AFL still in twilight zone
THE AFL is investigating the logistics – including the length of half-time – associated with shifting the grand final to a twilight timeslot, before it establishes its position.
League chief Gillon McLachlan yesterday said that a call on a twilight grand final remained “50-50” with the AFL set to formulate a standpoint to present to the commission.
Part of finalising that is considering how the day would play out.
“Why we haven’t quite finalised a view is (because of looking at the day) how long (would things take),” McLachlan said.
“Would half-time have to be longer? What happens to all the lunches? What happens to the post-match? What happens to the logistics of the day? What happens to the breakfast?
“All of these things are part of (establishing a position). A lot of people are providing input and it’s no more complicated or simple than that.
“It’s the most amazing day in Australian sport. It is also encumbent on us as a management team to progress, and that’s the challenge of this role, that you’re trying to progress and to move things forward to evolve while preserving the best of the traditions.
“The commission will support us wherever we go.”
The length of half-time in an AFL match is 20 minutes.
In the NFL, half-time is usually 12 minutes with the break extended to 30 minutes on its showcase day, the Super Bowl, to accommodate entertainment. McLachlan is adamant that the only reason the time of the grand final – which was last year played at 2.30pm – would be shifted is if it would better the experience for the people at the ground.
“It would be if you could make this sporting event better for the 100,000 people there,” the chief executive said.
“It’s not for television dol- lars or anything else. On what is a sacred day for AFL people, we wouldn’t do it for money.
“I think the fact we didn’t put it in the broadcast deal shows that.
“We would not get any more money if we change it – (we would be) doing it for the people at the game and only if we were satisfied that we wouldn’t undermine the integrity of the on-field contest.”