General footy chat 2020 Fixture (revamped)

[bloodspirit]

The revamped fixture for 2020 Rounds 2-5 was launched a couple of weeks ago: AFL fixture 2020: Draw, games, times, venues, Rounds 2 to 5, schedule, round-by-round schedule, first phase of new fixture | Fox Sports.

I'm here to gripe about the free to air coverage of matches. For rounds 3-4 only two games will be broadcast FTA in Sydney: AFL Fixtures & Results - AFL.com.au. After being relatively 'spoiled' with 4 games this week, in round 3 only the Thursday and Friday night games will be broadcast and there will be no games broadcast over the entire weekend and that includes our match against North. Not happy, Jan. How did this come about? Does anyone know?

Will it be any better after round 5, I wonder? I'm surprised because I would have thought Channel 7 would be demanding to broadcast as much as possible because surely it will be a ratings winner and they'll be rearing to make up lost ground? Or not? Has footy been out of sight, out of mind for the non-diehard footy tragics? Is it going to be hard to win back the TV audiences because they've moved on? With limited competition and winter setting in, surely people will be delighted to barrack from the couch (possibly with their favourite McLaren Vale shiraz in hand - I know that's a popular option for RWOers)?

Are others aware of this? Do you care or do you all subscribe to Foxtel (apart from KTigers who I note is considering his options)?

On other fixture related topics:

* Are they likely to release the rest of the fixture in one go or will they keep drip feeding us a few rounds at a time so they can flexibly respond to the public health restrictions? I'm guessing the latter.

* It's looking like the chances of people being allowed to watch the games is increasing - how will this affect the fixturing? Will they want to ensure teams get more home games if they are allowed crowds? Will the possibility of crowds affect the size of the venues? Conversely I might have wondered whether they would fixture at grounds with smaller grandstands etc (that might be cheaper) while no crowds were possible to save money - but this doesn't seem to be happening. Possibly because of the existing contracts and relationships with the venues that are normally used (and in the case of Marvel, because it is AFL owned).

* Will more games be fixtured in Tassie than normal?

* Will teams have to travel more or less? What will emerge from this and could it effect fixturing in future seasons?

* Will there be any rhyme or reason to the way they determine which teams get an extra home game (given the odd number of rounds this season)? Some have suggested the 'extra' game could be fixtured at a neutral venue but I can't really see this happening.

* Will Geelong get to host more matches in Geelong this season since they won't be required to play at home in Melbourne to allow for larger crowds? Will this give them a greater advantage than most because they have such a distinctive ground (long and skinny) - even if it is a smaller than usual advantage because the greatest part of home ground advantage comes from having your fans there to rally the troops and provide the 'noise of affirmation' for umpires?

What are your thoughts about the 2020 fixture?

[Nico]

The revamped fixture for 2020 Rounds 2-5 was launched a couple of weeks ago: AFL fixture 2020: Draw, games, times, venues, Rounds 2 to 5, schedule, round-by-round schedule, first phase of new fixture | Fox Sports.

I'm here to gripe about the free to air coverage of matches. For rounds 3-4 only two games will be broadcast FTA in Sydney: AFL Fixtures & Results - AFL.com.au. After being relatively 'spoiled' with 4 games this week, in round 3 only the Thursday and Friday night games will be broadcast and there will be no games broadcast over the entire weekend and that includes our match against North. Not happy, Jan. How did this come about? Does anyone know?

Will it be any better after round 5, I wonder? I'm surprised because I would have thought Channel 7 would be demanding to broadcast as much as possible because surely it will be a ratings winner and they'll be rearing to make up lost ground? Or not? Has footy been out of sight, out of mind for the non-diehard footy tragics? Is it going to be hard to win back the TV audiences because they've moved on? With limited competition and winter setting in, surely people will be delighted to barrack from the couch (possibly with their favourite McLaren Vale shiraz in hand - I know that's a popular option for RWOers)?

Are others aware of this? Do you care or do you all subscribe to Foxtel (apart from KTigers who I note is considering his options)?

On other fixture related topics:

* Are they likely to release the rest of the fixture in one go or will they keep drip feeding us a few rounds at a time so they can flexibly respond to the public health restrictions? I'm guessing the latter.

