AFL Grand Final start time - Afternoon, twilight or night

[St Plugger]

The AFL want a night grand final but are too gutless to move it to that time slot straight away.

I agree, just do it and get this silly debate over and done!

 

[Bjo187]

I don't think they do at all. I think twilight would capture the best elements of day and night and is the perfect time that still makes it unique to other sports. If they move it there, I'm pretty sure it will stay there for a decent amount of time.

 

[kickazz]

Afternoon. Less chance of players slipping over.

 

[GWT6]

Twilight is the best time. Fire up the BBQ mid afternoon, not too late for kids. Don't end up falling asleep drunk at 5:30.

I can't think of a single reason to kick it off at 2:30 except "iT'S aLWays bEeN thEn".

 

[GWT6]

Afternoon. Why do we want to replicate the hyperactive shiteshow of the Superbowl. The entertainment is a distraction and usually crap.

Follow the tradition and the glory of the game in sunshine. AFL GF and FA Cup are the role models the others should follow.

A night GF might get more viewers but that's only the couch-bound mouth breathers that will switch over to MAFS or Scooby Doo if that was on at the same time.

A night Grand Final will get more viewers but they won't watch it? Solid logic. Thanks for your contribution.

 

[Our Game]

It will be a Twilight from this season and when the new $4.6 billion TV agreement kicks in the GF will go straight to night time as the TV companies will insist on it!
Money talks and BS walks!

 

[Blackhawk42]

Would have thought the poor reviews at the attempt during the Covid years, audience polls at less than 5% in favour and the lights going out at the Gabba would be enough to put a nail in the coffin of the night Grand Final concept. However I'm still worried about what will happen in a few years time.

I'll begrudgingly accept a twilight fixture as an experiment, but nothing will be ever change my opinion that a 2:30pm bounce is the ideal timeslot.

 

[GWT6]

Would have thought the poor reviews at the attempt during the Covid years, audience polls at less than 5% in favour and the lights going out at the Gabba would be enough to put a nail in the coffin of the night Grand Final concept. However I'm still worried about what will happen in a few years time.

I'll begrudgingly accept a twilight fixture as an experiment, but nothing will be ever change my opinion that a 2:30pm bounce is the ideal timeslot.

Why do you think 2:30pm is ideal?

 

[shintemaster]

Personally I think day game is much superior. I have no idea why the AFL (beside broadcaster pressure obv) are so obsessed with making the Grand Final a game like any other. IMHO having it in the day makes the entire day about football and makes it the biggest day on the sporting calendar. A bit like the boxing day test being the whole day event - difference being that Grand Final day is drawing this status on its own merits, rather than relying on being a holiday.

For mine it is in the long term interests of the sport to have an entire day dedicated to the event. The Grand Final Breakfast, leading into buildup then time to dissect at the end / party on Wayne. The time suits all ages.

Probably the only ground on this I've been willing to really concede is that a slightly later start in the afternoon would make for a better whole of country event given the time difference to WA. Night game does nothing for the game and for mine devalues the prestige status in the long run.

Those that say the half time entertainment will be better at night.... You can dress the entertainment up with fancy fireworks and star wars style laser beams..... but Meatloaf would still sound like Meatloaf under the cover of darkness.

The game is the star, not some hasbeen or shoehorned celebrity singing a few tunes. The game looks the best with a red sherrin under the hot Australian sun.

Cannot stress enough how few sh*ts I give about half time entertainment. Contributes nothing to the event.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Why do you think 2:30pm is ideal?

You can go back and read my posts in this thread for my explanation. I've been quite active in here.

In a nutshell, it's the perfect time for families and that's how you grow the next generation of fans.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Thought this would have been bumped by now.

Right decision!

 

[Bjo187]

Dillon with one cross against his name before even officially starting for mine.

 

[kickazz]

Yep. Better skills, better day for the fans.

 

[Xtreme]

Thought this would have been bumped by now.

Right decision!

