We are talking broadcast times here and schedules and feel free to merge with something similar but I want to talk about the ‘overlap’ of games that the football media is so consumed by.

Am I the only one who doesn’t give a flying? I don’t care if there are overlapping games - I am a fan of MFC not the AFL. The footy media might groan about having to go and watch a replay of a game to do their job but surely no one gives a flying?!

Personally, the product needs to be protected from too much NM, Haw (lol), WC, and Essendon. Having Thursday night, Friday night, sat night, and Sunday 3.20 and the rest can be whenever Fox want them to be or just Sat and Sun at 2pm like families would love them to be. 

Am I alone here or are you like Rob Lowe…

I have never wanted to watch all 9 games in a weekend nor have I ever met anyone else that did. This argument about having all games standing on their own is ridiculous to me and addresses a problem that no-one ever had. I reckon at most I'd watch 4 games in a weekend and that hasn't happened once this year. 

The only people it benefits are the journos who study every game, most people involved with these things have no idea how fans actually think. 

Nearly 10 games in and I've been to two games at the MCG on an actual Fri, Sat, Sun timeslot. Feels weird. 

Edited May 17, 20241 yr by layzie

The AFL love an agenda and one they will get behind (for this very reason) is the four day work week. 
Thursday night is no longer school/work night. Friday day and twilight become options. More teams playing on Fridays so less chance of 5 day breaks for better quality matches.
And the big one…..saturation. Footy is on 4 of 7 days a week. Less pundits more actual footy. 

Edited May 17, 20241 yr by Gunna’s
Personally I love the premier league with actual home games and games at reasonable afternoon times.

Anyone who has enough time to watch 9 games of football live every weekend (other than as part of their job or while being sick etc), should go outside and enjoy some fresh air.  

The question isn't whether punters want to watch all 9 games. The question is will more people watch if a game is after another game vs if your game finishes and another game is already progressing. I suggest the AFL know the difference this makes in eye balls and eye balls = broadcast $$$$. The broadcasters also would know what this means and the more eyeballs the more potential advertising $$$. As a punter it will irk me at times like this weekend but also I am sure there will be points with quality games pre or post ours that I will appreciate the fact I can watch them in full if I choose. 

Yeah I won't watch 9 games but tbh I don't mind Thursday night football. I'll often put it on in the background, and for my life circumstances I don't mind going as it frees up my weekend for other activities.

I learnt a valuable lesson at the Gather Round.  I saw three games including ours on the Thursday night.  By the end of the second game I was getting a bit bored.  Footy is ace but the Dees are acer!!!  Totally with you about the overlap, as long as I can see my team, who cares about the rest (unless it is the Bluebaggers getting spanked by 60 points!) mmmm, that's nice!!

For FTA and Kayo it's one of the few products they have left so expect to see more time specific games.

I'm sure if they thought it would work they would show a late night game into the East starting at say 8pm Perth time.

 

11 hours ago, Gunna’s said:

The AFL love an agenda and one they will get behind (for this very reason) is the four day work week. 
Thursday night is no longer school/work night. Friday day and twilight become options. More teams playing on Fridays so less chance of 5 day breaks for better quality matches.
And the big one…..saturation. Footy is on 4 of 7 days a week. Less pundits more actual footy. 

I think the four day work week is already available to a sustantial portion of workers.

Many workplaces would be open to an employee working 4 days with a 20% reduction in pay or no reduction if outcomes are measurable to the degree that 100% output is confirmed/maintained. 

A sole trader/self employed individual could simply choose to only work 4 days. 

The potential/likely income reduction and the percieved loss of opportunity for promotion are sticky points.

Edited May 18, 20241 yr by Dee*ceiving

Ah yes, the overlap...

While there are perhaps few people consuming all 9 non overlapping games broadcast each weekend, not overlapping them maximises the hours per week that there is a game on, thus maximising the chance that people will watch at least some. From the broadcaster's perspective (who pay a lot of money for the rights), this is surely preferable to the alternative. 

4 hours ago, gs77 said:

While there are perhaps few people consuming all 9 non overlapping games broadcast each weekend, not overlapping them maximises the hours per week that there is a game on, thus maximising the chance that people will watch at least some. From the broadcaster's perspective (who pay a lot of money for the rights), this is surely preferable to the alternative. 

The alternative being?

I think if you gave Fox the opportunity to take an exclusive Friday night game instead of the dead Sunday twilight for example - they would take it.

And what do we care as fans? We still can’t watch it on FTA.

I still haven’t heard a good ‘the broadcasters want it’ argument - at the end of day… the long Sunday of 8 straight hours of senseless footy… the broadcasters want eyeballs and subscribers. Don’t think it’s met with NM v ESS having ‘room to breathe’…

5 hours ago, Dee*ceiving said:

I think the four day work week is already available to a sustantial portion of workers.

Many workplaces would be open to an employee working 4 days with a 20% reduction in pay or no reduction if outcomes are measurable to the degree that 100% output is confirmed/maintained. 

A sole trader/self employed individual could simply choose to only work 4 days. 

The potential/likely income reduction and the percieved loss of opportunity for promotion are sticky points.

Where do I sign up to this 4 day work week ?

5 hours ago, Dee*ceiving said:

 

A sole trader/self employed individual could simply choose to only work 4 days. 

 

In which economy?

16 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

In which economy?

The false economy, Jaded. The false economy 

Correct. You could choose too. Doesn't mean you can make ends meet, that's the point. 

Where is the loss of income covered?

Are businesses expected to maintain remuneration but allow people to work only 4 days instead of 5? 

Or 

People work 5 days worth of hours in 4? I would be of the view employers lose in this scenario. An extra 1.9 hours a day for 4 days does not equate to a 5th day of work in most instances. 

2 hours ago, Dee*ceiving said:

People work 5 days worth of hours in 4? I would be of the view employers lose in this scenario. An extra 1.9 hours a day for 4 days does not equate to a 5th day of work in most instances. 

this is quite common these days, depending upon which industry you are in

I've been in WA for the first time for a few weeks and footy timeslots are very different here.

1:10 games start at 11:10am, 3:20 games at 1:20, "night" games at around 5:30 run across dinner time and are all done by 8pm or just after. Even today's WC vs MFC geme starts at 4:20 instead of the 6:20 in Melbourne.  Teams are announced in the afternoon on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

I lived in San Francisco for a few years and it was similar with the NFL, but it was all I knew so it seemed normal.

I'm sure WA fans are used to it, but it has a very different feel.