AFL Grand Final start time - Afternoon, twilight or night

[Dan26]

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?

.

They're not shut out from the experience, just like they're not shut out from the experience of watching any Friday Night game. Saturday night is a non-school night and all the evidence shows that MORE PEOPLE WILL WATCH THE GAME at night. Once again, what you're saying isn't an argument otherwise you'd use that agument for all other night games.

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.

No we didn't create a tradition at all. No one at the VFL in 1897 said "Hey let's start the Grand Final at 2:30pm and we'll make it a "thing" "

Literally the only reason that all 11,500 games of VFL football from 1897 to 1985 were played at 2:00pm was because no grounds had light towers. That's it. That's the only reason. There is literally no other reason.

The moment light towers were built we started to gradually play more games, including finals eventually at night. Tradition had nothing to do with it. If tradition mattered, we'd be playing all the other finals during the day too.

 

[Daka]

I've always enjoyed the Day GF & have never had an issue with it. but did enjoy 2020 a lot.. maybe cause we won but the players said they prefer Day time most.
that's good enough for me, you also get to soak it in more when it's a Day GF as a supporter.

 

[BigVic]

We played in 2 day Grand Finals in 2010 with the last ever Grand Final Replay a daytime affair. Loved the after-party with Lionel Richie post-game and the presentation of the premiership team at AAMI Park

 

[Rotayjay]

I have, and the AFL should have, zero interest in attracting people who will only watch the granny if it's in a prime time TV slot. It's not TV entertainment. It's the biggest game of the biggest sport in Australia, part of Australia's fabric, and the ultimate prize for a player and supporter. And it is always the highest-rating thing on Australian TV every year without fail even when held in the day, so Channel Seven should be grateful they have the privilege - not the right - to broadcast it.

 

[Rotayjay]

And the people who want the time slot changed are clearly in the minority. Who cares what other sports do in Murica with their Superbowls where the **** en ads are the highlight? This is Australia.

 

[RandB]

When the debate was purely day vs night I was and remain firmly in the day camp. A night GF just sucks.

The 2021 twilight GF in Perth (which I attended) was awesome for obvious reasons. What added to it though was the build up throughout the game as day transitioned to night. You got a real sense of time lapse and urgency as the game went on.

From a tv POV I don't know how that went over but ATG it just worked.

For me it is afternoon or twilight. Happy with either.

Night option is last. It is too long to wait, too plastic and it doesnt take ownership of the date the game is played on. GF day should be wholistically about footy, not just another Saturday spent doing whatever then watching a game that night.

 

[mr bagcroft]

Isn't this really all about a sub par shitty musical act and a few fireworks in the sky?
If thats what were basing such a substantial change on, we are cooked.

 

[The_Wookie]

Isn't this really all about a sub par shitty musical act and a few fireworks in the sky?
If thats what were basing such a substantial change on, we are cooked.

Its about two things. TV Ratings and the overall spectacle....but mostly tv ratings.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

When the debate was purely day vs night I was and remain firmly in the day camp. A night GF just sucks.

The 2021 twilight GF in Perth (which I attended) was awesome for obvious reasons. What added to it though was the build up throughout the game as day transitioned to night. You got a real sense of time lapse and urgency as the game went on.

From a tv POV I don't know how that went over but ATG it just worked.

For me it is afternoon or twilight. Happy with either.

Night option is last. It is too long to wait, too plastic and it doesnt take ownership of the date the game is played on. GF day should be wholistically about footy, not just another Saturday spent doing whatever then watching a game that night.

The Twilight lighting is the weakest, all the sunlight goes into the stands instead of the oval. You also get that "climax" aesthetic lighting when the sunset is at the end of an afternoon Grand Final.

Day or night has the superior lighting.

 

[BigVic]

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/09/22/imagine-if-it-was-prime-time-seven-boss-dig-at-grand-final-start-time-in-ratings-bonanza-prediction/

Another year, another debate on the start time. Leave it as it is. 2.30pm is the perfect slot

 

[kickazz]

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/09/22/imagine-if-it-was-prime-time-seven-boss-dig-at-grand-final-start-time-in-ratings-bonanza-prediction/

Another year, another debate on the start time. Leave it as it is. 2.30pm is the perfect slot

Yep. Less fumbling and players losing their feet too

 

[Pistol Night]

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/09/22/imagine-if-it-was-prime-time-seven-boss-dig-at-grand-final-start-time-in-ratings-bonanza-prediction/

Another year, another debate on the start time. Leave it as it is. 2.30pm is the perfect slot

Fages would be asleep by the final siren if it was a night GF

 

[BigVic]

Channel 7 wants a twilight grand final which is a big NO for me. The Grand Final last year and the year before was a relief for me with the 2.30pm start after the night and twilight experiments in 2020 and 2021. Moving the GF to later in the day will mean fans will be forced to wait until bouncedown.

 

[Kram]

Move with the times and make it 5pm.

 

[iameviljez]

I used to be all-in on the 2:30 start time... until I went to a night Grand Final. Loved it.

I hate to say it, but I'm a convert.

The "tradition" argument is an interesting one, considering that we didn't actually have the means to illuminate a VFL match at the MCG till 1985.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Move with the times and make it 5pm.

