I've mentioned this topic before some time ago, but given that we are in the middle of a week without football, I thought I'd bring it up again.
What do you all think about Monday night football? There hasn't been a Monday night game since 2000, and there seems to be a perception that people don't like it, because it's at the start of the working week. This is an interesting theory, but it doesn't hold water when we analyse attendances for Monday night games over the years.
1.2000 Melb vs Bris @ Colonial 24,908. A very good crowd. This is actually the highest Melbourne vs Brisbane crowd EVER in Victoria and far outstrips Melb vs Bris games at the MCG. If this match happened to be at the MCG, it could well have draw over 30,000, with the Demons playing, and all.
2.2000 Bris vs Ess @ Gabba: 31,887. This was played in a torrential downpour, yet it was, at the time, a record crowd for any match at the Gabba. A fantastic crowd, before Brisbane had started winning premierships.
3.2000 Coll vs Frem @ Colonial: 33,947. This was a fantastic crowd, considering the presence of Fremantle and the fact Collingwood were coming off two losses. The same two clubs played at the same venue in Round 2 2001, on a Saturday night and drew 26,067.
4.1998 Melb vs Syd @ MCG 52,614. This was easily the biggest crowd these two teams have drawn against each other for a home and away match EVER. Considering the small followings of both teams, this was a phenomenal attendance.
5.1997 Adel vs Coll @ Football Park 37,661. This crowd was pretty much in line with most Adelade home crowds in 1997. The Crows averaged about 38,000 for home games, and this crowd, on a freezing Monday in Round 21 was no different to what would have been expected on a Saturday or Sunday.
6.1997 Frem vs Adel @ Subiaco 22,464. This crowd should indicate the effectiveness of Monday nights. During 1997, most Fremantle home games drew in the high teens/low 20,000s. In fact, their previous home game two weeks prior against Brisbane drew only 14,724 on a Sunday afternoon. Yet, against Adelaide, two weeks later 22,464 show up on a Monday night! Fantastic crowd, when you consider everything.
7.1997 Rich vs W.Coast @ MCG 26,721. Richmond entered this match, having lost their last three games by a combined total of 180 points. That, combined with the presence of a non-Victorian side was never going to generate a huge crowd, but, when you consider the Tigers form, 26,721 is pretty strong. In fact, if the match was scheduled for a Saturday or Sunday, I would have predicted no more than 25-26,000, given the Tigers horrible lead-up form.
8.1997 N.Melb vs Carl @ MCG 38,170. Most North Melbourne vs Carlton games at the MCG over the years have attracted crowds in the high 30,000's/low 40,000's. This match, was played in Round 2, and both clubs were first round losers. Taking the round one results into account, this crowd seems to be on par with what would have been expected on a normal football day.
9.1996 Coll vs Gee @ MCG 56,609 Typically big crowd for two clubs who have regularly drawn big crowds. Pretty much on par with what would have been expected on a regular footballing day.
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These are the only 9 matches that have been played on Monday nights as far as I know. There was a Richmond vs North Melbourne match in 1995 on a Monday night, but I didnt include this, because it was the night before Anzac day, and therefore, more comparable to a Friday night match.
My point is, that Monday night football has proven to be quite popular. Crowds, in most cases, exceeded what would have been expected on a normal Saturday or Sunday. If I were the AFL, I would see great potential for Monday night matches in both Sydney and Brisbane. Queenslanders and New South Welshman have shown, in Rugby League, that they like Monday night games and will attend en masse. Brisbanites, in particular, seem to love going on weeknights. Maybe the weather is a factor in this. Why knows?
Imagine regular live games telecast on Monday nights prime time from Brisbane and Sydney straight back into our loungerooms. Since most people are working the following day, televison ratings are at their peak on Sunday and Monday nights.
Adelaide Monday night games would also be of major interest to the AFL. As we all know most Crows games are sell-outs, so a Monday night match between the Crows and a Victorian based opponent telecast live back into Victoria, would be a huge ratings winner, without affecting the crowd at all. The half-hour timne difference means the game can start at 8:00pm in Adelaide, and be ready for 8:30pm on the east coast. Mondays nights would be an absolute TV bonanza. What better way to spend a Monday night than watching footy on the box?
I think Monday nights are a huge untapped market, and the nine Monday nigut games scheduled from 1996-2000, and the crowds they generated vindicate this. Maybe channel 10, could swap one of their Saturday night games for a Monday night game each week in the future? Surely they'd jump at such an opportunity.
