Footy fans call for more afternoon action

A new poll of footy fans suggests there is one particular start time that spectators prefer. Have your say and vote in the survey.

Footy fans prefer AFL matches staged in traditional afternoon timeslots instead of twilight starts, new research has revealed.

Three out of four fans would rather attend a match with an earlier start than games commencing at 4.30pm, according to AFL Fans’ Association polling conducted this month.

And, despite speculation the AFL Grand Final could move to a twilight start, footy faithful want the premiership decider to stay an afternoon affair.

But the AFL says fans are voting with their feet, suggesting record crowds indicate the league has scheduling right.

The Fan’s Association polled more than 1280 spectators on whether they would prefer matches with a 2.30pm or 4.30pm start time during the home and away season.

Melbourne fans Justin and Shannon Isaac want to take their kids Xavier, Caitlin and Sienna to matches closer to a 2pm start. Picture: Michael Klein

Fans Association president Ron Issko said 76 per cent of those surveyed favoured an earlier start and finish.

“Families with younger kids find the day games much more kid friendly, especially being home at a reasonable time,’’ he said.

“Regional fans who travel a few hours to get to the game tell us that they prefer the earlier timeslot so they get back home at a reasonable hour.’’

While some fans miss days of a traditional 2.10pm first bounce, AFL spokesman Jay Allen said only the grand final had a 2.30pm start time and today’s scheduling was done with spectators in mind.

“The evolving priorities and commitments of families, especially around community and kids sport has seen us take a more considered approach to fixturing weekend timeslots, both for attendance and broadcast,’’ he said.

He said 1:45pm and 4:35pm Saturday start times “have been a winner, as have 3:20pm Sundays.’’

“The record attendance numbers over the last two seasons give us great confidence that along with the AFL’s continued focus on access and affordability that the weekend timeslots have resonated.’’

But Mr Issko said “poll after fan poll shows that day games are clearly preferred over twilight and night games.

“There are lots of different start times for day games and it feels a bit all over the shop,’’ he said.

The majority of fans want AFL games to start earlier. Picture: Michael Klein

Melbourne fans Shannon Justin and Justin Isaac took kids Caitlin, Xavier and Sienna to the MCG for a 3.20pm match on Sunday but would have preferred it start closer to 2pm.

“It gives the opportunity to do kids’ footy first but still take them to the game and not get them home so late that they don’t want to get up for school the next day,’’ she said.

“It makes it hard to plan ahead.’’

It comes as footy lovers have been urged to have their say on issues that matter most in an Australia-wide fans association survey.

The poll asks fans to vote on everything from their favourite AFL ground to the AFL’s illicit drugs policy, whether a send off rule should be introduced for violent on-field acts and whether they have ever felt unsafe at the football.

Mr Issko said it was “great that we have a mix of day, twilight and night games” but the grand final start time – and match scheduling generally – were emotive issues for those in the stands.

“Let’s listen to what the fans are saying – more day games please,’’ he said.

The AFL has not yet made a decision on the start time of this year’s finals.

More than eight million fans attended AFL matches last year and so far this season crowds have surpassed 400,000 for a single round an unprecedented three times.

To have your say go to the survey here.