The AFL must consider a twilight Grand Final

Roar Pro

By Nic Deluca, 2 Jul 2008 The Crowd is a Roar Pro

Tagged:: A-League, AFL, Andrew Demetriou, Australian sport, Cricket, Demons, Melbourne Demons

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The AFL has successfully managed itself to become the premier sporting code in Australia. Andrew Demetriou and his team has lead a successful phase of Australian Rules footy, arguably its most successful period in his history.

With the imminent increase of AFL teams within the competition, and TV rights soon up for negotiation, AFL HQ is looking rosy.

Traditionally, Australian sports fans have been accustomed to watching AFL in the winter, and cricket in the summer.

However, the sporting landscape in this country is changing. We are beginning to notice non-traditional sports luring the attention of young Australian athletes away from AFL and cricket at an alarming rate.

Domestically, rugby and football are the prime movers.

The latter now offers a National Competition that would be the envy of their State cricket counterparts. Average A-League attendances are proving to be stronger by the year. And with the FFA house in order, it must be a concern for those bustling for a share in the Australian sporting market.

The AFL sees no reason to look over their shoulder just yet, with healthy figures in all measures.

However, when kids of today are deciding which boots to lace up, rugby and football can offer kids what the AFL doesn’t: National Representation, the pride of pulling on an Aussies guernsey and the honour of representing the people of our country on the global stage.

Kids, and especially parents, these days are an ambitious lot. The opportunity to become either a Wallaby, or Socceroo, or Matilda, or potentially an Olympian, is appealing in comparison to playing AFL club games.

State Representation at AFL level is no longer on the agenda, leaving little or no opportunity for wider recognition as an athlete whilst playing AFL.

The AFL must look at taking the game globally as a means to demonstrate to our kids that the AFL are serious about putting its players on the sporting map.

Twilight footy is the ideal platform podium.

Australians living in, say UK, home to over 600,000 ex-pats, cannot watch AFL matches at reasonable hours due to differing time zones.

Bringing the bounce back to 5pm would provide global sports lovers an education into why the Australian game is so great.

It can only be beneficial to the game: TV ratings in Australia will be higher, international TV audiences will increase, and overseas-based corporations wanting greater visibility in Australia could use our game, via potential sponsorship, to gain leverage into Australia.

All of which means more money for the game, and its stakeholders, assuring viability for the struggling clubs.

We live in a world where global partnerships are critical. It seems the AFL and its perceived ignorance through distancing itself from global collaboration, in a sporting sense, could mean missed opportunities for our game.

The prospective growth that twilight footy offers far out weighs the benefits of the traditional 2pm start.

The AFL must not turn the backs on investing in this idea.

Global television provides future stars with the podium of an international audience, and the platform to demonstrate why AFL footballers are arguably the best athletes in the world.

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The Crowd Says (23) | Page 1 of Comments

Annette Frazer said | July 2nd 2008 @ 9:04am | Report comment

you make some good points, but the 2pm bounce on Grand Final day is a tradition in sport that should not be altered. The AFL should look at other ways of investing in its athletes and not mess around with our tradition

Signed

Annette Frazer.

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Forgetmenot said | July 2nd 2008 @ 9:12am | Report comment

I agree that we need to do something to take football overseas larger than before. We have the greatest sport in the world, played in the greatest sporting country, by the greatest sportsmen. Who wouldnt want to watch?

The AFL has known about the threat of globalisation for years. They have had a plan drawn up for years.
Auskick has only being going since 1997. Remarkable when you look at the participation rates for it.

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Harry said | July 2nd 2008 @ 9:15am | Report comment

Please do not sacrific tradition, and the very real benefits, of playing games in the evening for the god of television. They have done so for rugby union and the long term damage is becoming apparent. I’ll put it another way – does the FA Cup, which can genuinely claim a global audience (Aussie Rules fans should stop kidding themselves their game is going to attract a significant non-expat following offshore) kickoff at 9 pm to fit in with the US audience?

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Dave said | July 2nd 2008 @ 9:24am | Report comment

Forgetmenot

“We have the greatest sport in the world, played in the greatest sporting country, by the greatest sportsmen. Who wouldnt want to watch?”

Thats your opinion but judging by the lack of interest overseas your view is not shared by the world. The world doesnt watch and isn’t interested. Most of NSW and Queensland aren’t even interested 1st and 3rd most populated states in Oz.
The only interest is from expats and a few mates. So you suggest changing a tradition for a few expats scattered around the world?

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Giuseppe said | July 2nd 2008 @ 9:39am | Report comment

I totally disagree, why does everyone want to change everything. This is OUR game, we own it, not the world, the only real threat is soccer, however it is played mostly in the AFL off-season and by the time kids have to make a decision on being a profession al in either sport, they have fallen in love with both games. So, AFL won’t lose support to other codes. At the end it’s your own ability that judges whether you play one sport or another long term, not a twilight grand final. Dont try and change things just for the sake of change. Tradition is important, do you see the European soccer leagues, the NFL, NBA etc etc changing start times for the sake of the rest of the world, NO, we can still market our game natuionall and internationall without compromising our traditions. LEAVE IT ALONE. As for UNION and LEAGUE being a threat, hahahahahaha, give me a break!