5:15 was too late on Saturday.

If it MUST move, 4:10 is fine. 4:40 at a stretch.

 

[Xtreme]

Should start at 2:10 - 3pm at the latest. Night grand finals should be reserved for the pre season competition.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

Day is still my preference, but if it must change I prefer twilight over night.

 

[Bjo187]

Even 3.30 is better than 2.30, but ideal is probably 4.30pm.

 

[hawkman]

It should be the latest they can do it with a red footy

 

[Pivot Piece]

In my opinion there would be basically no difference in ratings between 2:30 and 4:30, and minimal difference between 2:30 and say 7:30 on a Saturday. The argument is that more casuals will watch the later it’s on but Saturday is the day most people get out and about anyway. People who want to watch will change their plans around the game regardless of when it’s on. If you really want to chase ratings they should make it Sunday night, the Victorian government has already shown it’s willing to change public holidays so they can just change it to the Monday after the GF. I’m not supporting this just saying the ratings argument is a bit of a nothingburger IMO

 

[Bjo187]

In my opinion there would be basically no difference in ratings between 2:30 and 4:30, and minimal difference between 2:30 and say 7:30 on a Saturday. The argument is that more casuals will watch the later it’s on but Saturday is the day most people get out and about anyway. People who want to watch will change their plans around the game regardless of when it’s on. If you really want to chase ratings they should make it Sunday night, the Victorian government has already shown it’s willing to change public holidays so they can just change it to the Monday after the GF. I’m not supporting this just saying the ratings argument is a bit of a nothingburger IMO

Interesting take, you're saying there is no difference between the absolute ratings dead zone of Saturday afternoon, to a bit of afternoon and a bit in prime time, or all in prime time.

A lot more people are home for Saturday dinner with the tv on than Saturday between 2 and 5pm. You have to capture the nuetral viewer as much as possible, it's common sense if you're a sport trying to grow the game like the afl is. Twilight meets the balance perfectly, plus imo it looks better on tv and feels more of an event.

 

[iameviljez]

In my opinion there would be basically no difference in ratings between 2:30 and 4:30, and minimal difference between 2:30 and say 7:30 on a Saturday. The argument is that more casuals will watch the later it’s on but Saturday is the day most people get out and about anyway. People who want to watch will change their plans around the game regardless of when it’s on.

There's a world of difference between the ratings you pull at 2:30 in the afternoon, and those you pull at 7:30 in the evening.

If Saturday evening ratings were as meh as you seem to suggest, the networks wouldn't schedule their biggest draws for Saturday night.

Young people get out and about on a Saturday night (quite possibly, for a night GF, down to the pub with mates to watch the game). Most of the rest of us stay in.

 

[Dan26]

The fact that the Grand Final is still played during the day is one of the most mind-numbingly stupid, self-owning, crazy, idiotic things that the AFL does. It drives me nuts. There is literally zero reason to continue to play the Grand Final at 2:30. None.

Tradition is not a reason. Because if it was, then those arguing "tradition" would argue that the Preliminary Final and all the other finals (as well as every home and away game) are played during the day too, because prior to 1985 that's what happened for nearly 100 years. So the tradition argument has no relevance. The Superbowl, the Champions League Final, Rugby League State of Origin, NRL Grand Final, Soccer World Cup, all seven games of the Baseballs World series, the NBA finals... they are all at night for a very good reason - it means that maximum amount of people can consume your product.

In fact, it is MORE important to hold the Grand Final at night than any of the other 215 games. Why? Because if a night game conservatively adds 25-30% to the TV audience, then 30% on top of an already big audience of 2.5-3 million gives the AFL the biggest numeric increase in people watching for a specific game. 25-30% of 3 million is more than 25-30% of 1.5 million for a Prelim for example.

None of it makes any sense. The tradition argument is a crock, as explained above, and the economic argument is obviously in favor of it.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

The fact that the Grand Final is still played during the day is one of the most mind-numbingly stupid, self-owning, crazy, idiotic things that the AFL does. It drives me nuts. There is literally zero reason to continue to play the Grand Final at 2:30. None.

Tradition is not a reason. Because if it was, then those arguing "tradition" would argue that the Preliminary Final and all the other finals (as well as every home and away game) are played during the day too, because prior to 1985 that's what happened for nearly 100 years. So the tradition argument has no relevance. The Superbowl, the Champions League Final, Rugby League State of Origin, NRL Grand Final, Soccer World Cup, all seven games of the Baseballs World series, the NBA finals... they are all at night for a very good reason - it means that maximum amount of people can consume your product.

In fact, it is MORE important to hold the Grand Final at night than any of the other 215 games. Why? Because if a night game conservatively adds 25-30% to the TV audience, then 30% on top of an already big audience of 2.5-3 million gives the AFL the biggest numeric increase in people watching for a specific game. 25-30% of 3 million is more than 25-30% of 1.5 million for a Prelim for example.

None of it makes any sense. The tradition argument is a crock, as explained above, and the economic argument is obviously in favor of it.

Agreed, hopefully this is the last one

Taking the radio to the beach ⛱ on Saturday