AFL Grand Final start time - Afternoon, twilight or night

[Billy ray]

4:55pm

 

[JackFlash]

It was 4 million viewers for the day GF in 2019. They also don't seem to take into account the loss of TV viewership to online streaming.

The last daytime Grand Final in 2019 between Richmond and the GWS Giants (2.94m nationally).

The figure was down on last year’s number when over 3.91 million watched the twilight Grand Final played in Perth, which was broadcast in prime time in the big east coast markets.

It is also a drop from 2020 when 3.81 million watched the night Grand Final played in Brisbane.

The world has changed since 2019 and despite 2022 being a Footy TV ratings record the Grand Final was disappointing and i doubt we will ever see a daytime Grand Final again.

We're looking at the inevitability of a 4.45 pm start or 7 pm. Those that just paid $4.5 billion will have the FINAL say.

 

[JohnZ]

Would prefer it to stay at 2.30pm, sad to think I might've gone to the last daytime GF. Much prefer twilight to nighttime. Would be a shame to give up the red sherrin on the last saturday in september...

 

[KAYNE]

Would prefer it to stay at 2.30pm, sad to think I might've gone to the last daytime GF. Much prefer twilight to nighttime. Would be a shame to give up the red sherrin on the last saturday in september...

Yeah Daytime is so much better for all involved. Ratings would be higher the last 2 years when VIC was in lockdown because of the fact no one could go out and watch it.

 

[PerthBoy86]

It's reality.

We have a pisshead culture and we have a Melbourne city that's not that pretty at night with all the trash that wander about.

Families and Elderly don't want to deal with that.

People feel safer in the day and it's easier to deal with large crowds during the day.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned are all the festivities during the day. A 5:30pm finish avoids everyone going home around the same time too.

 

[stevothedevo]

Can we go the other way and request a 2pm start? Just to really annoy the night game lovers.

But in all seriousness, I've experienced grand finals as both a party animal 20 something and a not so party animal family man and I got to tell ya. Don't understand why anyone would want to change it. And night games just feel so same same. Nothing unique about them anymore anyways.
And I'll go with the usual things mentioned like BBQ's, half time kicking the footy (also I believe it's illegal to jump the neighbours fence at night to fetch lost footys) are good enough reasons to keep it as is.
And the simple fact its warmer during the day.

 

[JackFlash]

It's Twilight Time or Night Time, we have seen the last Daytime Grand Final.

 

[stevothedevo]

It's Twilight Time or Night Time, we have seen the last Daytime Grand Final.

It's daytime. We will never see another twilight or night time grand final.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I can't believe people still pushing the afternoon grand final, the twilight is so much better on so many levels in my opinion.

Think it’s definitely better for families

 

[Doss]

Think it’s definitely better for families

How do you figure this?

I have a three year old and a three month old. A twilight game finishes about 7:30pm - meaning we likely miss a fair chunk of the end of the game with dinner time, getting the kids ready for sleep and then putting them down for the night.

A night game runs into similar problems to an extent but is actually probably better than twilight overall for this.

Afternoon game avoids all that. Easily the best option if you have children my age and are watching on TV.

 

[Doss]

Can we go the other way and request a 2pm start? Just to really annoy the night game lovers.

11am start imo.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

How do you figure this?

I have a three year old and a three month old. A twilight game finishes about 7:30pm - meaning we likely miss a fair chunk of the end of the game with dinner time, getting the kids ready for sleep and then putting them down for the night.

A night game runs into similar problems to an extent but is actually probably better than twilight overall for this.

Afternoon game avoids all that. Easily the best option if you have children my age and are watching on TV.

Yeah that’s what I mean. I was saying a day GF is definitely better for families.

 

[Angus Young]

Day grand finals are over now.

That will be it.

 

[Tackle Bag]

I have ratings boxes installed to 3 tvs in my house. None of those TVs were watching the Grand final this year because the family was at a friends BBQ sitting around a big screen watching the game.

Whole family watching but not captured in the ratings figures. This is the flaw in comparing raw ratings numbers to determine how big the real audience is.

 

[JackFlash]

It's daytime. We will never see another twilight or night time grand final.

We won't have the final say, the TV networks whose deal just saw $4.5 billion go into the game will make that decision. Daytime Grand Finals are now over.

 

[Bjo187]

We won't have the final say, the TV networks whose deal just saw $4.5 billion go into the game will make that decision. Daytime Grand Finals are now over.

Incorrect they have zero say in the matter.

 

[Rotayjay]

I think I speak for a lot of supporters when I say that I have an emotional, not a rational, attachment to the 2.30 time slot.

It's difficult to explain the attachment except in terms of liking the look of the sunshine (or at least overcast daylight instead of floodlights), and in terms of the routine. To me, waking up on grand final day, having only a few hours until the bounce, and seeing the premiers crowned as the sun sets is part of the fabric of the end of the season. It flows. It just doesn't feel right any other way.

Having the grand final finish at night feels like eating Cornflakes for dinner or bolognese for breakfast.

 

[Rotayjay]

And the kind of person who chooses not to watch the granny purely because it's in the arvo is simply not worth worrying about. They don't care about football - leave them alone. They are welcome to watch MAFS, Masterchef and all that other shit to their heart's content.

 

[BigVic]

I watched 2020 (night), 2021 (twilight) and 2022 (daytime) to compare all 3 grand finals this decade for the best starting time.

The 2:30pm time slot has been the norm for the last 20 years or so when it’s at the MCG but it’ll change. Fans will get used to it.

 

[BigVic]

Perth’s twilight AFL grand final just over a year ago with halftime show just after sunset.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Perth’s twilight AFL grand final just over a year ago with halftime show just after sunset.

If the AFL are worried about the ratings I'd LOVE to see the ratings breakdown of the half time shows. I cannot even tell you who played it last year.

The entertainment isn't a draw. The game itself is the entertainment. Under no circumstances should we use 'but look at those fireworks!' as a reason to change it to night.


Unless Parkway Drive are playing in which case I may be able to allow it once.

 

[yamborghinidream]

Saturday twilight is the best time to attend/watch football, GF or not.

Felt this way since the Hawks v Crows PF in 2012 which was unreal.

 

[Billy ray]

Saturday twilight is the best time to attend/watch football, GF or not.

Felt this way since the Hawks v Crows PF in 2012 which was unreal.

Yep twilight at metricon is the best

 

[BigVic]

2014 Hawks vs Port was fun

 

[BigVic]

The lighting effects at the Gabba in 2020 looked beter at night than in daylight.