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Redb said | July 2nd 2008 @ 9:42am | Report comment

Dave,

Thoughts of world domination aside – I dont this article quite gets the connection right – twilight games ?

However, if the following can claim….

Soccer ‘the beautiful game’ – i dont there is anything beautiful about taking a dive or a nil all draw.
Rugby leauge the ‘greatest game of all’ – which it clearly it is not.
Rugby union “the game they play on heaven” – well perhaps when the codes dies in OZ.

Then Australian football can lay claim to the “greatest sport, played in the greatest sporting country by the greatest sportsmen”

Redb

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Michael C said | July 2nd 2008 @ 9:42am | Report comment

Actually, it’s been quite some time since there’s been a 2pm bounce for the AFL Grand FInal – - it’s more like 2:40pm.

Personally, I don’t mind the twilight time slot – - but, any player would rather not having to sit around too long during the day.

Dave – -

on what basis are you measuring the lack of overseas interest? Please show me your proof.

Lack of overseas interest implies an actual attempt to expand overseas – does it not. Other than the last couple of years working in South Africa, the AFL has not done anything of note anywhere in the world – - and can actually be accused of ignoring PNG where perhaps they SHOULD have to help nurture the INTEREST that existed and still does.

Lack of overseas interest – implies free and easy access to viewing the game live or on tv such that overseas folk have chosen specifically NOT to watch……local club games in Melbourne and Australia……..really not sure how you determine that there’s every been a ‘test’ upon which to base your suggestion. And, in the main, over the last 20 odd years – - what were folk to do? Where could they go for a kick? Well – - actually, a few over that time did something about it……

However – I do have proofs of people who have had their interest sparked enough purely via a single viewing on ESPN in the old days for example – who have taken up footy in the US or started a team in Catalonia or Madrid etc – - little examples of this illustrate that some people have been intrigued enough to get our and start a team – - now, not everyone will do that, but, with an ever groing network of Aust Footy clubs and leagues around the world, over the next 20 or so years – - people who have a spark of interest won’t have to work nearly so hard to have a go. Perhaps, in 20 years time Dave – you could make that statement.

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Dave said | July 2nd 2008 @ 10:01am | Report comment

Michael C

LOL l remember Lou Richards on Ch 7 in the 1970s proclaiming that the GF broadcast would be seen by millions of overseas viewers ( I can recall once the number of 100 million mentioned!!). The fact is broadcasts of AFL have been going o/s for 30 years or more. What does the AFLs overseas TV rights return to the AFL in monetary terms? $0! It remains a game that is viewed. at best, as an indigenous Aussie game, and at worst, an oddity, by the vast majority of those who see it. No criticism here but if it were different why aren’t countries from o/s craving to get more? Where is the o/s TV deal?
The game is dominant in the southern and western states of OZ and will always be so. To change the GF start time for a perceived o/s audience is laughable.

Redb
As said to Forgetmenot it is an individual choice but…to state the greatest sport in the world l think would need some backup. By the way l dont disagree with greatest sporting country in ther world and largely agree with greatest sportsmen/women (certainly per capita).
BTW Havent heard much gloating over the return to form of the Bombers

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Redb said | July 2nd 2008 @ 10:04am | Report comment

Dave,

“BTW Havent heard much gloating over the return to form of the Bombers ”

Correct, a seamless show of support. Went to the Carlton game – loved it, absolutely loved it. Great win, great game (Paddy Ryder destined to mark of the century! ), thought we were gone with 5 minutes to go.

Redb

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Michael C said | July 2nd 2008 @ 11:11am | Report comment

Dave -

ah – - that ‘potential viewing audience’, like when we hear the potential Asian viewing audience for Australia vs Qatar in the Asian Championships…..when only 500 odd bother turning up to the stadium (I wonder if they used the same crowd counting technique as the Rabbitohs at ANZ stadium????).

Australia get’s lots of cheap international content on here too – - that’s part of the soccer matrix, that, local production costs etc vs being just another country to pay a minimal amount for overseas leagues matches that have generated huge profits from their domestic markets. There is no reason that the AFL would expect to generate income via international broadcast rights. THe absence of such is certainly proof of nothing more than that the AFL is NOT a FIFA world cup or an Olympics.
I wouldn’t expect any real interest overseas other than perhaps in Ireland, where especially certain towns will be following the exploits of a local hero having a crack in Australia…….

So what.

btw – I don’t support the author on the assertion of global viewership playing any part whatsoever in considerations.

btw – the author wrote :
“Average A-League attendances are proving to be stronger by the year.”
we need to keep the perspective that the major improvement last year was due to the Wellington Phoenix vs the Previous NZ Knights out of Auckland. That, Perth continues to struggle, Hindmarsh crowds fell, MVFC TD crowd avg dropped by 6K, SFC are still down on their first season average and only a 33K crowd in rnd 21 v MVFC saved their season crowd avg from being down even on V2. Suncorp, a marginal increase. That’s the key markets – - ah, but improved showings in Newcastle and Gosford…….

(not trying to dispute – - but, everyone now and then we need to recognise what is behind a seemingly ‘throw away’ line such as that one).

cheers

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