AFL 2024 fixture news

[GVGjr]

How the AFL plans to beef-up its Thursday night blockbuster schedule

More Thursday night footy is coming in the future. But how will the AFL navigate the tight turnarounds for players? Get the latest fixture whispers.

The AFLPA will attempt to safeguard the health and fitness of its players despite agreeing to the five-day breaks which allow the league to beef-up its Thursday night schedule.

The league and AFLPA agreed to a new deal as part of the collective bargaining agreement that will see clubs playing a maximum of three five-day breaks each home-and-away season.

It allows the AFL to schedule quality Thursday night games every week of the home-and-away season if it sees fit.

The new $643 million-per-year deal that kicks off next year requires the league to schedule the first 15 rounds with Thursday night football from 2025 onwards.

But a league that scheduled 11 Thursday home-and-away games and a Thursday night final is yet to lock in how many Thursdays will be in the 2024 fixture.

The AFL said when it brokered its TV rights deal it was in ?active discussions? about an earlier start time to Friday night football but new CEO Andrew Dillon is yet to get that deal over the line with Channel 7.

The league is expected to again lock in the first 15 or so rounds of the schedule for clarity then have a floating component to maximise blockbusters in the back-end of the season.

But the new-found flexibility with five-day breaks means the league can ensure the quality of Thursday night football, with the AFL believing big blockbuster games to start a round are important for the momentum and flow of a weekend?s action.

The new rules contained in the AFL CBA will give players the best chance to avoid injuries despite the added strain of multiple five-day breaks.

Those rules include:

Clubs cannot play successive five-day breaks.

A club cannot play a five-day break against a team which has had a seven-day break.

Clubs cannot play off a five-day break after travel to Perth.

WA-based clubs cannot play a home game then be forced into a five-day break if that fixture involves interstate travel.

Teams need at least three weeks between five-day breaks.

There are two options for maximising breaks before or after playing off a five-day break.

A club which is playing off a five-day break must have a six-day break in the previous round and a seven-day break in the next round, or a six-day break in the previous round and a seven-day break in the following round.

There is still discretion to change those protocols based on the rule ?in the AFL?s reasonable opinion is likely to impact on the AFL?s ability to comply with any of its obligations to AFL broadcasters?.

Under that scenario the player union and AFL will ?in good faith consider reasonable changes to the five-day break requirements?.

The league is likely to lock in a 26-week home-and-away season with four games in northern states as part of a split round 1, as well as the second AFL Gather Round early in the year.

[GVGjr]

I'm not a big fan of Thursday night games but based on discussions I've had with friends they prefer it to the 4.40pm Sunday slots.

How hard will it be for teams with 5 day breaks scattered through the season?

[bornadog]

delete

[GVGjr]

Fixed

[bornadog]

I'm not a big fan of Thursday night games but based on discussions I've had with friends they prefer it to the 4.40pm Sunday slots.

How hard will it be for teams with 5 day breaks scattered through the season?

I don't mind watching Thursday night games, but not keen attending

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Looks like we're going to be ditched for good Friday again. AFEL going with North and Carlton again. Don't think we'll see it again. Oh well. I wouldn't exactly call it a blockbuster fixture anyway.

[jeemak]

Looks like we're going to be ditched for good Friday again. AFEL going with North and Carlton again. Don't think we'll see it again. Oh well. I wouldn't exactly call it a blockbuster fixture anyway.

When you have the commentariat telling you it's packed to capacity and there's multitudes of visible empty seats on the screen you figure it's a fix and you move on.

[jazzadogs]

Looks like we're going to be ditched for good Friday again. AFEL going with North and Carlton again. Don't think we'll see it again. Oh well. I wouldn't exactly call it a blockbuster fixture anyway.

I don't really want to see it, but it would be interesting to see the crowd numbers if it was carlton v Collingwood. I think Good Friday is an inherently bad timeslot for a blockbuster. I've never been to one of the games because I head away for the long weekend.

As for Thursday night footy - it's purely for tv. Any decent crowds are a bonus - they want eyes on screens, not bums on seats.

[ledge]

I don't really want to see it, but it would be interesting to see the crowd numbers if it was carlton v Collingwood. I think Good Friday is an inherently bad timeslot for a blockbuster. I've never been to one of the games because I head away for the long weekend.

As for Thursday night footy - it's purely for tv. Any decent crowds are a bonus - they want eyes on screens, not bums on seats.

It’s getting to EPL style now .. all about the viewers, soon they will find a way to have a fake crowd to fill the empty seats by AI

[Axe Man]

It?s getting to EPL style now .. all about the viewers, soon they will find a way to have a fake crowd to fill the empty seats by AI

Don't the EPL have a Saturday 3pm game TV blackout in the UK to preserve crowds at the lower levels? It's the exact opposite of what the AFL do!

[ledge]

Don't the EPL have a Saturday 3pm game TV blackout in the UK to preserve crowds at the lower levels? It's the exact opposite of what the AFL do!

Difference is the EPL have the whole world watching so it makes no difference.
AFL doesn’t have that luxury they need viewers in Australia to get bigger deals at Foxtel etc

[Axe Man]

Apparently we are likely to play Melbourne at the MCG round 1 again. Marvel not available round 1 due to pink concerts that week.

[ledge]

Both us and them are under so much scrutiny at the moment . The headlines after the game on who loses will be already written.

[bornadog]

[bornadog]