AFL Grand Final start time - Afternoon, twilight or night

[Blackhawk42]

Don’t you dare use the COVID excuse. You know damn well that ALL television programming rates better at night. That’s why it called prime time and that’s why all major events and all good television programs are scheduled at night.

Night rates better. That’s not an opinion. That’s a fact.

Quite LITERALLY, the two examples you used were played while the entire state of Victoria (also known as AFL heartland), were under 'stay at home orders'.

There couldn't be attendees from Victoria.
There couldn't be Grand Final parties at friends houses.
There couldn't be hundreds of people crammed into licensed venues watching on the big screen.

There was nothing for anybody to do but sit at home and watch it on television.

It's THE major contributing factor as to why the ratings were so high for those two games.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

People don’t want it to change and never will. It is a social day for most people, they have their habit of what they do every year and will never want to change it.

The opinions won’t change, if the AFL want to change it then they have to just rip the bandaid off and do it.

Personally I would start it at 3:30pm so that it’s still the afternoon game everybody seems to want, while still being a decent time in WA. The second half starting at 4:45pm to 5pm would make TV happier too.

 

[Cmarsh]

Won't be changing it with these kind of ratings.

 

[Dan26]

Quite LITERALLY, the two examples you used were played while the entire state of Victoria (also known as AFL heartland), were under 'stay at home orders'.

There couldn't be attendees from Victoria.
There couldn't be Grand Final parties at friends houses.
There couldn't be hundreds of people crammed into licensed venues watching on the big screen.

There was nothing for anybody to do but sit at home and watch it on television.

It's THE major contributing factor as to why the ratings were so high for those two games.

This is incredibly intellectually dishonest from you. You are using covid as an "excuse" to prove something that you KNOW isn't true. Whilst it's true that covid partially contributed to the high ratings, the match was also at night and EVERYTHING rates better at night. This is not debatable. Literally everything on TV rates higher at night than it does during the day. That's why most AFL games are at night. That's why all the other AFL finals are at night. That's whu virtually all other majoe events are at night.

 

[The_Wookie]

Don’t you dare use the COVID excuse.

I dont see how you can ignore it. Ratings for the entire 2020 season during COVID were better. Not just the Grand Final.

2021 also had some considerable nostalgic venue that cant be ignored either.

 

[Dan26]

Won't be changing it with these kind of ratings.

There are 152 combinations of teams that can play in the Grand Final.

The number one combination out of 152 would be Brisbane vs Sydney.

The lowest at 152 would probably be North Melbourne vs The Bulldogs.

Melbourne vs the Bulldogs would be at 151.

The 151st (or second worst) combination played at night outrated the BEST combination of teams during the day. Think about that. Bloody Melbourne vs the Bulldogs (151st best) , where no one supports either of them outrated Brisbane vs Sydney (1st best)

Everything rates better at night, covid or not. Everything. There wouldn't be a single television event that rates higher during the day than what it would rate at night. Nothing. Not a single thing. Not one single thing.

 

[Dan26]

I dont see how you can ignore it. Ratings for the entire 2020 season during COVID were better. Not just the Grand Final.

2021 also had some considerable nostalgic venue that cant be ignored either.

I'm not ignoring anything. Everything rates better at night and you know it. Look at the TV ratings for Saturday night games versus Saturday afternoon games. Just because covid gave the ratings a bit of a boost doesn't mean the ratings wouldn't have been high at night anyway.

All TV networks want all their major events in prime time because more people watch. That's not an opinion. That's an unarguable fact.

 

[Blackhawk42]

This is incredibly intellectually dishonest from you. You are using covid as an "excuse" to prove something that you KNOW isn't true. Whilst it's true that covid partially contributed to the high ratings, the match was also at night and EVERYTHING rates better at night. This is not debatable. Literally everything on TV rates higher at night than it does during the day. That's why most AFL games are at night. That's why all the other AFL finals are at night. That's whu virtually all other majoe events are at night.

Of course it would rate higher, but not high enough to justify moving it into that timeslot when over 80% of the fan base wants it left exactly where it is.

You just cannot use 2020 and 2021 as an example in this argument, especially as dishonestly as you did by omitting the major contributing factor as to why it rated so well.

 

[Astro_]

Why should TV ratings solely dictate the time slot?

There are other factors to consider and trade offs to make which can still make it a win-win for the fans, the AFL, and TV networks.

2.30pm Saturday works for me

 

[Pivot Piece]

There are 152 combinations of teams that can play in the Grand Final.

The number one combination out of 152 would be Brisbane vs Sydney.

The lowest at 152 would probably be North Melbourne vs The Bulldogs.

Melbourne vs the Bulldogs would be at 151.

The 151st (or second worst) combination played at night outrated the BEST combination of teams during the day. Think about that. Bloody Melbourne vs the Bulldogs (151st best) , where no one supports either of them outrated Brisbane vs Sydney (1st best)

Everything rates better at night, covid or not. Everything. There wouldn't be a single television event that rates higher during the day than what it would rate at night. Nothing. Not a single thing. Not one single thing.

