CANCELLATION OF THE 2020 SEASON NOT HAPPENING!!

[Sanctorum]

This will no doubt disappoint AFL supporters who have expressed a strong desire to have the 2020 AFL season abandoned altogether, but according to media reports (from all sources, not only the Murdoch Press) it is becoming increasingly certain that the 2020 season will resume, as early as mid-June, with the Grand Final to be played on October 31.

With the Qld government's decision on Friday to allow football teams to fly into Qld, on the basis that they fly-in, fly-out on the same day, it is possible that there will no need for teams to go into "hubs", an issue that has caused much concerns to many players.

ABC news is reporting that clubs have ordered all their interstate players to return to their respective home bases this week preparatory to resumption of training before the end of May.

There is obviously still a major proviso that if the incidence of the Covid-19 virus climbs back sharply in the forthcoming weeks and months as restrictions are progressively eased, the games could well be called off again, but it is likely that the Federal and state CHO's are confident that chances of that occurring are relatively slim.

Both business and governments are very keen to have life get back to normal sooner rather than later, and it is a tribute to the National Cabinet's over-riding philosophy to be agile in framing the strategies to deal effectively with the pandemic is proving to be the best way "going forward".

[Darth Vader]

If the trend continues as is, we’re definitely getting footy, 17 rounds total which is plenty for “legitimacy/integrity” of the season, no hubs. Looks fine to me, can’t wait. Just wish we’d won round 1.

[The_Dud]

But people on here have been telling us the sky is falling for weeks?!?

[perfectionist]

[samuraisaint]

Believe it when I see it.
Not that long ago people were saying that all of this would be over by May.
And here we are.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/vict ... 54pa9.html

Victoria records biggest single-day increase in COVID-19 in a fortnight.
After only a day Qld's relaxation of lockdown laws is hanging by a thread...Burleigh Hill is overflowing with people (didn't take long did it?)

[Secret Kiel]

Still doesn't dilute the fact it will be a significantly compromised flag if the season gets to a grand final. And by that stage the interest in a boringly bastardised game might have completely vanished.

[Sanctorum]

Still doesn't dilute the fact it will be a significantly compromised flag if the season gets to a grand final. And by that stage the interest in a boringly bastardised game might have completely vanished.

Let's wait and see SK, at the rate that things are changing almost daily it is entirely possible that health authorities will ease restrictions to allow spectators to attend public functions when the finals are played in October - a full 5 months from now.

I'm just happy to see my footy team play again, with or without spectators. St Kilda have a completely different lineup this year and seeing how Max King develops will be a real highlight. The competition may well be compromised, as you point out, but it will certainly help the new team to get their act together this year for a serious launch at the finals in 2021!

Sadly we won't have the privilege and delight of your regular expert comments on this forum about the "boringly bastardised game" played this year, so enjoy the respite my friend, and toodle-oo till 2021!

[SAINT-LEE]

Believe it when I see it.
Not that long ago people were saying that all of this would be over by May.
And here we are.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/vict ... 54pa9.html

Victoria records biggest single-day increase in COVID-19 in a fortnight.
After only a day Qld's relaxation of lockdown laws is hanging by a thread...Burleigh Hill is overflowing with people (didn't take long did it?)

Ummm dont know about anywhere else but up here in Northern Qld we haven't had any " LOCKDOWN" LAWS.
A few shops are closed but everyone is still doing the same.

In our region of 250,000 people: 24 days no new cases, no active cases, no deaths.

[samuraisaint]

Believe it when I see it.
Not that long ago people were saying that all of this would be over by May.
And here we are.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/vict ... 54pa9.html

Victoria records biggest single-day increase in COVID-19 in a fortnight.
After only a day Qld's relaxation of lockdown laws is hanging by a thread...Burleigh Hill is overflowing with people (didn't take long did it?)

Ummm dont know about anywhere else but up here in Northern Qld we haven't had any " LOCKDOWN" LAWS.
A few shops are closed but everyone is still doing the same.

In our region of 250,000 people: 24 days no new cases, no active cases, no deaths.

That article refers to southern Qld. Down here in Vic we've had 35 new cases in the past couple of days. Is that a lot in a state of five million people? Not sure, our lives are certainly very different. After May 11th we will hopefully see a relaxation of some of the new regulations, but it depends on how many people get tested and come back negative I guess.

