ID :
166800
Wed, 03/09/2011 - 11:59
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/166800
The shortlink copeid
Five-week finals could be AFL's future
SYDNEY, March 9 (AAP)-The five-week finals series that so delighted Andrew Demetriou last year could become a permanent feature of the AFL season.
The league chief executive was happy when Collingwood and St Kilda drew their grand final, forcing a lucrative replay a week later, and is looking at a longer finals series next year to cater for the expansion to 18 teams.
The league might also expand the top eight to nine teams or even 10.
A formal pre-season competition is also still prominent in the minds of AFL decision-makers as they prepare for 18 teams.
Demetriou has scoffed at criticism of the month-long NAB Cup format, saying the current competition has been one of the most successful.
But he confirmed the AFL would probably revert to a 30-week schedule for the pre-season, regular season and finals next year when Greater Western Sydney becomes the 18th team.
The premiership season is two weeks longer this year, with the grand final on October 1, because the 17-team schedule means there are bye weekends.
The AFL aim to finalise the format for the 2012 fixture by June and are looking at options such as a shorter pre-season and the revamp of the finals format.
"I'm not quite sure why people have been talking the NAB Cup down, that it's not going well," Demetriou said.
The AFL say crowds for the NAB Cup are 14 per cent up on last year, with Essendon and Collingwood certain to fill Etihad Stadium for Friday night's grand final.
Demetriou added the league could maintain a 22-round regular season, rather than going to 24.
"At the moment, there's very strong support for maintaining 22 rounds," he said.
Gold Coast will become the 17th team this year and Demetriou is bullish about the new club, going so far as saying they perhaps needed to be measured about their off-field progress.
"Off the field there's a huge buzz around the Gold Coast - it's probably better to keep a lid on it than not," he said.
The AFL are also pleased about the progress of GWS, saying the 18th team's membership is now at 8700, with about half from the ACT.
This will also be a landmark year for the AFL because they will announce their new broadcast rights agreement.
The next deal, which the AFL want to announce as soon as possible, could be worth more than $1 billion.
Demetriou refused to comment on the specifics of negotiations, especially the touchy subject of live telecasts in the primetime Friday night slot.
"Not wishing to get into a running commentary of broadcast rights, you've heard me say, ad nauseam - live sport is what the world is demanding," he said.
"Everything is so instantaneous.
"What I will guarantee (is) that there will never be a better coverage and reach throughout this country, to every corner of the land, of AFL football after this broadcast rights agreement."
League operations manager Adrian Anderson also said the AFL was not keen to agree to the players' demand for a set percentage of real income under the next collective bargaining agreement.
The players' association wants 25 per cent of the cash.
"We've communicated all along that we have real concerns about that sort of model," Anderson said.
The league chief executive was happy when Collingwood and St Kilda drew their grand final, forcing a lucrative replay a week later, and is looking at a longer finals series next year to cater for the expansion to 18 teams.
The league might also expand the top eight to nine teams or even 10.
A formal pre-season competition is also still prominent in the minds of AFL decision-makers as they prepare for 18 teams.
Demetriou has scoffed at criticism of the month-long NAB Cup format, saying the current competition has been one of the most successful.
But he confirmed the AFL would probably revert to a 30-week schedule for the pre-season, regular season and finals next year when Greater Western Sydney becomes the 18th team.
The premiership season is two weeks longer this year, with the grand final on October 1, because the 17-team schedule means there are bye weekends.
The AFL aim to finalise the format for the 2012 fixture by June and are looking at options such as a shorter pre-season and the revamp of the finals format.
"I'm not quite sure why people have been talking the NAB Cup down, that it's not going well," Demetriou said.
The AFL say crowds for the NAB Cup are 14 per cent up on last year, with Essendon and Collingwood certain to fill Etihad Stadium for Friday night's grand final.
Demetriou added the league could maintain a 22-round regular season, rather than going to 24.
"At the moment, there's very strong support for maintaining 22 rounds," he said.
Gold Coast will become the 17th team this year and Demetriou is bullish about the new club, going so far as saying they perhaps needed to be measured about their off-field progress.
"Off the field there's a huge buzz around the Gold Coast - it's probably better to keep a lid on it than not," he said.
The AFL are also pleased about the progress of GWS, saying the 18th team's membership is now at 8700, with about half from the ACT.
This will also be a landmark year for the AFL because they will announce their new broadcast rights agreement.
The next deal, which the AFL want to announce as soon as possible, could be worth more than $1 billion.
Demetriou refused to comment on the specifics of negotiations, especially the touchy subject of live telecasts in the primetime Friday night slot.
"Not wishing to get into a running commentary of broadcast rights, you've heard me say, ad nauseam - live sport is what the world is demanding," he said.
"Everything is so instantaneous.
"What I will guarantee (is) that there will never be a better coverage and reach throughout this country, to every corner of the land, of AFL football after this broadcast rights agreement."
League operations manager Adrian Anderson also said the AFL was not keen to agree to the players' demand for a set percentage of real income under the next collective bargaining agreement.
The players' association wants 25 per cent of the cash.
"We've communicated all along that we have real concerns about that sort of model," Anderson said.
