There’s a lot work left to do when it comes to player transactions and the AFL off-season. Be it free agency, trade week or the draft, all can be drastically improved.
It’s not only a incredibly outdated system the AFL use, it’s also a system which doesn’t allow our great game to reach its full potential.
Right now the NFL is the centre of all things sports in America, despite it being the off-season.
NFL free agency is at its height with fans all around the world refreshing their Twitter feeds at a record rate, waiting for ESPN’s Adam Schefter to break the next big signing.
In AFL terms, sure we get something similar to this with our free agency. However due to the small free agency window (only 18 days) it’s missing out on a lot of the hype and publicity found in the NFL.
Here’s what I propose the AFL should do:
1. Extend the free agency window to run all season long, ending when a respective team’s season ends.
2. Make player salaries known to the general public.
3. Push back the start of free agency until the beginning of November. Push back the AFL draft until early to mid-December over three days.
4. Set the start date for the AFL pre-season to January, all teams to begin on the same day.
5. Extend the trading period until the end of round five, which includes trading during the AFL Draft.
These ‘USA-style’ recommendations will help create growth and revenue for the AFL, but only if done the right way.
The temporary free agency window and ‘trade week’ is completely unnecessary in the modern AFL.
With countless pre-season injuries, gaping holes in teams and great players running around in state leagues it only makes sense for the AFL to extend both windows.
By pushing the opening of free agency back until November, the AFL could create much more interest in the free agency opening.
The AFL would also benefit by pushing the draft back until mid-December.
Allowing in-draft trading would create more interest in AFL draft day as the mystery of what your team is going to do is amplified.
Even better, in-draft trading would lead to some exciting changes and big stories, which in turn leads to more hype and potential revenue.
Transitioning the start of the AFL pre-season to a set date makes the general public and players alike to both look forward to the official start of the league year.
I understand that publicising all player salaries would be a massive step for the AFL to take. However, by not taking this step they are missing out on fan opinion and interest.
Publicising all salary cap details will also benefit the struggling clubs, and in turn make free agency more competitive.
The pressure to get paid as much as possible will encourage players to leave high-ranking clubs under salary cap pressure and join smaller teams, which can only benefit the AFL competition long term.
I’m not recommending an exact carbon copy of the NFL. There are still several things – such as the rookie list – which will be forever unique to the AFL.
But to create stranglehold on Australian sport and push interest and revenue to unprecedented levels the AFL should seek major changes in the way it structures the off-season.
What do you think about my proposed changes?
Brodie
Roar Guru
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Brodie
Roar Guru
Thanks Myles!
Brodie
Roar Guru
You use the internet yes? :) - Also get twitter mate it's great.
Brodie
Roar Guru
Hi mate, what makes you think there will be wholesale trades all year round? Can't say that happens in any league around the world. It's generally only a couple of moves here or there to replace injury or what have you.
Strummer Jones
Guest
I don't use twitter so free agency is neither here nor there for me.
Redb
Roar Guru
No I think the limited free agency should be given more time. I don't want to see wholesale trades year round.
Myles Stedman
Roar Guru
Well done James! Agree on all points (as much as I prefer player loyalty). Great first article. I look forward to reading your future ones.
Brodie
Roar Guru
Thanks James, appreciate it man. The AFL really is stuck in it's ways which is rather disappointing as I think the code could push further ahead into a complete dominance zone. They act as if they want to garner more revenue but won't take the next step. Really would love to see player saleries publicized. Young player would all be on set saleires or close to so I don't see this as a big deal IMO. But each to their own!
james rosewarne
Roar Guru
Making players salaries public isn't only about creating fan interest but a crucial component of transparancy in the league. These figures shouldn't be clouded in secrecy. We should know exactly how each team is using their salary cap both for the purposes of a fair league as well as another way of evaluating a team just as we do the same with statistics such as kicks and handballs. sportingnumbers.blogspot.com
B-Rock
Roar Guru
Some good points The AFL is already so far ahead of league and rugby in terms of player mobility and roster flexibility. I also think the NFL and NBA are the global benchmarks on this front. Saying that, Hard to see the real benefits of publicising all players sallaries - generating fan interest is hardly a convincing reason IMO. If I was a young bloke getting paid very little I wouldn't want my wage public. Also, it tends to result in resentment if the player doesn't live up to his contract if he is chewing up a fair chunk of the cap. I think turning Aust sport into a more american structure would be met with plenty of pushback by the public and administrators
james rosewarne
Roar Guru
Brilliant article Brodie. Pity the AFL is so set in it's predominantly conservative ways that very little, if any, of what you propose will ever be adopted. After all, it took an an eternity to get a draft and an extra eternity to have the current form of free agency. I absolutely agree with your thoughts regarding the publication of player's salaries and big on your suggestion of opening the trade window until round 5. Both make enormous sense. I think the big problem is that most things relating to US sports in this country are seriously under-appreciated, misunderstood and mosty reduced to the most ridiculous argument of their system being entirely about money. The last part I find particularly hilarious seeing as our entire AFL fixture is geared around revinue generation. Again, thanks for a really important article. sportingnumbers.blogspot.com