http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-01-06/womens-footy-the-perfect-curtainraiser

Cogent arguments for and against.  I like the idea of women's curtain raisers; I've been impressed by the games I've seen and would go early to matches to see them, but I go to enough matches already and I wouldn't make a special trip, although I would watch them on TV.

It seems the obvious way to build a following, even if a stand-alone league might be established later.

I think it would be a fantastic curtain raiser that would, hopefully in time, be referred to as a 'double header.'  I'm a huge fan and supporter of the women's game but realistically, for it to be successful you need to tap into the already established fan bases of the AFL clubs.  That means holding the matches on the same day and the same venue as the AFL matches.  I dread to think of a Women's League match being attended by 1000 people at a windswept Whitten Oval, being televised on 7Two.

Hopefully,in the near future, people will head off to see two great matches of football on a Saturday afternoon, rather than a 'curtain raiser' followed by main event.  But until the fan base is secured, align it with the established matches and fixtures.

I like the idea of curtain raisers but think during the early years a stand alone comp outside of the traditional AFL season is the way to go. I could see a 6 team, 12 week season working. This way the state competitions aren't impacted and the competition might get a little more attention and helps the direhards like us get our footy fix. In time as the competition grows and there's more AFL aligned teams it makes sense to me to go down the path of curtain raisers.

Great idea. Just Do It. 

Having seen the second 1/2 of the first Women's Game - I'd go and watch some of the game if it was on before the men's game - good way to get a broader audience to see their skills

Curtain raiser is a great idea.  But it needs to finish closer to the start of the main game. Not finish 90 minutes before! 

1 hour ago, deanox said:

Curtain raiser is a great idea.  But it needs to finish closer to the start of the main game. Not finish 90 minutes before! 

Agree, though it is probably an impossible thing to achieve as clubs come out onto the ground about 100 times prior to the match to warm-up.

13 hours ago, Good Times Grimes said:

Agree, though it is probably an impossible thing to achieve as clubs come out onto the ground about 100 times prior to the match to warm-up.

And i have no idea why they need to either.  Surely that can be reorganised? 

On 8/1/2016 at 0:55 PM, Elusive Tunbridge said:

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-01-06/womens-footy-the-perfect-curtainraiser

Cogent arguments for and against.  I like the idea of women's curtain raisers; I've been impressed by the games I've seen and would go early to matches to see them, but I go to enough matches already and I wouldn't make a special trip, although I would watch them on TV.

It seems the obvious way to build a following, even if a stand-alone league might be established later.

I'm in...  always been a little partial to a good curtain raise,  the womens will do fine.