Arvo Footy

Hi there, I’ve had a busy week so I’ll get straight into things tonight. After the great ANZAC Day clash last Saturday followed up with another 3pm Saturday kick-off this week I’m wondering if the scheduling should be changed to make this a regular thing?

TV deals are set for the next couple of years, until 2011 I think, but wouldn’t it be great on a Saturday to see a 3pm game leading into 5:30pm followed up by a 7:30pm start?

At the moment we usually have a 5:30pm game followed by two games at 7:30pm with Fox Sports viewers able to pick and choose their live game through the use of their red button. Unless I’m working I don’t watch the three games back to back and usually only watch NRL live (unless it’s the Broncos game) or occasionally on Sunday afternoon.

I’m with Gus Gould in that I love Sunday afternoon football. But I won’t argue with Saturday afternoon football either. In the Queensland Cup we have the ABC showing a live game every Saturday at 2pm which is great. I think we need more afternoon football at NRL level.

Night time football is fine when it’s a big game. But conditions in Sydney compared to Queensland are usually cold and slippery for night time football which contributes to crowds not showing up. The quality of football is affected by the conditions without doubt.

One argument I have heard before is the Saturday 3pm game was phased out due to crowd attendance. I know from cricket matches that a lot of people play their own sport on a Saturday and don’t have a chance to go out and watch professionals. But I would argue that a Saturday 3pm game would draw more or less the same as the 5:30 and 7:30 game, at least in Sydney anyway. And adding the 3pm game gives another live time slot too.

At the moment we have a ratio of 6 night games to 2 day game and that’s unbalanced I think. I would love to see a 4:4 ratio but would settle with 5:3.

If it was up to me I would have the regular scheduling like this:
Friday night – 2 games (one live in Queensland involving either Broncos, Titans or Cowboys and one live in Sydney)
Saturday – 3pm to 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Sunday – 2pm, 3pm
Monday – 7pm

Two other options I would consider is instead of a ‘Viewers Choice’ Saturday night I would make a ‘Viewers Choice’ on Sunday afternoon at 2pm.

I would also consider scrapping Monday night football in favour of a Sunday twilight game, 6pm kick-off, similar to what the AFL does. But that’s just me, would love to hear what you think.

Sorry for the short and structure-lacking column tonight, have a bit of work to finish up. Remember my email address is andrew_keyte@gmail.com.

Tips this week: Manly, Cowboys, Titans, Sharks, Brisbane, Canberra, Dragons, Bulldogs
Last week: 3/8 (Total: 31/56)
Winning percentage: 55%

Talk to you later,
Keyto