The only decision that makes sense. Day grand final = red sherrin = the better viewing spectacle.

A twlight or night grand final would destroy the fabric of the game!

 

[Rotayjay]

Locked in: AFL confirms start time for 2023 Grand Final

The AFL Commission has decided on the start time for the 2023 Toyota AFL Grand Final

www.afl.com.au

Thank **** for that. As indicated in the above poll, football and the real fans won, and the parasites of Channel Seven lost.

 

[Dan26]

The only decision that makes sense. Day grand final = red sherrin = the better viewing spectacle.

A twlight or night grand final would destroy the fabric of the game!

Going by that silly logic, a day preliminary Final, or day "any" final would destroy the fabric of the game. That's pure garbage of course.

Whether you like a day Grand Final or not, it's pretty unarguable that night sport has better aesthetics. The lighting, the entertainment, the spectable. That's not really contested by anyone.

It's a pretty cowardly decision by the AFL.

It also should have nothing to do with so called "tradition." The reason we had the Grand Final during the day for 100 years wasn't because of some far-sighted vision in the late 1800's, nor did it have anything to with "starting" a tradition. It was because for the first 87 years of the VFL/AFL the MCG didn't have light towers. That's it. Yep, that was the reason,

1. The fact that the "tradition" of home and away games being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game nor had any negative impact of the game. In fact, it has been a net positive.

2. The fact that the "tradition" of Preliminary Finals games being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game, nor had any negative impact on the game. In fact it's been a net positive

3. The fact that the "tradition" of Semi-Finals being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game nor had any negative impact on the game. In fact it's been a net positive.

4.The fact that the "tradition" of Qualifying Finals being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game nor had any negative impact on the game. In fact it's been a net positive.

5. The fact that the "tradition" of Elimination Finals being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game nor had any negative impact on the game. In fact it's been a net positive.

The fact that 1,2,3,4 and 5 are all true, yet for some absurd and unexplainable reason, the Grand Final is played during the day, cutting an estimated 500,000 from it's audience is one of the most stupid, baseless, decisions in the history of bad decisions. It makes no sense on literally any level.

 

[mr bagcroft]

Going by that silly logic, a day preliminary Final, or day "any" final would destroy the fabric of the game. That's pure garbage of course.

Whether you like a day Grand Final or not, it's pretty unarguable that night sport has better aesthetics. The lighting, the entertainment, the spectable. That's not really contested by anyone.

It's a pretty cowardly decision by the AFL.

It also should have nothing to do with so called "tradition." The reason we had the Grand Final during the day for 100 years wasn't because of some far-sighted vision in the late 1800's, nor did it have anything to with "starting" a tradition. It was because for the first 87 years of the VFL/AFL the MCG didn't have light towers. That's it. Yep, that was the reason,

1. The fact that the "tradition" of home and away games being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game nor had any negative impact of the game. In fact, it has been a net positive.

2. The fact that the "tradition" of Preliminary Finals games being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game, nor had any negative impact on the game. In fact it's been a net positive

3. The fact that the "tradition" of Semi-Finals being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game nor had any negative impact on the game. In fact it's been a net positive.

4.The fact that the "tradition" of Qualifying Finals being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game nor had any negative impact on the game. In fact it's been a net positive.

5. The fact that the "tradition" of Elimination Finals being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game nor had any negative impact on the game. In fact it's been a net positive.

The fact that 1,2,3,4 and 5 are all true, yet for some absurd and unexplainable reason, the Grand Final is played during the day, cutting an estimated 500,000 from it's audience is one of the most stupid, baseless, decisions in the history of bad decisions. It makes no sense on literally any level.

AFL's job isn't to provide entertainment for a bunch of couch slobs who cant be bothered getting off their arse to go out on a Saturday night or who cant entertain themselves.

 

[Dan26]

AFL's job isn't to provide entertainment for a bunch of couch slobs who cant be bothered getting off their arse to go out on a Saturday night or who cant entertain themselves.