[Secret Kiel]

Still doesn't dilute the fact it will be a significantly compromised flag if the season gets to a grand final. And by that stage the interest in a boringly bastardised game might have completely vanished.

Let's wait and see SK, at the rate that things are changing almost daily it is entirely possible that health authorities will ease restrictions to allow spectators to attend public functions when the finals are played in October - a full 5 months from now.

I'm just happy to see my footy team play again, with or without spectators. St Kilda have a completely different lineup this year and seeing how Max King develops will be a real highlight. The competition may well be compromised, as you point out, but it will certainly help the new team to get their act together this year for a serious launch at the finals in 2021!

Sadly we won't have the privilege and delight of your regular expert comments on this forum about the "boringly bastardised game" played this year, so enjoy the respite my friend, and toodle-oo till 2021!

I hope our club has its sights firmly set on 2021 and only use the bastardised game as preparation for 2021. With so many games being crammed into such a tight time frame and the finals and GF being played much later and in hotter weather it could really have a huge impact on the clubs ability to be ready to perform properly in 2021. I just hope our club doesn't take the bastardised game too seriously and bash themselves up over a Mickey Mouse cup.

As a side note has anyone heard if the prize money for the GF and flag has been slashed? The usual financial trapping will also be much less I assume.

[Shaggy]

I hope our club has its sights firmly set on 2021 and only use the bastardised game as preparation for 2021. With so many games being crammed into such a tight time frame and the finals and GF being played much later and in hotter weather it could really have a huge impact on the clubs ability to be ready to perform properly in 2021. I just hope our club doesn't take the bastardised game too seriously and bash themselves up over a Mickey Mouse cup.

Good chance we will also have more games and shorter quarters in 2021.

I would call it evolution rather than bastardisation but each to their own.

[Secret Kiel]

I hope our club has its sights firmly set on 2021 and only use the bastardised game as preparation for 2021. With so many games being crammed into such a tight time frame and the finals and GF being played much later and in hotter weather it could really have a huge impact on the clubs ability to be ready to perform properly in 2021. I just hope our club doesn't take the bastardised game too seriously and bash themselves up over a Mickey Mouse cup.

Good chance we will also have more games and shorter quarters in 2021.

I would call it evolution rather than bastardisation but each to their own.

That may be the case but this years comp will only be about craming as many games as possible into each week so it's going to go beyond bastardisation, it will be about wrecking players to get the cash flowing for the banks. And that will result in something that is vastly compromised and unrecognisable. I'll bet anything that most clubs will be preparing a strategy to save thier best players for a full on assault next year.

[Sanctorum]

I hope our club has its sights firmly set on 2021 and only use the bastardised game as preparation for 2021. With so many games being crammed into such a tight time frame and the finals and GF being played much later and in hotter weather it could really have a huge impact on the clubs ability to be ready to perform properly in 2021. I just hope our club doesn't take the bastardised game too seriously and bash themselves up over a Mickey Mouse cup.

Good chance we will also have more games and shorter quarters in 2021.

I would call it evolution rather than bastardisation but each to their own.

That may be the case but this years comp will only be about craming as many games as possible into each week so it's going to go beyond bastardisation, it will be about wrecking players to get the cash flowing for the banks. And that will result in something that is vastly compromised and unrecognisable. I'll bet anything that most clubs will be preparing a strategy to save thier best players for a full on assault next year.

The scenario canvassed on Fox Footy last night has the next 16 rounds played over 16 weeks, i.e. one round per week, the possibility of a special qualification round in week 17 featuring 7 v 10 and 8 v 9 (something that has previously been proposed) with the top 6 teams having a week off, then 4 weeks of finals with the GF as a possible night game on October 31st.

That looks pretty good to me and certainly won't cause players to be "wrecked".

Why anyone should be opposed to the AFL doing their best to keep the game going this year beats me. It is incumbent on the AFL to do whatever can be done to ensure the long term financial viability of the 18 team competition - abandoning the 2020 season altogether as some advocate would be highly irresponsible and risks causing long term damage to both the code and the clubs!

[Shaggy]

Repeat

[Shaggy]

That may be the case but this years comp will only be about craming as many games as possible into each week so it's going to go beyond bastardisation, it will be about wrecking players to get the cash flowing for the banks.