* It's looking like the chances of people being allowed to watch the games is increasing - how will this affect the fixturing? Will they want to ensure teams get more home games if they are allowed crowds? Will the possibility of crowds affect the size of the venues? Conversely I might have wondered whether they would fixture at grounds with smaller grandstands etc (that might be cheaper) while no crowds were possible to save money - but this doesn't seem to be happening. Possibly because of the existing contracts and relationships with the venues that are normally used (and in the case of Marvel, because it is AFL owned).

* Will more games be fixtured in Tassie than normal?

* Will teams have to travel more or less? What will emerge from this and could it effect fixturing in future seasons?

* Will there be any rhyme or reason to the way they determine which teams get an extra home game (given the odd number of rounds this season)? Some have suggested the 'extra' game could be fixtured at a neutral venue but I can't really see this happening.

* Will Geelong get to host more matches in Geelong this season since they won't be required to play at home in Melbourne to allow for larger crowds? Will this give them a greater advantage than most because they have such a distinctive ground (long and skinny) - even if it is a smaller than usual advantage because the greatest part of home ground advantage comes from having your fans there to rally the troops and provide the 'noise of affirmation' for umpires?

What are your thoughts about the 2020 fixture?

As I understand Geelong will have 8 games at home. Appears they will play sides there that they don't usually host. Hopefully we don't play them there.

[Meg]

Re Bloodspirit’s comments on FTA TV fixture.

In past seasons we have always got both Swans matches and GWS on FTA in NSW/Sydney, sometimes with the viewing switching so quickly from the end of one match to the start of the next that we missed the team song.

As Bloodspirit has astutely picked up, the FTA programming is less considerate of Sydney footy fans in the fixture as posted to date.

In Round 2 both GWS (1.05pm) and Swans (3.35pm) play on Sun 14 June. We WILL see the Swans match on FTA but not the GWS match.

Round 3 GWS play Fri night and will be on FTA. Swans play Sat 20 June and will NOT be on FTA.

Round 4 Swans play Thurs night 25 June and GWS play Fri night and BOTH will be on FTA.

Round 5 both Swans (3.35pm) and GWS (6.05pm) play Sun 5 July. Swans WILL be on FTA but GWS will not.

So Swans fans will miss out on one of our four matches on FTA and the GWS fan will miss out on two of his/her four matches.

H’mmm, like Bloodspirit I am not happy. I am hoping this is just a Covid reduced-resources temporary change rather than a permanent policy in regard to NSW programming.

[Melbourne_Blood]

As I understand Geelong will have 8 games at home. Appears they will play sides there that they don't usually host. Hopefully we don't play them there.

We’ve won 3 of our last 4 at that joint , I wouldn’t mind playing them there !


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[707]

I'll be watching every game live. Fox is a no brainer bargain, costs about half a cup of coffee a day to feast on AFL plus there's no adds and no Roaming Bwian!

[Mountain Man]

Kayo gives you that but at half the cost

[707]

Kayo gives you that but at half the cost

So for a quarter of the cost of a coffee you get every AFL game live without ads!

People get on board and stop having to worry about dodgy FTA, honestly, sign up now.

[Meg]

2020 Fixture (revamped)

So for a quarter of the cost of a coffee you get every AFL game live without ads!

People get on board and stop having to worry about dodgy FTA, honestly, sign up now.

Yeah well some of us don’t want to do that (for various reasons, not just related to cost).

I am wondering whether the fixture published by AFL might be showing where there is a FTA TV crew filming/commentating. And we will get all Swans & GWS matches in Sydney, but for those weeks I’ve listed above FTA will take the Foxtel feed.

Anybody know more about how the TV footy industry co-ordinates matches?

[MattW]

Re Bloodspirit’s comments on FTA TV fixture.

In past seasons we have always got both Swans matches and GWS on FTA in NSW/Sydney, sometimes with the viewing switching so quickly from the end of one match to the start of the next that we missed the team song.

As Bloodspirit has astutely picked up, the FTA programming is less considerate of Sydney footy fans in the fixture as posted to date.

In Round 2 both GWS (1.05pm) and Swans (3.35pm) play on Sun 14 June. We WILL see the Swans match on FTA but not the GWS match.

Round 3 GWS play Fri night and will be on FTA. Swans play Sat 20 June and will NOT be on FTA.

Round 4 Swans play Thurs night 25 June and GWS play Fri night and BOTH will be on FTA.

