In recent times the A-League has been having significant issues in regards to its scheduling of the grand final.
The major problem has been regarding the two Melbourne clubs: Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City.
The issue is that the A-League announced one date the 13th of May, 2015 and then changed that to the 20th of May, 2015. The AFL stated they would not provide Etihad Stadium to the A-League if either Melbourne City or Melbourne Victory participated in the grand final.
This is an unbelievable scenario. Two leagues use Etihad Stadium (AFL and A-League) and three use AAMI Park (A-League, Super Rugby and NRL). All three leagues play in May during the A-League Finals Series.
However, Melbourne isn’t the only city where scheduling madness could occur. In fact every single club, bar Adelaide United, and Wellington Phoenix have to share venues at some point during the season.
There has to be some way to fix this madness.
The A-League cannot continue to have people guessing where the games will be and when. The way to fix this is via having flexible scheduling in the A-League, AFL and NRL for all games in the month of May.
What’s flexible scheduling? It’s where the league doesn’t announce a time for when a game will be played. Only the venue.
How it would work would be that once the A-League finals fixtures are announced that the A-League, NRL, AFL and Super Rugby would have a conference meeting before the first round of the finals, once the first round is completed and once the Final is determined.
At these conference meetings the leagues would negotiate times for the games so that it’s fair for all leagues.
It seems clear that this has to be done or what could happen potentially is that there would be continual argument between the leagues over times of games at venues. That is not going to be productive in the least. I want all leagues to thrive. For once can’t the codes just come together and co-operate to make a fair fixture.
That would be much better for all fans instead of confusion and argument.
Martyn50
Guest
Not that easy to just announce a time and day. Media coverage with radio and TV. Catering, ticket printing. The list goes on. Interstate teams need to arrange air flights as well as supporters need to do like wise and book accommodation. The easy way would be for the FFA to build it's own stadium and refrain from pouring that money into a WC bid.
Bondy
Guest
AR How many Association Football journalists are there in Mlb compared to AFL ....
AR
Guest
True, last years WB v Freo game only attracted a modest 15k. Who knows, maybe ALeague games could average such a figure one day?
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Bondy There are 3 AFL matches that weekend - across Fri, Sat and Sunday. Either of those slots would - I presume - have been okay. As per the prior week where the Friday was left vacant. #Paul For anyone who took notice - AFL fixturing manager Simon Lethlean made a comment along the lines of - if Etihad allows the AFL to switch out a game (as a variation to the contract with Etihad) - then it might be possible - but, wait and see (if MVFC don't get there then who cares, and Melb City has generally been linked to AAMI Park even to host a GF). It was an interview on Radio SEN (http://www.sen.com.au/news/afl-made-room-for-a-league-grand-final-clash) Lethlean advised that the best thing to do now would be to wait and see who qualifies for the A-League decider before making a decision regarding who plays where and when. “I guess you wait and see who qualifies for the Grand Final first. I suppose that’s the first thing to do and the second thing would be to ask the venue whether they want us to reach and meet our contractual requirements to play a certain amount of games here,” Lethlean said. “Once those two conversations happen I guess we can assess it after that.” To me - the above looks like the AFL might be quite prepared to do the 'right thing' - however, the public postulating of the FFA (including on their website) is indicative of spoiled brat syndrome rather than good corporate citizen.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Paul - the AFL left the Friday of the requested week (the week of Sun May 10th) vacant. The AFL have 3 matches there the following weekend (Fri/Sat/Sun). In these matters - it's not about the AFL leaving the venue vacant for the entire weekend - at Etihad they do a lot of overnight turn arounds which has allowed NRL/SoO/ARU matches to occur (for example on a Sat night with AFL on Fri and Sun). Note - the way the Fri the 8th was made free was with North Melbourne playing a home game in Hobart.
asanchez
Roar Guru
Let's waste $30m from taxpayers money to get 3 games played up there per year! What a disgrace! There's plenty of better and more important things they can spend that money on in Ballarat.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
As far as I recall, there's no fence around the Whitten Oval any more - it's just a normal suburban park. So, it would be free entry - but, that's one way to get people to attend such a blockbuster fixture.
Bondy
Guest
Mmm , So its Fremantle vs Richmond for that time period I'll have to try to watch the match, if its on ...
Squizz
Guest
This is exactly what I think will happen. They will also probably draw more than the 15,000 odd they did last year if they move it as well.
AR
Guest
That's actually quite right. Despite the popular narrative of the AFL being the bogeyman, it has demonstrated a regular willingness to accommodate other sports when it hasnt been obliged to do so - that includes soccer, cricket, even horse racing - when an Adelaide game was rescheduled so people could attend the races to see Black Caviar. I think moving a game to Whitten would be great in order for the ALeague to have Etihad all to itself for a Sunday GF.
asanchez
Roar Guru
The AFL did not build the stadium, nor does it own it, not until 2025. It's owned by a management fund group at the moment, which probably has many AFL links. If the AFL owned the ground today, we wouldn't be having these discussions, nor would it have made all the headlines in the media.
Ty
Roar Rookie
Alas why I wrote the article I did that was published two days ago.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
I think there is a very good chance of that happening. The AFL has a strong history of accommodating other sports, as long as they are asked nicely.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Etihad is not run by a mixture of government and private ownership, it is 100% privately owned, the AFL has it from February to September because it's AFL games which pays for it. It is the AFL which built Etihad, and the agreement is such that the AFL takes full ownership in 2025.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
And who do you think the Docklands management has to check with?
Mister Football
Roar Guru
That's true. Gil held out the hand of friendship, in all the earnestness he could muster, but David Gallop threw it back in his face. That hurt Gil to the core, during a time when he had some very big decisions to make: to accept $1.6 or $1.7 billion dollars for the next broadcast rights. David Gallop should have been a bit more sympathetic to Gil's plight.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Correct weight Jack. The BBL booked Manuka Oval a good 8 months before its grand final, despite the fact that there is no Canberra BBL team. They are expecting Manuka to be sold out regardless of who plays in the grand final. It's called being organised and having faith in your game to sell out regardless of where it is held.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
If its' going to draw low, why not move it to Whitten?
Kyle Stewart
Roar Pro
The issue this year is, assuming the Victory earn a home final, that Bulldogs vs Freo at Etihad. 5 people and their dogs will turn up for the game as oppossed to a sellout at the A-league granny. So simply move Dogs v Freo to Skilled stadium in Geelong may even get a bigger crowd.
punter
Guest
Big Ben, fortunately Sydney is not a Sporting Police state. Australia's game is the choice of the people, Rugby league, Rugby, Football, Australian Rules football, cricket, tennis, hockey, basketball, swimming, we cater for all.