The AFL has reduced game time by 17.5% this year. They will not cram regularity of games by more than 17.5%. Players will relatively play less not more total game time to ensure they are not "wrecked".

Banks are providing the AFL with the funding to keep afloat even if they do not play games this year. They are not asking to be paid down. It is the opposite to what you are suggesting.

Media, sponsors, players, clubs, staff, grassroots footy & community programs all need AFL to be operating ASAP.

$400 million circulating around the AFL will help a lot of people dependent upon the AFL.

The product does not have to be perfect. It is a great time to experiment. The world has changed.

[CQ SAINT]

Still doesn't dilute the fact it will be a significantly compromised flag if the season gets to a grand final. And by that stage the interest in a boringly bastardised game might have completely vanished.

Let's wait and see SK, at the rate that things are changing almost daily it is entirely possible that health authorities will ease restrictions to allow spectators to attend public functions when the finals are played in October - a full 5 months from now.

I'm just happy to see my footy team play again, with or without spectators. St Kilda have a completely different lineup this year and seeing how Max King develops will be a real highlight. The competition may well be compromised, as you point out, but it will certainly help the new team to get their act together this year for a serious launch at the finals in 2021!

Sadly we won't have the privilege and delight of your regular expert comments on this forum about the "boringly bastardised game" played this year, so enjoy the respite my friend, and toodle-oo till 2021!

I hope our club has its sights firmly set on 2021 and only use the bastardised game as preparation for 2021. With so many games being crammed into such a tight time frame and the finals and GF being played much later and in hotter weather it could really have a huge impact on the clubs ability to be ready to perform properly in 2021. I just hope our club doesn't take the bastardised game too seriously and bash themselves up over a Mickey Mouse cup.

As a side note has anyone heard if the prize money for the GF and flag has been slashed? The usual financial trapping will also be much less I assume.

Good grief Charlie Brown, you gotta lighten up kid.

[Secret Kiel]

That may be the case but this years comp will only be about craming as many games as possible into each week so it's going to go beyond bastardisation, it will be about wrecking players to get the cash flowing for the banks.

The AFL has reduced game time by 17.5% this year. They will not cram regularity of games by more than 17.5%. Players will relatively play less not more total game time to ensure they are not "wrecked".

Banks are providing the AFL with the funding to keep afloat even if they do not play games this year. They are not asking to be paid down. It is the opposite to what you are suggesting.

Media, sponsors, players, clubs, staff, grassroots footy & community programs all need AFL to be operating ASAP.

$400 million circulating around the AFL will help a lot of people dependent upon the AFL.

The product does not have to be perfect. It is a great time to experiment. The world has changed.

I asssume your reference to $400 million is this years progress paynent of the media rights money?

Is it still $400 million?

Players recovery time due to collision injuries will be the same so if the time between games is considerably reduced then yes players will be wrecked.

[Sanctorum]

I asssume your reference to $400 million is this years progress paynent of the media rights money?

Is it still $400 million?

Players recovery time due to collision injuries will be the same so if the time between games is considerably reduced then yes players will be wrecked.

Given that the seriously abbreviated 2020 season will more or less be experimental (shorter quarters, possibility of a final 10 with "wildcard" qualification final featuring teams finishing 7-10), I doubt that teams will risk selecting players that are not 100% fit, so the likelihood of players being "wrecked" are not realistic...

[Secret Kiel]

I asssume your reference to $400 million is this years progress paynent of the media rights money?

Is it still $400 million?

Players recovery time due to collision injuries will be the same so if the time between games is considerably reduced then yes players will be wrecked.

Given that the seriously abbreviated 2020 season will more or less be experimental (shorter quarters, possibility of a final 10 with "wildcard" qualification final featuring teams finishing 7-10), I doubt that teams will risk selecting players that are not 100% fit, so the likelihood of players being "wrecked" are not realistic...

I'm very certain most teams will be unrecognisable in most games with comparison to thier best 22. That will either be due to feigned injury or not enough time to recover between games. Many players will not be taking this seriously, just like most citizens aren't taking 2020 seriously.

Do you know what this years prize money will be and what bonuses the players will receive for making the GF and winning the flag?

[Sanctorum]

I asssume your reference to $400 million is this years progress paynent of the media rights money?

Is it still $400 million?