Actually, that's exactly their job, among other things. The AFL is part of the entertainment industry.

 

[mr bagcroft]

Actually, that's exactly their job, among other things. The AFL is part of the entertainment industry.

Yeah, but they stick the game on at a time, if you want to watch it , you watch it.
Cant ****ing spoon feed people who bitch just because they prefer the game on when its darky poos.

 

[BigVic]

Day grand final is the best

 

[Blackhawk42]

Going by that silly logic, a day preliminary Final, or day "any" final would destroy the fabric of the game. That's pure garbage of course.

Whether you like a day Grand Final or not, it's pretty unarguable that night sport has better aesthetics. The lighting, the entertainment, the spectable. That's not really contested by anyone.

It's a pretty cowardly decision by the AFL.

It also should have nothing to do with so called "tradition." The reason we had the Grand Final during the day for 100 years wasn't because of some far-sighted vision in the late 1800's, nor did it have anything to with "starting" a tradition. It was because for the first 87 years of the VFL/AFL the MCG didn't have light towers. That's it. Yep, that was the reason,

1. The fact that the "tradition" of home and away games being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game nor had any negative impact of the game. In fact, it has been a net positive.

2. The fact that the "tradition" of Preliminary Finals games being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game, nor had any negative impact on the game. In fact it's been a net positive

3. The fact that the "tradition" of Semi-Finals being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game nor had any negative impact on the game. In fact it's been a net positive.

4.The fact that the "tradition" of Qualifying Finals being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game nor had any negative impact on the game. In fact it's been a net positive.

5. The fact that the "tradition" of Elimination Finals being played during the day exclusively has been stopped has not destroyed the game nor had any negative impact on the game. In fact it's been a net positive.

The fact that 1,2,3,4 and 5 are all true, yet for some absurd and unexplainable reason, the Grand Final is played during the day, cutting an estimated 500,000 from it's audience is one of the most stupid, baseless, decisions in the history of bad decisions. It makes no sense on literally any level.

I contest that. I've made those feelings clear earlier in this thread.

The best example to use is Anzac Day vs Anzac Day eve.
Unless I've missed something, nobody is suggesting that the cover of darkness has resulted in the annual game between Richmond and Melbourne overtaking Essendon vs Collingwood from a spectacle standpoint?

Grand Final DAY shifted to Grand Final NIGHT for two years and this thread is full of people explaining how hollow the occasion felt as the victors celebrations were immediately followed by bed time. While children (the next generation of supporters) didn't make it to full time.

Pretty lights revolving around an overrated musical act isn't a stable argument for change.

 

[Dan26]

I contest that. I've made those feelings clear earlier in this thread.

The best example to use is Anzac Day vs Anzac Day eve.
Unless I've missed something, nobody is suggesting that the cover of darkness has resulted in the annual game between Richmond and Melbourne overtaking Essendon vs Collingwood from a spectacle standpoint?

This is a flawed argument. Essendon-Collingwood is bigger than Melbourne-Richmond because the crowd is bigger - not because of the time that the match happens. No one said that the night game between Melbourne and Richmond has overtaken the day game the following day, but the night game is a better spectacle than it otherwise would be if it was played during the day. That's just a fact. Night entertainment is like that. You can also make the argument that Essendon-Collingwood would be even better at night as a spectacle. It was played at twilight in 1998 for example. What make the Anzac day game big isn't the sunshine - it's the sold out crowd.

Grand Final DAY shifted to Grand Final NIGHT for two years and this thread is full of people explaining how hollow the occasion felt as the victors celebrations were immediately followed by bed time.

SO what? That no different to literally ANY big event anywhere in the world. The Superbowl finishes around 10pm EST in the States. And really, I think that argument is a made-up argument. Hollow? Really? Because the trophy is held up at 10:15pm? What's that got to do with anything? Do you feel hollow going to the movies at 8:30 instead of 2pm?