Round 5 both Swans (3.35pm) and GWS (6.05pm) play Sun 5 July. Swans WILL be on FTA but GWS will not.

So Swans fans will miss out on one of our four matches on FTA and the GWS fan will miss out on two of his/her four matches.

H’mmm, like Bloodspirit I am not happy. I am hoping this is just a Covid reduced-resources temporary change rather than a permanent policy in regard to NSW programming.

I don't think anything has changed.

Here is the broadcast guide: AFL Broadcast Guide - AFL.com.au.

As you can see, this weekend GWS is not listed on FTA, but we are. However, I think this is effectively the 'national' broadcast details; it doesn't account for regional variables.

Here's the TV guide for Canberra this Sunday: Sunday's TV Guide - All TV Show times, All Channels - 9Entertainment. As you said, unusually, the Sydney games overlap. But this is dealt with by broadcasting the GWS game on the main channel and our game on 7mate. I checked: the schedule is relevantly identical in Sydney. Noting the broadcast guide, I expect the GWS game will be a simulcast of the Fox telecast and the Swans game will be telecast by Channel 7.

[Meg]

I don't think anything has changed.

Here is the broadcast guide: AFL Broadcast Guide - AFL.com.au.

As you can see, this weekend GWS is not listed on FTA, but we are. However, I think this is effectively the 'national' broadcast details; it doesn't account for regional variables.

Here's the TV guide for Canberra this Sunday: Sunday's TV Guide - All TV Show times, All Channels - 9Entertainment. As you said, unusually, the Sydney games overlap. But this is dealt with by broadcasting the GWS game on the main channel and our game on 7mate. I checked: the schedule is relevantly identical in Sydney. Noting the broadcast guide, I expect the GWS game will be a simulcast of the Fox telecast and the Swans game will be telecast by Channel 7.

Thanks, good info. As per my second post above I think/hope you are right and we will get the Foxtel feed for those matches (Swans and GWS) that are not listed as FTA.

However the matches I listed in my first post above were specifically copied from the NSW - Sydney broadcast guide schedule. (Note the drop down box at top of page where you specify your region.) And there are regional variations shown - for example Adelaide - SA are shown as getting the Showdown on FTA but we are not in Sydney. So it is confusing.

[MattW]

Thanks, good info. As per my second post above I think/hope you are right and we will get the Foxtel feed for those matches (Swans and GWS) that are not listed as FTA.

However the matches I listed in my first post above were specifically copied from the NSW - Sydney broadcast guide schedule. (Note the drop down box at top of page where you specify your region.) And there are regional variations shown - for example Adelaide - SA are shown as getting the Showdown on FTA but we are not in Sydney. So it is confusing.

Thanks, sorry - I missed that drop down on the AFL site.

The Prime Canberra website lists the two games being broadcast on the main channel and 7mate respectively as well: TV Guide - PRIME7.

Bizarrely, I cannot find a tv guide on the Channel 7 Sydney site, through the celebrity guff and entreaties to register.

[Meg]

Thanks, sorry - I missed that drop down on the AFL site.

The Prime Canberra website lists the two games being broadcast on the main channel and 7mate respectively as well: TV Guide - PRIME7.

Bizarrely, I cannot find a tv guide on the Channel 7 Sydney site, through the celebrity guff and entreaties to register.

No worries. But I think the Canberra scheduling you have found will be replicated in Sydney. And that we will get the Swans match in Round 3 on 7Mate taken from the Foxtel feed.

So I hope Bloodspirit reads all this, it should cheer him/her up [emoji3].

[bloodspirit]

Yes, I've just read. Very encouraging!

[Mel_C]

Check the program guide on your tv for Sunday and it will show if both the Sydney games are being shown on Channel 7/7mate.

[Meg]

2020 Fixture (revamped)

Check the program guide on your tv for Sunday and it will show if both the Sydney games are being shown on Channel 7/7mate.

You are very clever Mel. I didn’t know the details would be there so far forward. Heck, the ABC guide sometimes doesn’t show what will be on in half an hour!

And yes, Ch 7 in Sydney lists AFL 1.00pm to 3.30pm on Sun (GWS match, not listed as FTA on AFL broadcast guide) and 7Mate shows AFL 3.00pm to 6pm (Swans match, listed as FTA on AFL guide).

Which is the reverse (in terms of 7 v 7Mate) to what I expected. But it will be shown ....).