This Friday, the Crows will play the Eagles at Adelaide Oval in what is set to be a blockbuster with major repercussions in September.
This is also a major game for a different reason as it signifies the first time that two interstate teams will play on a Friday night since the beginning of the 18 team format.
Friday Night Footy is prime time. It’s the most sought after slot in the weekly fixture.
It’s common knowledge that Friday night is the best time to play. There are more viewers, greater exposure, and all round better game atmosphere. And better yet, there is usually an eight day break before the next game.
Teams are queuing around the block to get in on a Friday night, but it seems that Victorian teams know the bouncer.
Of the 21 Friday night games this year, all have featured at least one Victorian representative and ten have had two Victorian teams. This translates to 11 of a possible 42 teams were from outside Victoria, or about 26 per cent.
For a league made 44 per cent of teams outside Victoria, this seems to be an under-representation. Unless this is part of some kind of conspiracy against interstate clubs, there must be an explanation for it.
Not all teams get Friday night games. It has long been acknowledged that a reigning wooden spooner will lose their opportunity to play on a Friday night. Thus Carlton have seen their Friday games revoked.
Alongside Carlton, five other clubs have not received a Friday Game; Melbourne, St Kilda, Gold Coast, Brisbane, and Greater Western Sydney. This leaves 12 teams to play on Fridays; seven Victorian and five Interstate. This remains a relatively even spread of Friday eligible teams, so it does not explain the skew.
Perhaps there aren’t many games between interstate clubs. As the fixture is not built on each team playing each other an equal number of times, there might just be a lack of interstate games.
However this does not seem to be the case as 69 of the total 198 games played in the 2016 AFL regular season feature two interstate sides. That’s almost 35 per cent. Probably warrants more than one game on a Friday night.
Even when removing the games featuring any of the six sides without Friday games, the statistic stands at 20 interstate clashes out of a possible 87 (23 per cent).
How did the reigning minor premier Dockers and the second finishing Eagles each receive the same endowment as the 15th finishing Bombers?
How did the 12th finishing Magpies receive the second largest slice of the Friday night cake? If the AFL is to truly maintain a national competition, they need to present all the clubs with equal opportunities.
Every Friday night clash should consist of a Victorian team and an interstate team. Otherwise, we will continue to watch the rich Victorians prosper while the struggling Interstate teams die.
Joe B
Guest
It is a skewed balance. Having a big, poorly performing Melbourne club playing 7 Fri night games damages the product. Having the same big Melbourne clubs get all the prime time slots does not help struggling clubs to secure their own financial destiny. What we have seen since the start of the nation wide Australian Football League is fairness and equality will never get a run in regards to the scheduling of prime time games. It is a business first, and a Melbourne run business at that.
Martyn
Guest
Last Saturday the Crows vs Power game was not beamed into Perth on Saturday evening. Had a boring Collingwood vs Suns game. Turned it of after 20mins and listened to Crows game on ABC radio. Have yet to see a Crows vs Power game on FTA tv
AR
Guest
Demetriou always said clubs have to "earn" the Friday night timeslot. He described it as a privilege, as a reward for sustained club performance, on and off field. I broadly agree with that notion, but of course, it doesn't always work that way. When Carlton finished 13th in 2014, they were tipped to rise in 2015, and were gifted a whopping 7 Friday night slots. A source told me that this was, in part, due to the fact that Carlton games actually had the second-highest average TV ratings, despite being down near the bottom. As we now know, 2015 was a disaster for Carlton, and a disaster for the AFL, having Friday after Friday of Carlton wallopings. Crap tv for everyone. You would hope the AFL learnt its lesson, which is (perhaps), that whilst it's impossible to predict who will be up (hello GWS) and who will be down (hello Freo), the fairest system is to look to the Top 8, weight Fridays with those teams, ensure that non-Vic clubs get their share, and ensure that each club gets at least one. I haven't gone into Perth timeslots which make things tricky, but that seems ok to me.
