AFL Grand Final set for first-ever night venture as Cox Plate confirms daytime preference
Moonee Valley has locked in a date for this year’s Cox Plate and a preferred start time — which means a piece of history beckons for the rescheduled AFL Grand Final. Get the latest on the behind the scenes negotiations.
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Racing is pushing the AFL towards its first night Grand Final.
Moonee Valley Racing Club on Wednesday declared its preference to run a daytime Cox Plate on Saturday, October 24.
The new 17-round footy season plus finals would, if not interrupted, conclude with the premiership decider on the same Saturday.
An AFL spokesman said Wednesday night: “The date and time of the 2020 AFL Grand Final is yet to be confirmed.
“Our focus up until this point has been getting the season restarted on June 11 and completing the remaining 144 games.
“The dates of the four-week finals series will be determined over the course of the season.”
A pre-finals bye weekend, if maintained, would push the Grand Final into a clash with Derby Day at Flemington on October 31.
Another option would be to condense the season by a week and play the Grand Final on October 17.
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Complicating matters is the NRL grand final is scheduled for Sunday, October 25.
A night Grand Final following the running of the 100th Cox Plate at The Valley looms as the most likely option.
MVRC chief executive Michael Browell said the club had told both the AFL and broadcaster Channel 7 its preferred option was to run a midday to 6pm Cox Plate program.
“It’s a $100 million wagering day just for Moonee Valley and in a year where it’s potentially our only commercial revenue, we have locked in our preference to retain our traditional daytime program,” Browell said.
“We’ve had conversations with the AFL and the sports minister Martin Pakula has said that Moonee Valley would have first pick of the timeslot.
“I’m told the AFL confirmed on Monday that the 24th of October was to be Grand Final day so those preliminary discussions we had last week now need to be progressed.
“There are conversations needed around the executive table with the clubs and through to the commissioners.
“At least the AFL is now aware that is the race club’s preferred position.
“That’s not to say now that after these negotiations it doesn’t turn out that way, but we have at least firmed up what our view is.”
Amid uncertainty over the full calendar for the spring racing carnival, Moonee Valley’s committee met on Tuesday night and confirmed the Cox Plate would be run in its traditional spot before Melbourne Cup week.
The date has the support of Racing Victoria, which has the final say on the racing calendar, which it hopes to have fully set in stone by early June with the Caulfield Cup potentially on the move to November 28.
The Cox Plate was run at 4.55pm last year, and at 5pm the previous three years and would be run around that time again this year, as the ninth of a 10-race card.
On Tuesday Victorian sports minister Martin Pakula said priority for scheduling on that day would likely go to the Cox Plate.
“The AFL is the sport that’s moving, so I think the Moonee Valley Racing Club, if they indicate a strong preference to remain during the day, then I think the AFL should respect that and I think that they will,” Pakula said on RSN.
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Browell told the Herald Sun said the MVRC would ramp up discussions with the AFL and only a “compelling” case from league officials to play a day Grand Final could move the Cox Plate to a night time running.
“Our preferred timeslot is 12 noon to 6pm. The club will formalise discussions with the AFL, Racing Victoria and our broadcast partner Channel 7 to see if we can firm up over the next few weeks what the program looks like for that day,” Browell said.
A night Cox Plate has been mooted for several years, but Browell said the club did not want to do it this year.
Originally published as AFL Grand Final set for first-ever night venture as Cox Plate confirms daytime preference