This is concerning.
After locking in the fixture for the first six rounds next year, the AFL is introducing a floating fixture for weeks 7-23
This concerns me for several reasons. Firstly, as a member from a regional area, a floating fixture is going to make it difficult to plan when I can go to games. My weekends in the winter are made up with Masters games of football, and this will make commitments with them compromised as well.
Secondly, the cynic in me says that while the AFL may appear to be doing this for COVID reasons, they are in fact making the fixture more broadcaster friendly, and less about the fans.
Broadcasters are not locked into the fixture from round 7 onwards, and can lobby the AFL for what Friday and Saturday night games they want. This puts less equity in the free-to-air coverage for teams. Great for the broadcasters, but what about the fans.
I remember working at Fox Sports when the NRL had a floating fixture. the NRL executives at that time would obviously make their decisions based on the highest rating match-ups, with no consideration at all for the fan interests.
For me, this is another indicator the AFL is acquiescing to the broadcasters when it comes to the fixture, which serves their bottom line more than the fans attending the games, or even watching on television, especially those of the under represented clubs.
I appreciate that the AFL may need to create value for the broadcaster in the fixture over the next few years to compensate for a loss of revenues during COVID, but once this decision has been made, I think it's very unlikely it will ever go back to the way it was.
With a full fixture locked in for the season, I could plan a weekend to Melbourne months in advance, when I knew there might be three or four games on there in a particular weekend.
Can't help but feel this decision is not made in the fans interest.
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