Players recovery time due to collision injuries will be the same so if the time between games is considerably reduced then yes players will be wrecked.

Given that the seriously abbreviated 2020 season will more or less be experimental (shorter quarters, possibility of a final 10 with "wildcard" qualification final featuring teams finishing 7-10), I doubt that teams will risk selecting players that are not 100% fit, so the likelihood of players being "wrecked" are not realistic...

I'm very certain most teams will be unrecognisable in most games with comparison to thier best 22. That will either be due to feigned injury or not enough time to recover between games. Many players will not be taking this seriously, just like most citizens aren't taking 2020 seriously.

Do you know what this years prize money will be and what bonuses the players will receive for making the GF and winning the flag?

As far as I'm aware the size of the media payment is still under discussion between the AFL and it's media partners and is unlikely to be revealed until after the AFL releases the schedule for the remaining 16 rounds + finals.

This obviously will determine the payments that the players will receive for making the GF and the trophy.

[Shaggy]

I asssume your reference to $400 million is this years progress paynent of the media rights money?

Is it still $400 million?

Players recovery time due to collision injuries will be the same so if the time between games is considerably reduced then yes players will be wrecked.

No. Contracts have to be renegotiated. I am guessing the AFL can salvage half its normal revenue this year if it can play a 17-game season with crowds slowly returning as is happening in Taiwan today.

We already have 5-day breaks and players are not being wrecked. I doubt there will be dramatic change but a 17.5% decrease in game time allows the AFL some scheduling flexibility without causing undue increase in player fatigue. Players still need to be managed depending upon injuries they are carrying.

[Secret Kiel]

I asssume your reference to $400 million is this years progress paynent of the media rights money?

Is it still $400 million?

Players recovery time due to collision injuries will be the same so if the time between games is considerably reduced then yes players will be wrecked.

No. Contracts have to be renegotiated. I am guessing the AFL can salvage half its normal revenue this year if it can play a 17-game season with crowds slowly returning as is happening in Taiwan today.

We already have 5-day breaks and players are not being wrecked. I doubt there will be dramatic change but a 17.5% decrease in game time allows the AFL some scheduling flexibility without causing undue increase in player fatigue. Players still need to be managed depending upon injuries they are carrying.

I'm very certain the club will not earn any revenue from playing games this year but it will still cost a huge amount of money to play each game.

In the business world that is called trading while insolvent.

Big waste of money starting footy this year and just puts our club under even more financial stress and debt.

[Shaggy]

I'm very certain the club will not earn any revenue from playing games this year but it will still cost a huge amount of money to play each game.

In the business world that is called trading while insolvent.

Sponsors and Media will pay if we play so I hope that alleviates a lot of your concerns.

Gill is a collaborative negotiator and is likely to have had a rough indication of how much they will be likely to pay prior to settling on player payments for 2020.

Hence my guess of 50% revenue for the year.

It is also not insolvent trading. Businesses can make losses for years even with negative net assets and not be trading whilst insolvent so long as they have a backer of substance to cover cash flow.

The clubs have the AFL and the AFL has the $600 million credit facility to draw upon.

[Secret Kiel]

I'm very certain the club will not earn any revenue from playing games this year but it will still cost a huge amount of money to play each game.

In the business world that is called trading while insolvent.

Sponsors and Media will pay if we play so I hope that alleviates a lot of your concerns.

Gill is a collaborative negotiator and is likely to have had a rough indication of how much they will be likely to pay prior to settling on player payments for 2020.

Hence my guess of 50% revenue for the year.

It is also not insolvent trading. Businesses can make losses for years even with negative net assets and not be trading whilst insolvent so long as they have a backer of substance to cover cash flow.

The clubs have the AFL and the AFL has the $600 million credit facility to draw upon.

The backer of substance is a bank. We start off with $20 million in debt. We haven't made more money than we spend for a very long time, in a severely depressed economy it is going to be extremely difficult to generate enough cash to pay down our debt let alone find cash to remain competitive.

I'm guessing 2021 and 2022 are the years when we will have a real fight on our hands for survival.

[BackFromUSA]

Has anyone figured out that
- June 11 start + 16 weeks = end of September
- Final series in October

So without any interuptions to the remainder of the season, there may not be the need for 4/5 day breaks and it will be Thursday or Friday to Sunday footy as required by ground access and the normal 5/6/7 day breaks.