Do you feel hollow celebrating a win by your team in ANY of the million night games they have played over the last three decades?

When did celebrating wins after night games (which are obviously a common occurance) suddenly become an issue for the Grand Final but not any other final, or any other game? Nope, I'm sorry mate... weak argument.

While children (the next generation of supporters) didn't make it to full time.

That's not an argument. Both night Grand Finals in 2021 and 2020 obilterated the ratings in 2019 and 2022, despite Sydney teams being in those two games. Yes the day games were one-sided, but remember, the 4 highest rating Grand Finals in history have all featured the Swans. Both night Grand Finals in 2021 and 2020 were all-Victorian match-ups, which is the worst result for ratings yet they destroyed both Grand Finals featuring Sydney teams.

And why is children staying up suddenly an argument for the Grand Final, when no one seems to care about that for the Preliminary Final or any of the 105 night matches played during the season? Why is a match finishing at 9:45pm on a NON-school night suddenly a factor? No one ever complains about this for any other game. But, as soon as the prospect of the Grand Final being played at night comes up, all the arguments that people don't care about for other night games suddenly get used for the Grand Final. I call B.S on that.

 

[Blackhawk42]

This is a flawed argument. Essendon-Collingwood is bigger than Melbourne-Richmond because the crowd is bigger - not because of the time that the match happens. No one said that the night game between Melbourne and Richmond has overtaken the day game the following day, but the night game is a better spectacle than it otherwise would be if it was played during the day. That's just a fact. Night entertainment is like that. You can also make the argument that Essendon-Collingwood would be even better at night as a spectacle. It was played at twilight in 1998 for example. What make the Anzac day game big isn't the sunshine - it's the sold out crowd.



SO what? That no different to literally ANY big event anywhere in the world. The Superbowl finishes around 10pm EST in the States. And really, I think that argument is a made-up argument. Hollow? Really? Because the trophy is held up at 10:15pm? What's that got to do with anything? Do you feel hollow going to the movies at 8:30 instead of 2pm?

Do you feel hollow celebrating a win by your team in ANY of the million night games they have played over the last three decades?

When did celebrating wins after night games (which are obviously a common occurance) suddenly become an issue for the Grand Final but not any other final, or any other game? Nope, I'm sorry mate... weak argument.



That's not an argument. Both night Grand Finals in 2021 and 2020 obilterated the ratings in 2019 and 2022, despite Sydney teams being in those two games. Yes the day games were one-sided, but remember, the 4 highest rating Grand Finals in history have all featured the Swans. Both night Grand Finals in 2021 and 2020 were all-Victorian match-ups, which is the worst result for ratings yet they destroyed both Grand Finals featuring Sydney teams.

And why is children staying up suddenly an argument for the Grand Final, when no one seems to care about that for the Preliminary Final or any of the 105 night matches played during the season? Why is a match finishing at 9:45pm on a NON-school night suddenly a factor? No one ever complains about this for any other game. But, as soon as the prospect of the Grand Final being played at night comes up, all the arguments that people don't care about for other night games suddenly get used for the Grand Final. I call B.S on that.

Because it's the GRAND FINAL. It is its own spectacle. It's different to every other game you've used in your examples.

When would a celebration after a round 12 victory on a Friday night ever be as euphoric as winning the premiership?

I do not care about ratings. The AFL shouldn't care about ratings in these examples, which is an unpopular opinion. They've developed a product that is held in such high regard that the thought of changing its time slot is met with a furious response. What the day has become, centred around the show piece in the early afternoon, is worth far more than grabbing a few extra TV ratings in non-footy markets.

The superbowl is also a horrible example. People who dislike sport tune in to watch the entertainment and the commercials. It's taken on its own lifeform like our own national sport has. But ours is centred around the game itself. Why change that?

 

[Dan26]

Because it's the GRAND FINAL. It is its own spectacle. It's different to every other game you've used in your examples.

