AFL Grand Final to stay in day timeslot for 2020 as league resists twilight temptation
The AFL has locked in the timeslot for the 2020 grand final after league chairman Richard Goyder said he’d love the decider to be played in a twilight timeslot.
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The AFL has confirmed its 2020 Grand Final will again be a day timeslot as the league resists the temptation to tinker with a twilight Grand Final.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has said in previous years a twilight trial is inevitable but continues to make the case for a traditional timeslot for the league’s biggest game.
AFL commission boss Richard Goyder has repeatedly pushed for a twilight slot, believing broadcasters and fans would enjoy the slot.
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But as the league considers whether to extend the current broadcast deal by two extra years, the AFL Commission ruled today that there would be no trial this year.
The league confirmed the decision to the Herald Sun.
Goyder said over summer he kept getting into “strife” raising the proposal but believed it would one day make sense.
“To be clear I’d love a twilight Grand Final, I think it would be sensational to attend and, importantly, the television coverage I think would be incredible,” he said.
“And I think our media partners are pretty strongly supportive as well. When is a good question.
“We’d have to have the best entertainment lined up and we’d also need the support of the clubs because halftime would probably be a bit longer, so there’d be a few adjustments that would need to be made.
“We certainly weren’t ready this year but before my time is up hopefully we’ll give it a go — so there you go.”
Today, the AFL chairman added: “The Toyota AFL Grand Final is the biggest event in the Australian sporting calendar, consistently attracting more than 100,000 fans to the MCG for the last Saturday in September.
“Our Grand Final showcases the best parts of our game, both on and off the field, and we look forward to another outstanding AFL season ahead of us.
“We will continue to ensure the event remains the benchmark for Australian sport.”
Last year’s one-sided Grand Final as the Tigers pulverised GWS was a ratings flop but was over as a contest well before half time.
A twilight trial with a grandstand entertainment spectacle would need a length of as many as 29 minutes so the band or singer could set up the stage then bump out.
Originally published as AFL Grand Final to stay in day timeslot for 2020 as league resists twilight temptation
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