Fixture Fixing The Fixture (Another Method)

[LordLucifer]

There has been a lot of talk recently about VicBias, the lopsided draw and a number of other anomalies that give a club an advantage or a disadvantage depending on who they are, where they are based etc.

For some time now, I've been a strong advocate for some transparency & equity in the fixturing but haven't come up with the ideal model due to the number of clubs in the competition.

However, I'd like to see the AFL implement these models in line with current competition numbers and the mooted changes for the future :


18 Teams
The current clubs are divided into three groups of six according to their final ladder positions from the season immediately prior (1-6, 7-12, 13-18).

Rounds 1-5 : club plays the other 5 teams in their ladder group
Rounds 6-17 : club will play the other 12 teams that were not in their ladder group
Rounds 18-22 : club plays the other 5 teams in their ladder group a second time

Each club is given 11 home games & 11 away games.

198 home & away games per season in total.

Some of the marquee games like the "traditional" Rich V Carl season opener may not be played at that time of year due to the way the fixture is structured via the ladder positions. If it means that the "Big Four" only play each other once in a season then so be it.


20 Teams
With the addition of Tasmania & say ……Canberra, there is 20 teams, the clubs are divided into four groups of five according to their final ladder positions from the season prior (1-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20).

Rounds 1-4 : club plays the other 4 teams in their ladder group
Rounds 5-15 : club will play the other 11 teams that were not in their ladder group
Rounds 16-19 : club plays the other 4 teams in their ladder group a second time

Each club is given either 10 home games & 9 away games or 9 home games & 10 away games, each club has that h&a ratio reversed the next year so it always evens out for memberships etc.

190 home & away games per season in total.


22 Teams
Working on the theory that another two clubs will join the competition making it capped at 22 in total, there would be no need to have any fixture weighting based on ladder positions.

Rounds 1-21 : club plays every other team in the competition once per season

Each club is given either 10 home games & 11 away games or 11 home games & 10 away games, each club has that h&a ratio reversed the next year so it always evens out for memberships etc.

231 home & away games per season in total.

 

[ep12]

Your 20 team plan is all wrong. If there are 20 teams, each team plays 19 games not 20 and you've got each team playing 16 teams not 19.

This idea doesn't make it equitable, the only way you have a completely equitable fixture is if you play each side once and every team gets the same amount of games at its home ground and over a certain time period plays in all interstate/geelong venues.

But the fun thing is, the best team throughout the season tends to win the flag in spite of the uneven fixture.

 

[kreuze_missile]

All teams play eachother once. Home/away games in alternate years. And a finals series that goes for twice as long.

You are welcome Andrew Dillon - PM me for bank details.

 

[L_W_P]

20 teams
19 games
8 home
8 away
3 neutral, inc Gather Round for most teams.

Get WCE + Freo hosting games in places like Albany, Geraldton, Port Headland or Broome...
Get the SA teams hosting games in Port Lincoln, Alice Springs and Darwin...
QLD teams up to Cairns, Darwin, Townsville...
NSW teams to Port Macquarie, Canberra, Dubbo...
VIC/TAS teams to Ballarat, Mildura, Sheparton, Tassie...

Rotate the regional games so that it's not always Hawks v Lions in Launceston. Everyone plays once. Reverse the fixture the following year.

Go to a top 10.

Less games means a higher premium. Pies v Carlton only happening once makes it a massive game for the home team. You can sell memberships based on reserve seating for something like that ala ANZAC Day, Dreamtime etc

TV rights should hold steady. Live, unscripted, content is at a premium. Sport has never been more vital to the survival of TV Networks.

Lots of smaller details to work out but I rekon that's as fair as it will ever get.

 

[mr bagcroft]

tl:dr

 

[LordLucifer]

Your 20 team plan is all wrong. If there are 20 teams, each team plays 19 games not 20 and you've got each team playing 16 teams not 19.

This idea doesn't make it equitable, the only way you have a completely equitable fixture is if you play each side once and every team gets the same amount of games at its home ground and over a certain time period plays in all interstate/geelong venues.

But the fun thing is, the best team throughout the season tends to win the flag in spite of the uneven fixture.

My bad, did some copying & pasting to create the whole thing, fixed it now.

 

[LordLucifer]

20 teams
19 games
8 home
8 away
3 neutral, inc Gather Round for most teams.

