Twilight zone of sport
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
Key sporting events are being pressured to be staged in “twilight” time zones to maximise television viewing audiences.
F1 Grand Prix organisers are reported to have settled on a 5pm start and for the race to stay in Melbourne until 2015. There were demands for a full-scale night-time race.
Meanwhile the AFL says it expects Channels 7 and 10 to push for a twilight Grand Final before their contract to broadcast footy expires.
AFL boss Andrew Demetriou told the Herald Sun, “I think they would be looking at a five o’clock start to finish at 7.30.”
“I know that between now and the end of the broadcast agreement (2011), we will be asked about it (a twilight Grand Final) again.
“If and when that occurs . . . we will consider it then.
Demetriou said the AFL opposed a night Grand Final, but added: “Our view on the twilight Grand Final is (that it is) something we said we wouldn’t do this year. Our view hasn’t changed, but you have to anticipate what is coming up.
“The broadcasters are paying a very substantial amount of money for the rights, and they have been very good,” he said.
Source: news.com.au
2 Responses
I been living in St kilda for a few years and the Prix is literally a stones throw from here, this place is a buzz during the Grand Prix, but being at work and hearing that all day is rough. Night time would be a lot better. We have festivals here like every two weeks and most don’t match the numbers the Grand Prix get, it would be defiantly a loss for us to lose them and night time would make it more accessible and the locals would defiantly be able to cope better.
The AFL opposes a night Grand Final? Bollocks they do! They just have to say that to deflect the blame.
Their entire operation is about servicing TV schedules these days. I mean, look at the schedule. And do tell me how these Sunday evening “twilight” games at Docklands make sense. They get next to nobody there at the stadium, which hurts the clubs – but the AFL reaps the cash in extra TV rights.
Demetriou says the networks have been “very good” – implying a controlling relationship that rests with the AFL. Good luck with that one, media-mogul wannabes 🙂
As for the Grand Prix, as a CBD resident – and as someone with a brain who hates seeing money being pissed away for no benefit – I’d be THRILLED with one outcome. Let some other gullible city have the Prix. It does *nothing* for Melbourne, and shuts down a good portion of the city for those of us who actually live in it and its inner surrounds.