AR
Guest
Fair enough. Without pouring over the reports, I'd say WCE, Freo, Adel and Sydney are 'minted'...meaning they record profits, have robust memberships and attendances, and very valuable corporate partners, with the Swans reportedly having the most valuable sports jumper in Australia, Qantas being the latest 'partner'. Of course GCS and GWS are still supported by Head Office so they get an asterix*. That leaves Port, and then Brisbane, which is really in a category of its own. My response was a tardy reply to the broad notion that all Vic clubs are 'rich' and all non-Vic clubs are 'struggling' to death.
TomC
Roar Guru
I guess you mean 'apart from Gold Coast and GWS'. Not even sure about Sydney to be honest. They've been recording profits for a long time, but the NSW/QLD teams hold a lot less in assets than the heartland clubs. Which doesn't mean they're struggling financially, but I don't think they're 'minted'.
Reservoir Animal
Guest
I thought the NSW/QLD teams (with the possible exception of the Swans) specifically didn't want Friday night games as rugby league would just embarrass them in the TV ratings?
Cat
Roar Guru
23 round should mean 23 friday night games (once the AFL gets over its Good Friday phobia). 23 games is 46 teams. Every team in the comp should get 2 (unless they opt out, some say WA teams don't like the time slot due time time zone differences). That's 36 out of 46 used up. The next 8 slots go to the prior years finalist. The last 2 slots go to a grand final rematch. Breakdown: Last years grand finalists: 4 friday games Last years top 8: 3 games each All other teams: 2 games each Simply put, all teams need to get exposure to the largest possible audience. If 'prime' time slots only go to the big rich clubs then the poor clubs will always be poor and small. Yes this would mean some potentially poor games but this can be lessened by scheduling the strugglers against each other or against traditional rivals.
Lamby
Roar Rookie
Oh - there should be no Friday night games if you finish in the bottom 4. That will stop teams tanking!
Lamby
Roar Rookie
They should have at least one Showdown (Port v Crows) and one Derby (Freo v WC) on Friday night every year. These are consistently good games every year no matter where the teams are. The Showdown's are almost never on free to air in Melbourne so we miss out on some of the best games (which is why I have foxtel).
Tricky
Guest
Channel 7 won't like that hence nor would the AFL
Tricky
Guest
Channel 7 won't like that therefore nor would the league
gyfox
Guest
Let's see the ratings for tomorrow night before jumping to conclusions about always needing a Victorian team on Friday nights.
Adelaide here
Guest
Don't lump Port Adelaide in with Brisbane when talking about financial takings.
Brian
Guest
Why not have 2 Friday night games every week, one an all Melbourne affair and the other for the non-Melbourne teams. Fox could then replay the game you have missed. Seems much better then the Sunday twilight.
John
Guest
Friday nights is all about ratings. The power and just as importantly the population base of the AFL is in Victoria. To get big ratings the AFL need at least one Victorian team to play. It's pretty simple really.
Wilson
Roar Guru
Agree with everything till like AR the last line why does it have to have one Victorian team? to me it should be the top 8 from the last season that get the bulk of the Friday nights and some should be like this week non vic Vs Non vic
mds1970
Roar Guru
I'd like the Friday night games to be shared around a bit more, with every club guaranteed one Friday night home game. Of course the blockbuster teams will still get a second, and more Friday night away games. But the exposure for the club, and their sponsors, of a Friday night at home; is something every clib should have. My club is playing finals this year. In the history of the club, they have never played a Friday night game.
Onside
Guest
I have heard it rumoured players also like Friday night football, because those so inclined can enjoy their favourite relaxant after the game , confidant that by Monday morning, if tested, there would be no residual evidence of them having consumed either, 'coffee tea or Bonox'.
AR
Guest
This was a good article, until the bizarre closing line: "Otherwise, we will continue to watch the rich Victorians prosper while the struggling Interstate teams die." I'd say Brisbane and Port Adelaide are the only non-Vic sides that struggle financially. The others are minted. But yes, the Friday night issue is far from perfect. The biggest example of that was Carlton last year.