Thoughts?
What do you all think about Monday night football? There hasn't been a Monday night game since 2000, and there seems to be a perception that people don't like it, because it's at the start of the working week. This is an interesting theory, but it doesn't hold water when we analyse attendances for Monday night games over the years.
1.2000 Melb vs Bris @ Colonial 24,908. A very good crowd. This is actually the highest Melbourne vs Brisbane crowd EVER in Victoria and far outstrips Melb vs Bris games at the MCG. If this match happened to be at the MCG, it could well have draw over 30,000, with the Demons playing, and all.
2.2000 Bris vs Ess @ Gabba: 31,887. This was played in a torrential downpour, yet it was, at the time, a record crowd for any match at the Gabba. A fantastic crowd, before Brisbane had started winning premierships.
3.2000 Coll vs Frem @ Colonial: 33,947. This was a fantastic crowd, considering the presence of Fremantle and the fact Collingwood were coming off two losses. The same two clubs played at the same venue in Round 2 2001, on a Saturday night and drew 26,067.
4.1998 Melb vs Syd @ MCG 52,614. This was easily the biggest crowd these two teams have drawn against each other for a home and away match EVER. Considering the small followings of both teams, this was a phenomenal attendance.
5.1997 Adel vs Coll @ Football Park 37,661. This crowd was pretty much in line with most Adelade home crowds in 1997. The Crows averaged about 38,000 for home games, and this crowd, on a freezing Monday in Round 21 was no different to what would have been expected on a Saturday or Sunday.
6.1997 Frem vs Adel @ Subiaco 22,464. This crowd should indicate the effectiveness of Monday nights. During 1997, most Fremantle home games drew in the high teens/low 20,000s. In fact, their previous home game two weeks prior against Brisbane drew only 14,724 on a Sunday afternoon. Yet, against Adelaide, two weeks later 22,464 show up on a Monday night! Fantastic crowd, when you consider everything.
7.1997 Rich vs W.Coast @ MCG 26,721. Richmond entered this match, having lost their last three games by a combined total of 180 points. That, combined with the presence of a non-Victorian side was never going to generate a huge crowd, but, when you consider the Tigers form, 26,721 is pretty strong. In fact, if the match was scheduled for a Saturday or Sunday, I would have predicted no more than 25-26,000, given the Tigers horrible lead-up form.
8.1997 N.Melb vs Carl @ MCG 38,170. Most North Melbourne vs Carlton games at the MCG over the years have attracted crowds in the high 30,000's/low 40,000's. This match, was played in Round 2, and both clubs were first round losers. Taking the round one results into account, this crowd seems to be on par with what would have been expected on a normal football day.
9.1996 Coll vs Gee @ MCG 56,609 Typically big crowd for two clubs who have regularly drawn big crowds. Pretty much on par with what would have been expected on a regular footballing day.
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These are the only 9 matches that have been played on Monday nights as far as I know. There was a Richmond vs North Melbourne match in 1995 on a Monday night, but I didnt include this, because it was the night before Anzac day, and therefore, more comparable to a Friday night match.
My point is, that Monday night football has proven to be quite popular. Crowds, in most cases, exceeded what would have been expected on a normal Saturday or Sunday. If I were the AFL, I would see great potential for Monday night matches in both Sydney and Brisbane. Queenslanders and New South Welshman have shown, in Rugby League, that they like Monday night games and will attend en masse. Brisbanites, in particular, seem to love going on weeknights. Maybe the weather is a factor in this. Why knows?
Imagine regular live games telecast on Monday nights prime time from Brisbane and Sydney straight back into our loungerooms. Since most people are working the following day, televison ratings are at their peak on Sunday and Monday nights.
Adelaide Monday night games would also be of major interest to the AFL. As we all know most Crows games are sell-outs, so a Monday night match between the Crows and a Victorian based opponent telecast live back into Victoria, would be a huge ratings winner, without affecting the crowd at all. The half-hour timne difference means the game can start at 8:00pm in Adelaide, and be ready for 8:30pm on the east coast. Mondays nights would be an absolute TV bonanza. What better way to spend a Monday night than watching footy on the box?
I think Monday nights are a huge untapped market, and the nine Monday nigut games scheduled from 1996-2000, and the crowds they generated vindicate this. Maybe channel 10, could swap one of their Saturday night games for a Monday night game each week in the future? Surely they'd jump at such an opportunity.
Thoughts?