When would a celebration after a round 12 victory on a Friday night ever be as euphoric as winning the premiership?

Your argument is that it is "hollow" celebrtaing a Grand Final win at 10pm on a Saturday night.

Frankly this is utter garbage. There is no evidence to support this, and it logically makes no sense. It is essentially a made-up argument of convenience based on nothing more than you're "used to a day Grand Final"

Think about it logically. Saturday is the most social night of the week. It's the "going out night". It's a non-school and non-work night. When we go to 21st birthday parties for instance, they are nearly always at night. Why? Because we celebrate at night. Is it "hollow" celebrating your mates milestone birthday at night, because you wanted to celebrate it during the day? Of course not. So why would you use that argument for the Grand Final? It's a Saturday night for God's sake - go out an celebrate just like you HAVE DONE WHEN YOU GO TO BIRTHDAY PARITES.

I do not care about ratings. The AFL shouldn't care about ratings in these examples, which is an unpopular opinion. They've developed a product that is held

Ratings are important. VERY important. The AFL should do everything possible to maximise ratings and this is more relevant for the Grand Final than any other game. That's the frustrating thing here for me. The AFL do maximise ratings for all other games, but when it comes to the biggest game of all, where it is clearly more important to do so, they don't.

What the day has become, centred around the show piece in the early afternoon, is worth far more than grabbing a few extra TV ratings in non-footy markets.

If it was played at night it would be centered around the showpiece at night. Once again, what you are saying isn't an argument. The showpiece is still there, just at a different time, but with more people watching

The superbowl is also a horrible example. People who dislike sport tune in to watch the entertainment and the commercials. It's taken on its own lifeform like our own national sport has. But ours is centred around the game itself. Why change that?

The Superbowl is a perfect example. Our equivlent is he AFL Grand Final. The Superbowl is centered around the game, obviously. Yes there is focus on the entertainment as there should be, but the game is still the priority.

Playing the AFL Grand Final during the day for literally no reason (tradition isn't a reason as explained earlier) is frankly regressive, and stupid.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Your argument is that it is "hollow" celebrtaing a Grand Final win at 10pm on a Saturday night.

Frankly this is utter garbage. There is no evidence to support this, and it logically makes no sense. It is essentially a made-up argument of convenience based on nothing more than you're "used to a day Grand Final"

Think about it logically. Saturday is the most social night of the week. It's the "going out night". It's a non-school and non-work night. When we go to 21st birthday parties for instance, they are nearly always at night. Why? Because we celebrate at night. Is it "hollow" celebrating your mates milestone birthday at night, because you wanted to celebrate it during the day? Of course not. So why would you use that argument for the Grand Final? It's a Saturday night for God's sake - go out an celebrate just like you HAVE DONE WHEN YOU GO TO BIRTHDAY PARITES.



Ratings are important. VERY important. The AFL should do everything possible to maximise ratings and this is more relevant for the Grand Final than any other game. That's the frustrating thing here for me. The AFL do maximise ratings for all other games, but when it comes to the biggest game of all, where it is clearly more important to do so, they don't.



If it was played at night it would be centered around the showpiece at night. Once again, what you are saying isn't an argument. The showpiece is still there, just at a different time, but with more people watching



The Superbowl is a perfect example. Our equivlent is he AFL Grand Final. The Superbowl is centered around the game, obviously. Yes there is focus on the entertainment as there should be, but the game is still the priority.

Playing the AFL Grand Final during the day for literally no reason (tradition isn't a reason as explained earlier) is frankly regressive, and stupid.

You know who doesn't attend 21sts historically? Children.
You know who the next consumers of memberships, jerseys, merchandise are? People who are children now.
Why shut them out from the experience of the biggest day of the year?

Of course kids CAN stay up to watch it, but quite literally everybody of every age group can consume the day timeslot.

We've created a tradition with over 100 years of progression to get to 2023 where the vast majority still believe that leaving it in the same time slot is the best way forward. End of story.