While you are right about night rating higher than day, literally no network puts any of their big shows on Saturday night anyway. By that logic shouldn’t they move the GF to Sunday night? That is the undisputed number 1 TV slot. You could even argue Sunday 3:20 does better than Saturday night for a lot the home and away season

 

[Dazzler9]

The aesthetics of the red ball yesterday against the red and maroon crowd was absolutely terrible. Particularly with the sun. It was awful.

Not only is night better for ratings, but it looks better. Watch some of the highlights of the game. You can barely see the bloody ball. The yellow ball at night is unarguably better looking.

I agree about the yellow ball. Why do we still persist with a red ball? The WAFL started using a yellow ball, for all games, years back. It stands out so much better.

 

[The_Wookie]

I'm not ignoring anything.

No youre just dismissing it out of hand - and without good enough reason. The grand final ratings at night were NOT exceptional given the circumstances - and thats the evidence youre giving us.

Just because covid gave the ratings a bit of a boost doesn't mean the ratings wouldn't have been high at night anyway.

Thats not a great argument for your case dude.

All TV networks want all their major events in prime time because more people watch. That's not an opinion. That's an unarguable fact.

And this may all be true, but your examples werent great.

 

[Clark G]

The aesthetics of the red ball yesterday against the red and maroon crowd was absolutely terrible. Particularly with the sun. It was awful.

Not only is night better for ratings, but it looks better. Watch some of the highlights of the game. You can barely see the bloody ball. The yellow ball at night is unarguably better looking.

Serious question, what sort of TV did you watch the game on? I had no trouble seeing the ball on the TV I was watching. Nothing wrong with a red ball for a day game.

 

[Dan26]

Serious question, what sort of TV did you watch the game on? I had no trouble seeing the ball on the TV I was watching. Nothing wrong with a red ball for a day game.

I was at the match, but when I saw the highlights in TV it looked really bad. Wasn’t great at the ground either because of all the red in the crowd. The yellow ball is 1000% better for aesthetic purposes, especially at night. So much clearer and no sun glare or shadows.

 

[MightyFightings]

2025 Grand Final Twilight. 4.30 start.

If Sydney makes it, book Oasis as entertainment instead.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Rotayjay]

Who thinks yesterday's game would have looked better without the beautiful colours and celebrations in the golden sun, but with the wanky fireworks and flames highlighted a bit more?

I don't.

 

[Rotayjay]

Nothing the NRL or America does should be imitated. Keep it away, fire it into the sun.

 

[Rotayjay]

The people whose fandom of football is casual enough to be affected by prime time vs non-prime time can get *. This is our sport, not theirs.

 

[craffles]

I have a theory that Dan26 has some sunburn related grand final trauma and that is why he is so passionate about moving it to the night.

It’s not an opinion, it’s fact that you get more sunburnt during the day.

 

[peetoo]

There are 152 combinations of teams that can play in the Grand Final.

The number one combination out of 152 would be Brisbane vs Sydney.

The lowest at 152 would probably be North Melbourne vs The Bulldogs.

Melbourne vs the Bulldogs would be at 151.

The 151st (or second worst) combination played at night outrated the BEST combination of teams during the day. Think about that. Bloody Melbourne vs the Bulldogs (151st best) , where no one supports either of them outrated Brisbane vs Sydney (1st best)

Everything rates better at night, covid or not. Everything. There wouldn't be a single television event that rates higher during the day than what it would rate at night. Nothing. Not a single thing. Not one single thing.

Melbourne cup?

 

[peetoo]

2025 Grand Final Twilight. 4.30 start.

If Sydney makes it, book Oasis as entertainment instead.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

They’d be lecturing us how much better manchitty and soccer are. No thanks

 

[Whiskers]

While you are right about night rating higher than day, literally no network puts any of their big shows on Saturday night anyway. By that logic shouldn’t they move the GF to Sunday night? That is the undisputed number 1 TV slot. You could even argue Sunday 3:20 does better than Saturday night for a lot the home and away season

100% this. If we are so worried about eyeballs than why not have it on a Sunday night and move the public holiday in vic to the Monday like the NRL do?
No one really wants a Sunday night GF despite how it would rate better. Why aren’t normal h&a games on a Sunday night as it rates well?
Have Thursday night GFs? Rates well yeah? I would like to know from anyone who wants a night GF why they wouldn’t have it on a Thursday or a Sunday night.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

The days of endless huge increases in TV rights are gone and sports are going to have to get creative and pull levers to get even smaller increase in rights. And they will do it, it’s by far their biggest revenue stream.

Interesting to see if / when they try to pull the trigger on a night GF. The argument has been around for 25 years, surprised it hasn’t landed yet.

State Of Origin will definitely happen at some stage… this stupid ****en “wildcard week” will happen… what else

 

[Dan26]

Melbourne cup?

The Melbourne Cup has been talked about here and there as potentially being held at night, even though the discussion might not be serious. I don't think Flemington even has light towers. If it was held at night it would obviously rate higher.

 

[Clark G]

The FA Cup Final is held during the day. So not all major events take place at night.