Saturday night can watch Sunday night.
It’s just typical bloody troglodyte thinking to fail to implement these excellent ideas.

 

[jwikked]

The NRL GF was a far superior spectacle, even non hard core fans got caught up in the hype and exhibition.

That’s ok. Not every Grand Final is gong to be the best game of the year.

Light shows and lasers don’t come into it at all

 

[Demonic Ascent]

The NRL GF was a far superior spectacle, even non hard core fans got caught up in the hype and exhibition.

The best NRL game is still an absolute snoozefest compared with the worst AFL game. It's incomparable.

 

[Boppo]

That’s ok. Not every Grand Final is gong to be the best game of the year.

Light shows and lasers don’t come into it at all

I didn’t see any light shows or lasers I’m afraid.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

The best NRL game is still an absolute snoozefest compared with the worst AFL game. It's incomparable.

"Youse this" and "youse that", dumb bogans

 

[bigleague]

The NRL finals series did not outrate the AFL finals series.

Yes it did. Ask The_Wookie

 

[Bjo187]

The NRL finals series also outrated the AFL, curiously their day finals in particular.

By the same token, take Brisbane out of the aflgf…

Lol leaguie troll shows up to fly the flag. The NRL finals never outrated the AFL finals in years, except the Broncos games last year.

 

[bigleague]

Lol leaguie troll shows up to fly the flag. The NRL finals never outrated the AFL finals in years, except the Broncos games last year.

2025 FTA ratings

	EF1	EF2	QF1	QF2	SF1	SF2	PF1	PF2	GF
AFL	914	699	1.106	943	1.004	948	1.314	1.552	4.187
NRL	676	824	1.021	1.220	1.037	1.183	1.496	1.790	4.553

NRL Total finals series excluding GF 9.247m (avg 1.156m), including GF 13.8m

AFL Total finals series excluding GF 8.480m (avg 1.060m), including GF 12.667m

STV ratings are unknown, but both codes set records during the finals series, with the AFL first setting a record for the most watched broadcast on fox ever, only for the NRL to slightly exceed it a week later.

Television Ratings

Australia's leading media industry discussion website

forums.mediaspy.org

 

[kid_a]

The NRL GF was a far superior spectacle, even non hard core fans got caught up in the hype and exhibition.

That's only because it was a close game that wasn't over as a contest as early as the AFL GF was

Sometimes you're just going to get one game that is more exciting as match up then the other.

I've been to the NRL GF before and it was a dour night with some drizzle from time to time throughout the match...it looked like shit.

The night GF at the Gabba in 2020 I thought also looked like shit, partly from being at the Gabba but also partly because it was at night.

You might not get sunshine for every day game but I love the look of a sunlit stadium over a floodlit one anyway....I look back at the FIFA world cup finals from USA 1994 and Mexico before that and think it just looks so much better than at night time under lights like it is now.

I hate the arrogance of people saying that "night games DO look better" and claiming it as fact....it isn't an undeniable fact it's merely you're opinion. There are plenty of people who don't think the same way.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

That's only because it was a close game that wasn't over as a contest as early as the AFL GF was

Sometimes you're just going to get one game that is more exciting as match up then the other.

I've been to the NRL GF before and it was a dour night with some drizzle from time to time throughout the match...it looked like shit.

The night GF at the Gabba in 2020 also look like shit, partly from being at the Gabba but also partly because it was at night.

You might not get sunshine for every day game but I love the look of a sunlit stadium over a floodlit one anyway....I look back at the FIFA world cup finals from USA 1994 and Mexico before that and think it just looks so much better than at night time under lights like it is now.

I hate the arrogance of people saying that "night games DO look better" and claiming it as fact....it isn't an undeniable fact it's merely you're opinion. There are plenty of people who don't think the same way.

Its all opinion of course, but I think night games used to give a sense of occasion and so forth. But they have become so common now, across all sport, they add nothing. If anything having a big daytime event stands out more.
Entertainment and stuff is such a non-starter when the day should be about football. (We all know it isn't, its about corporate boxes filled with people who have no eye on the game.)
The AFL has given up more than enough chasing the broadcast dollar, and any change in viewership would likely be minimal anyway, leave something for the fans.

 

[deck]

That won't happen. That's too smart and getting more people than ever before to watch the game.

Dillon is piss weak.What a shit job he's doing. The AFL are dumb.

Dead time 2pm Saturday. flipping LOL

Keep not progressing and not growing the game.

To busy listening to the loud minority living in the past. If people loved Saturday afternoon footy so much why don't they watch it.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

The night GF at the Gabba in 2020 also look like shit, partly from being at the Gabba but also partly because it was at night.

I thought the 2020 GF lighting wise looked great, the ground was consistently lit. It was the 2021 GF that looked horrible for a half due to the dim lighting on the ground.