AFL fixture scheduling

[Knight87]

Ok, to all of you ppl who follow AFL, I was just wondering:

Out of the following matches: Friday Night, 2 Saturday afternoon, 2 Saturday Night, 2 Sunday afternoon, 1 Sunday twilight

1)Which of the following matches would you say is the marquee match of the round?

2) Why is it that the Friday Night and the Sunday 2pm match (on Ch 7) most of the time consist of Victorian teams and are either played at the Telstra Dome or MCG (even though this match gets shown nationally throughout all of Australia)? Swans or Brisbane don't ever get either of those (FN or Sun 2pm game), although in Rd 2, Brisbane did have a Friday Night match vs Collingwood at The Gabba:?:?

3) Why is it that the Sydney Swans don't ever get the Sunday 2pm match, Sunday 4:30pm match or Friday 7:30pm match? Whenever the Swans play on Sunday, it's always the Sunday 1pm early game (which is only covered on Fox Sports nationally, and only on FTA in Sydney). However, I do believe that this year, they have a 2pm match vs Essendon at ANZ Stadium (that's a bit unusual). Why do they have this 2pm game

If someone can explain these questions, in regards to the scheduling of tv matches, that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[camsmith]

Ok, to all of you ppl who follow AFL, I was just wondering:

Out of the following matches: Friday Night, 2 Saturday afternoon, 2 Saturday Night, 2 Sunday afternoon, 1 Sunday twilight

1)Which of the following matches would you say is the marquee match of the round?

2) Why is it that the Friday Night and the Sunday 2pm match (on Ch 7) most of the time consist of Victorian teams and are either played at the Telstra Dome or MCG (even though this match gets shown nationally throughout all of Australia)? Swans or Brisbane don't ever get either of those (FN or Sun 2pm game), although in Rd 2, Brisbane did have a Friday Night match vs Collingwood at The Gabba:?:?

3) Why is it that the Sydney Swans don't ever get the Sunday 2pm match, Sunday 4:30pm match or Friday 7:30pm match? Whenever the Swans play on Sunday, it's always the Sunday 1pm early game (which is only covered on Fox Sports nationally, and only on FTA in Sydney). However, I do believe that this year, they have a 2pm match vs Essendon at ANZ Stadium (that's a bit unusual). Why do they have this 2pm game

If someone can explain these questions, in regards to the scheduling of tv matches, that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

1) Friday night is easily the marquee match of the round.

2+3) Just depends on what the AFL sees as the biggest game on Sunday as to what time slot its in. The FTA network gets the main game on Sunday at 2pm and Pay-tv gets the other two which usually aren't blockbuster games (although since all times are allocated at the start of the season it doesn't always turn out that way - eg, Hirds last two games weren't on FTA even though they were HUGE games)

Sunday games imo aren't scheduled to be "big games". For big games, if they're not played Friday night then its on Saturday. So you'd think with Sydney having a fair amount of success lately they'd get a majority of Saturday games and limited Sunday games. However in Richmond's case we have a sh*tload of Sunday games this year because the AFL obviously thinks that we dont deserve the best time slots (and we dont have a Friday night game all year).

As to why Sydney gets early games on Sunday im not too sure. It seems the AFL like giving Sydney games that time slot on the Sunday games just as they like having the twilight game in Perth (although thats because of time difference).

Hope I sort've answered your questions.

 

[Knight87]

if Sunday's aren't big games, then why was Carlton vs Collingwood on Sunday, which got well over 70,000 at the MCG?

 

[Knight87]

and also, what would you say are the best timeslots (in order of the significance of the game in the round)? Do you think the AFL will ever move the Grand Final to a 5pm twilight kickoff, in the future?

 

[lockyno1]

There are some exceptions to the rule as far as scheduling. Most big games as Cam said are on Friday night, as it rates amazingly well. Also consider that the other match that round on Friday featured Essendon whom also rate well. Plus St Kilda were the NAB Cup champs. There are exceptions and the AFL doesn't get it right all the time but it happens. Carlton also going into that game had lost 13 straight and Collingwood belted their opponents the week before.

As for the GF, no chance, and rightly so. Unlike the NRL the AFL cares a lot about tradition and half the GF is about the GF Breakfast, the TAC Cup, etc which all happen in the morning. Plus it still rates more than anything during the day

 

[AuckMel]

if Sunday's aren't big games, then why was Carlton vs Collingwood on Sunday, which got well over 70,000 at the MCG?

Most Collingwood games are "big" games, but you can't have them all on a friday night.

 

[camsmith]

if Sunday's aren't big games, then why was Carlton vs Collingwood on Sunday, which got well over 70,000 at the MCG?

Not quite sure about that one.

and also, what would you say are the best timeslots (in order of the significance of the game in the round)? Do you think the AFL will ever move the Grand Final to a 5pm twilight kickoff, in the future?

The best time slots are Friday night then Saturday night.

I'd say Saturday day games then Sunday games would be next. Then Twilight.

No doubt the Grand Final will one day get moved to a later time but not for a few years I hope.

 

[Knight87]

so, you'd rate Sat Night matches above the traditional Sat arvo matches? And what was the purpose of bringing in the new Sunday twilight match?

 

[lockyno1]

Sat Night matches rate more, they usually are the bigger games. As for Twilight no idea, but it was part of the new TV deal to give Fox some exclusive games.