When the Western Bulldogs’ AFLW facet runs out earlier than the lads’s elimination closing on the primary Friday in September, it is going to mark simply the third time AFLW has graced the hallowed turf of the MCG.
It is also simply the second time an AFLW fixture has been performed as a ‘double-header’ with a males’s closing.
However whereas on paper it is an thrilling alternative, it is one which has been stumbled upon in chaos and controversy all-too-familiar to AFLW.
The Bulldogs’ AFLW facet have been initially scheduled to play Port Adelaide at Whitten Oval at 5:05pm, in a timeslot that already offered an apparent barrier to attendance.
However when the AFL selected to schedule the lads’s elimination closing on the identical night time on the MCG, it made it near-impossible for a lot of Canine followers to make each matches.
Shifting the sport to the MCG arguably solves one downside, permitting these followers who have been going to the sold-out elimination closing to additionally watch the AFLW fixture (albeit they might want to arrive at 4:30pm).
The AFLW season will get underway on Friday night time of the lads’s pre-finals bye week. (AFL Images through Getty Pictures: Michael Willson)
But it surely additionally presents different challenges. The AFL have introduced that followers who had already bought a ticket to the spherical two AFLW conflict can attend the sport on the MCG, in addition to the lads’s closing. However there are few who would have purchased tickets already.
This contains a variety of AFLW members, who’re entitled to entry at house video games. On that entrance, the AFL has stated that “a variety of tickets will even be made accessible to AFLW members of each the Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide, with the membership to facilitate entry to those tickets.”
Whereas this seems to be the very best answer to a posh scenario, it’s one other occasion of an absence of foresight and planning with regards to AFLW.
“It may have maybe been averted within the first place,” stated Carlton captain Keryn Peterson on ABC Radio Melbourne on Friday.
She did nonetheless agree that it was a “good alternative” to showcase AFLW on the MCG.
“[Playing at the MCG] is a pinnacle for all gamers… so any alternative to try this as a ‘curtain-raiser’ for what is going on to be a offered out crowd [is good]. We might get some supporters with eyes on the sport who do not usually watch AFLW.”
AFLW fixturing controversy ‘disappointing’: AFLPA
For Julia Chiera, head of AFLW on the AFL Gamers’ Affiliation (AFLPA), the fixturing downside is a case of “deja vu” for AFLW.
“I do discover this specific occasion disappointing due to the massive quantity of labor we’ve accomplished with the gamers and AFL collaboratively within the low season round fixturing and planning,” she stated.
“The reactivity of selections is one thing that has been an ongoing situation for AFLW, particularly round fixturing.
“It is disappointing that we do not take into consideration how we’ll rejoice AFLW. As a substitute, it is, ‘How does W match into every part else?'”
Brisbane and Melbourne performed an AFLW preliminary closing on the MCG in 2022. (AAP Picture: Joel Carrett)
This season’s AFLW fixture options a variety of departures from custom, together with a month of Tuesday and Wednesday night time video games which have additionally drawn the ire of followers.
Nonetheless, Chiera stated the AFLPA was much less frightened about mid-week video games, seeing them as a substitute as an “alternative” for progress.
“I perceive that for some folks, these video games are tougher to get to as a result of they’re mid-week,” she stated.
“However the best way they’ve been positioned is that almost all of them are in class holidays.”
Citing the Wednesday 5:15pm Frankston conflict between Hawthorn and Gold Coast for example, Chiera stated the hope was that that point slot would attraction to “the households of the Mornington Peninsula”.
“I’m hopeful will probably be an ideal college vacation exercise, and with 99 video games within the fixture, we’ve all kinds of various video games that may attraction to all kinds of various followers,” she stated.
With the season increasing to 12 video games subsequent season, Chiera stated it was necessary that AFLW discovered “new time slots” to keep away from clashes with AFL males’s.
“There’ll come a time the place we’ve 18 video games per week, and we do not need an AFLW recreation performed at 9am on a Saturday morning,” she stated.
“We have to discover new audiences, and time slots that work.”
AFLW should meet attendance metrics for season to broaden
The push to seek out new audiences outdoors a “rusted-on” fanbase is being pushed by a clause within the present Collective Bargaining Settlement (CBA) which stipulates that the season will solely broaden if sure attendance and broadcast metrics are met.
Going into the latest set of 18-month-long CBA negotiations, the AFLPA pushed for 16 video games by the top of the present deal, however have been rebuked by the AFL.
The AFL as a substitute put ahead that the season would develop to 14 video games by the top of the present deal if the AFLW achieved a median attendance of 6,000 folks a recreation, and 100,000 folks watching every broadcast.
The AFLW is eyeing off a variety of attendance and broadcast targets in an effort to broaden its season. (Getty Pictures: AFL Images/Michael Willson)
These metrics are controversial on a variety of fronts, notably given video games are scheduled at occasions that make it very troublesome for followers to attend in-person, together with 5:05pm Friday night time video games, in addition to the brand new mid-week fixtures.
AFLW can be performed at a variety of grounds which have capacities lower than 6,000, nonetheless Chiera stated this was accounted for when calculating attendance averages.
The AFLPA are additionally seeking to safe a deal which permits “reductions” for these video games scheduled at extra unsociable hours, guaranteeing these don’t harm the AFLW’s capability to broaden past 12 rounds, presently assured for subsequent season.
As with the double-header on the MCG, nonetheless, it stays to be seen whether or not the AFL is able to the innovation and perception required to champion AFLW’s quest for brand spanking new audiences.
Too typically it’s caught on the again foot, showing to be a thorn within the facet of its personal competitors.
