AFL considering wildcard weekend, expanded finals series and best-of-three grand final in fixture revamp
Keen to maximise audiences during this year’s finals, the AFL is considering a swag of changes including an expanded finals series, wildcard weekend and a best-of-three Grand Final.
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The AFL will consider expanding this year’s finals series to 10 teams to help deliver an extra week of high-stakes action at the end of the season.
The league has been urged to consider all options in this year’s fixture including a 10-team finals series, or similarly, a wildcard weekend in the traditional pre-finals bye weekend to help create another bumper weekend of eliminators for broadcasters.
While it is unclear if crowds will be allowed to attend matches on the back of the coronavirus crisis, the extra finals matches would be certain to draw high television audiences after the game resumes, potentially, throughout the mid-part of the year.
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The league is in the midst of securing a loan in the vicinity of $500 million to help save the game after it decided on Sunday to postpone the 2020 season because of COVID-19.
AFL chiefs are hopeful they can still complete a 17-round season, with the possible addition of an extra week of finals to generate some extra revenue.
Under the wildcard weekend scenario, the seventh and 10th placed teams, as well as the eighth and ninth-placed sides, could face-off to secure the last two finals spots.
On last year’s ladder, it would have pitted the Western Bulldogs (7th) against Port Adelaide (10th) and Essendon (8th) and against arch rival Hawthorn (9th) in the extra cutthroat matches.
The prospect of a best-of-three grand final series has also been raised in recent weeks as an extra money-spinner but is less likely due to the shortened-nature of the season.
Sydney Swans chief executive Tom Harley and former CEO Andrew Ireland have previously backed in the best-of-three grand final series to make the premiership decider more fair for interstate teams.
But the best-of-three grand final series would likely add an extra two weeks to an already shortened season and therefore may not be practical this year.
Under the best case scenario, fixture boss Travis Auld would attempt to try and squeeze in the remaining 16 regular season rounds plus finals, preferably, before the ICC cricket world cup begins in mid-October.
It would mean clubs could face the prospect of increased five-day breaks as part of a compacted fixture whereby clubs would play three games over a two-week period in parts of the draw.
The AFL’s decision to reduce quarter length to 16 minutes is a significant factor in helping the players being able to recover more quickly for games.
Players across multiple clubs have said they pulled up much better after the first-round clash because of the decision to slash game time.
It means there is greater scope to play games off shorter breaks once the season resumes.
Hawthorn chief executive Justin Reeves said he was optimistic footy would return in June, depending on the expert medical advice.
“Today I saw there was one less (coronavirus) case than there was yesterday, so the optimist in me says hopefully we are back early, and that June period is when we play games,” Reeves said on SEN.
“That’s what I am working towards. And then obviously you have scenarios if it’s not then and it’s the next month or the next month.
“I would love to think we are back playing footy in the mid part of the year if the chief medicos and the government support that because I think it would be great
“Not just for the players and for the AFL, but for the people to get back to the footy, in crowds with friends, celebrating, give them a distraction from everything going on.”
AFL’S BIGGEST STARS FACING HEFTY WAGE CUTS
AFL players are in the dark about how much of their contracts they will be paid in coming seasons.
The bulk of the game’s stars have already signed multi-year agreements including predetermined salaries with bonuses and incentive clauses.
But the players could be looking at taking a big hit on their contracts for 2021 and beyond if the AFL redesigns the collective bargaining agreement and cuts the salary cap on the back of the coronavirus crisis.
It is a double whammy for players who are already facing up to an 80 per cent cut on this year’s salary during the AFL shutdown.
The significant restructure could also include a move to reduce list sizes by up to 10-15 players which would leave AFL clubs with 30-35 senior-listed players.
Multiple club chiefs and top player agents were in the dark on Thursday about what the current economic crisis meant for players’ predetermined contracts for next season.
Some of the biggest names in the game including Richmond superstar Dustin Martin, West Coast’s Jeremy McGovern, Collingwood superstar Brodie Grundy and Sydney Swans’ Lance Franklin have all penned blockbuster deals.
But they all could face six-figure cuts in salary if the AFL, as expected, slashes the salary cap.
One options was to introduce a standard percentage reduction whereby all players would cop the same decrease on their deals for next year.
But the complicating factor of having front-ended and back-ended deals has created significant angst around how much of players’ contracts would be paid out.
There was also support for a move to tear up all players’ contracts to give them the chance to renegotiate their deals in order to meet their own financial commitments including their mortgages.
Whether that allowed all players to essentially become free agents and pursue moves to rival clubs is yet to be explored.
Clubs are keen for answers from the league about the likely salary cap situation for next season but are aware league bosses have other priorities and are facing a huge fight to secure the game’s financial future.
As part of the reduced list sizes, clubs could also have access to a supplementary list of players through its VFL club or state leagues where these top-ups would be paid match payments only.
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