Get WCE + Freo hosting games in places like Albany, Geraldton, Port Headland or Broome...
Get the SA teams hosting games in Port Lincoln, Alice Springs and Darwin...
QLD teams up to Cairns, Darwin, Townsville...
NSW teams to Port Macquarie, Canberra, Dubbo...
VIC/TAS teams to Ballarat, Mildura, Sheparton, Tassie...

Rotate the regional games so that it's not always Hawks v Lions in Launceston. Everyone plays once. Reverse the fixture the following year.

Go to a top 10.

Less games means a higher premium. Pies v Carlton only happening once makes it a massive game for the home team. You can sell memberships based on reserve seating for something like that ala ANZAC Day, Dreamtime etc

TV rights should hold steady. Live, unscripted, content is at a premium. Sport have never been more vital to the survival of TV Networks.

Lots of smaller details to work out but I rekon that's as fair as it will ever get.

Your theory of moving games to the nether-regions of the country is just exacerbating the current lopsided nature of the fixture, it doesn't actually address the problem.

Agree with you about the once a year blockbusters.

Totally agree with a Final 10, was going to put that in but didn't want to confuse matters. Can only go to a Final 10 when the competition to grows to 20 teams.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

First thing that HAS to happen is the so called Gather round shouldn't have two clubs getting another free home game, let them play each other if need be otherwise get rid of it. We shouldn't have clubs having MORE home games than others.

 

[ep12]

First thing that HAS to happen is the so called Gather round shouldn't have two clubs getting another free home game, let them play each other if need be otherwise get rid of it. We shouldn't have clubs having MORE home games than others.

They arent going to waste a Showdown but Both Adelaide and Port could be made to play in the barossa/Mount Barker

 

[LukeParkerno1]

They arent going to waste a Showdown but Both Adelaide and Port could be made to play in the barossa/Mount Barker

Would take that as a compromise, it distorts the comp having extra home games. Still hate the concept

 

[TedDougChris]

Just have a rolling fixture. Everyone plays each other, an equal number of times both home and away over and X year period. You can still have flexibility for Anzac Day and other “event” games, as each team plays each other at least once per season.

It’s not ****ing hard to sort out.

 

[Dogflogger]

yep its been needing to change for a long time, i still feel sorry for Pendlebury almost at 400 games and he still hasn't played in Geelong, poor fella might break the most games played record and still retire not playing a single AFL game in Geelong. and no i'm not counting any pre-season matches or exhibition matches he might have played there.

 

[Tiger2709]

yep its been needing to change for a long time, i still feel sorry for Pendlebury almost at 400 games and he still hasn't played in Geelong, poor fella might break the most games played record and still retire not playing a single AFL game in Geelong. and no i'm not counting any pre-season matches or exhibition matches he might have played there.

That's the selling point to get players to the big clubs.

 

[CarterS]

Didn't Eddie have a plan a few years ago about breaking the league into 3 "conferences" after we've all played each other once, and then you play the other teams in your conference (basically) for the last few weeks?

Thought that was interesting.

 

[LordLucifer]

Didn't Eddie have a plan a few years ago about breaking the league into 3 "conferences" after we've all played each other once, and then you play the other teams in your conference (basically) for the last few weeks?

Thought that was interesting.

Similiar concept, this ensures an even split subject to where you finished on the ladder.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Stop trying to fix it. 22 or 23 matches into 18 teams doesn't work. Fine. Just let it be open. Random draw of double-ups, maybe ensuring the non-Vic teams play their city rivals twice as a not to travel - but even that isn't necessary.
At least the perception of bias is reduced in the double-ups - not in the timeslots and breaks, but in one part of the problem.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

The WA teams to get 2-3 extra home games - fixes their travel issues

GWS and Brisbane get 4-6 matches at the MCG.

Opposed to the regional games, bar gather Round. Get poor crowds.

North Ballarat is an appalling ground. Should only be used for Footscray v other Melbourne teams.

 

[LordLucifer]

Stop trying to fix it. 22 or 23 matches into 18 teams doesn't work. Fine. Just let it be open. Random draw of double-ups, maybe ensuring the non-Vic teams play their city rivals twice as a not to travel - but even that isn't necessary.
At least the perception of bias is reduced in the double-ups - not in the timeslots and breaks, but in one part of the problem.

Stop trying to fix it ??

If it was to get fixed, what will be left for you mob to sook up about ??

