AFL discussing a 28 Game season for next year

[bornadog]

Under current discussion is a 28 games season next year to help make up for games missed this year. I guess this may mean the shorter games stay.

Any thoughts?

[hujsh]

Extended season with reduced lists. What could go wrong?

[comrade]

17 games should stay, IMO.

[azabob]

I am strong in the view that the season should be 17 games and be a rolling fixture year on year.

If it returns to a 22 game season, the quarters should remain the length they currently are.

I've felt over the last couple of years the season goes too long and so do the matches.

Isn't Tom Brown the only one pushing the 28 game season?

[Axe Man]

I would prefer we just go back to the regular season and game length.

Bevo's take:

The Dogs have one of the shortest injury lists in the competition, but Beveridge says that keeping list sizes relatively stable is one of the key parts the League needs to consider if they want to add more games to the fixture next season.

"If we're going to continue to explore more games and some condensed periods of the season then why don't we just go the whole hog and play 34 games?" Beveridge said.

It's not just the players who are battling through the short turnarounds, but cuts to every club's soft cap spending in 2021 will make a longer season very difficult to get through, he added.

"If we were to go that way, then that 6.2 (million dollar) soft cap constraint would have to blow out extraordinarily almost back to what it was," Beveridge said.

"The support staff whether its medical, conditioning, media, coaching, whoever they may be – they're cooked."

[comrade]

I would prefer we just go back to the regular season and game length.

Bevo's take:

I agree with Bevo, longer is not the way to go.

[bornadog]

The reason for longer is to make up for the revenue loss from this year.

Things to consider:

1. Do memberships stay the same for 28 games, so we can attend more games for the same dollars as 22 games?

2. Shorter quarters = fewer goals - so don't whinge if teams not kicking goals.

3. Injuries and list sizes

[bornadog]

I am strong in the view that the season should be 17 games and be a rolling fixture year on year.

If it returns to a 22 game season, the quarters should remain the length they currently are.

I've felt over the last couple of years the season goes too long and so do the matches.

Isn't Tom Brown the only one pushing the 28 game season?

17 games mean less dollars to clubs.

Nothing wrong with 22, but it should be a fair 22 and worked so that each team plays each other twice over 5 years (or whatever the permutation is)

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I would prefer we just go back to the regular season and game length.

Bevo's take:

Me too.
I hate the shorter format.

[Twodogs]

If we are we may as just play each team twice and go to 38 (?) games.

I'm not against the idea though. We can't have another 17 game season. The game can't afford it.

[Hotdog60]

If we are going down with this sort of caper I reckon play each other twice and be done with it at least there will be a miniscule resemblance of some fairness to a contrived fixture.

[GVGjr]

17 games mean less dollars to clubs.

Nothing wrong with 22, but it should be a fair 22 and worked so that each team plays each other twice over 5 years (or whatever the permutation is)

17 games should only be a fall back position if we can't have a full season next year as well, the loss of income for those 45 less games would hurt the competition

Next year is going to be a struggle for the competition and clubs.
Memberships numbers could easily decline as the economic impact really starts to bite
Will grounds still have the reduced capacities in place?
Can the broadcasting companies still afford to pay up?

The AFL have to get the balance right and this won't be easy. There is going to be a lot less money in the game for at least 2 more seasons.