 

[Cyclops]

Several decent stabs at it, most a great deal better than what we have now.

That suggests from a purely footy point of view its not that hard and the League is doing a terrible job.

A lot of the problems arise from the league and clubs milking a few extra bucks wherever they can.

The gather round was a disgrace, apparently you can buy an extra home game these days. FFS.

Can't blame the Crows and Port for taking the game though, they get royally screwed in other ways so why not? Pies get two marquee games a year, guaranteed finals style blockbusters. It's utterly unfair, but the league gets its cut and its airtime so they don't give a shit.

To clean this up it's likely 2 or more clubs have to die and the league doesn't have the balls or the brains to get it done. They don't dare take on a the Victorian state govt over the absurd MCG contract, theg folded to a cheap cash grab from SA.

It's a great game but it's not in great hands. No wonder Lethal refused the chairmanship, I think he's an honest bloke and he'd be drowning in filth if he took the job.

 

[deck]

GWS and Brisbane get 4-6 matches at the MCG.

Opposed to the regional games, bar gather Round. Get poor crowds.

North Ballarat is an appalling ground. Should only be used for Footscray v other Melbourne teams.

But that defeats the purpose on why teams are shifting games to these locations in the first place.

 

[Freomaniac]

Several decent stabs at it, most a great deal better than what we have now.

That suggests from a purely footy point of view its not that hard and the League is doing a terrible job.

A lot of the problems arise from the league and clubs milking a few extra bucks wherever they can.

The gather round was a disgrace, apparently you can buy an extra home game these days. FFS.

Can't blame the Crows and Port for taking the game though, they get royally screwed in other ways so why not? Pies get two marquee games a year, guaranteed finals style blockbusters. It's utterly unfair, but the league gets its cut and its airtime so they don't give a s**t.

To clean this up it's likely 2 or more clubs have to die and the league doesn't have the balls or the brains to get it done. They don't dare take on a the Victorian state govt over the absurd MCG contract, theg folded to a cheap cash grab from SA.

It's a great game but it's not in great hands. No wonder Lethal refused the chairmanship, I think he's an honest bloke and he'd be drowning in filth if he took the job.

A Collingwood fan complaining about gather round? That's hilarious.

Name one non Vic side that Collingwood has travelled more KMs against?

Collingwood has on average 14 or 15 games at the MCG and 4 or 5 games at docklands. When's the last magpies traveled to Geelong or Tassie? LoL

 

[Shane Heard]

It’s fine the way it is. Essendon and Collingwood maximise gate receipt earnings and continue to get richer.

It just makes sense that way.

 

[Shane Heard]

A Collingwood fan complaining about gather round? That's hilarious.

Name one non Vic side that Collingwood has travelled more KMs against?

Collingwood has on average 14 or 15 games at the MCG and 4 or 5 games at docklands. When's the last magpies traveled to Geelong or Tassie? LoL

Yeah but Essendon and Collingwood and Carlton and Richmond games at the G bring in supreme advertising revenue for the league thus assuring the next broadcast rights will go up in value thus guaranteeing financial security for the rest of you mediocre clubs.

You know it makes sense.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Move domestic SS and ODDs to other grounds

Matches this year

NSW- 1x Cricket Central, 3x SCG, 1x Sydney Showgrounds Stadium
QLD- 1x Great Barrier Reef Arena, 3x Gabba, 1x TBD
SA- 2x Karen Rolton Oval, 3x Adelaide Oval
TAS- 5x Bellrieve
Vic- 2x MCG, 2x Junction Oval 1x TBD
WA- 5x WACA

Have a 38 week season. 34Rds, plus 4 week finals.

If players want a rest, take the week off.
Cristiano Ronaldo only ever played 1 season where he played every league game (2011-12) but he was rested for 1 cup game and 2 continental games
Lionel Messi was the same, only ever played 1 season where he played every league game (2014-15) but he was rested for 3 cup games and 1 continental game.

So tell any players to suck it up and think of the extra money they're generating (and getting paid)

 

[Freomaniac]

Yeah but Essendon and Collingwood and Carlton and Richmond games at the G bring in supreme advertising revenue for the league thus assuring the next broadcast rights will go up in value thus guaranteeing financial security for the rest of you mediocre clubs.

You know it makes sense.

But North melbourne saved the AFL from being broke by getting 10-15,000 people at docklands.

Just as The Warlord lol