Saturday 4.30pm timeslot

[Gavin Excell]

Is Saturday 4.30pm now considered a new marquee timeslot?

Have noticed a few high profile games scheduled then. Personally I hate that timeslot but seemingly others like it given 87k turned up yesterday for Geelong Carlton.

 

[STPer18]

Is Saturday 4.30pm now considered a new marquee timeslot?

Have noticed a few high profile games scheduled then. Personally I hate that timeslot but seemingly others like it given 87k turned up yesterday for Geelong Carlton.

I assume Geelong requested it for our 'home' game yesterday the same way we did in the 2022 QF against Collingwood in order to get more Geelong people travelling over. The turnout yesterday was huge so I can see it becoming the norm for Geelong home games in Melbourne.

 

[JohnZ]

Is Saturday 4.30pm now considered a new marquee timeslot?

Have noticed a few high profile games scheduled then. Personally I hate that timeslot but seemingly others like it given 87k turned up yesterday for Geelong Carlton.

Fox pays more $$$ than Ch7, so yes, they want big games in that slot for the exclusivity.

Additionally, it's a good time for cats fans to get up to Melbourne (after saturday sport in the morning), but can also get home by 10pm so not too late for the kids. win win

 

[maskmcgee]

Its the best timeslot to attend all week, still the weekend the next day, not all played in daylight, doesn't finish too late.

 

[NetworkNerd]

Fox pays more $$$ than Ch7, so yes, they want big games in that slot for the exclusivity.

Additionally, it's a good time for cats fans to get up to Melbourne (after saturday sport in the morning), but can also get home by 10pm so not too late for the kids. win win

No idea why the car park wasn't open... How do you guys get up if you can't park at the G? Vline or park somewhere else and walk down?

 

[JohnZ]

No idea why the car park wasn't open... How do you guys get up if you can't park at the G? Vline or park somewhere else and walk down?

Who drives to the G? Never understood those who did. It's very easy to walk from the city to the G, most get the VLine or park in the CBD. Lunch before, dinner after is what we did.

 

[Romeoh1]

Love it.

 

[Franc de Borges]

We’ve had three in a row.

 

[Gavin Excell]

We’ve had three in a row.

Yes

Bizarre

 

[St Plugger]

The AFL getting the footy publc "conditioned" to the time slot for Marquee games, in preparation for the shift to a twilight Grand Final, is the most likely reason for this scheduling!

 

[joe444]

When it comes to asking Geelong fans (20% of whom live well west of Geelong) to drive to the MCG for a home game, I'm fine with it.

Although Carlton's supporter base contributed to the crowd size, so did the fact that Geelong fans weren't facing the prospect of arriving home at 1am.

Indeed, if home finals at KP are out of the question, we should at least be given a timeslot that allows the maximum number of Cat fans to travel to the 'G'.

 

[maskmcgee]

Who drives to the G?

People like me who know where the secret free untimed parking spots are. No paying, no waiting, only a short walk. But I agree, who would drive to and pay to park in the dirt right at the MCG? Stupid, expensive and inconvenient.

 

[Toump Ass]

I drive and park at the G because I'm lazy and people on trains smell funny.

 

[btdg]

Carlton have now had 3 in a row...

I think it is a particularly good slot for crowd attendance:

• It is much easier to get to after the bulk of Saturday sports etc has finished in the morning, and early enough that kids can attend.
• It's a good timeslot for people coming from further away from the CBD (particularly Geelong supporters or those in the outer burbs) who might not want to be on public trasnport at midnight.
• It also finishes early enough that you can go out in the city afterwards - for dinner, a show, whatever.
• It is profitable at the ground- not just for good attendance, but because it does overlap with reasonable timing for food/drink sales at half time (early dinner) and for alcoholic drinks (compared with 2:20 which is after lunch, too early for dinner, and probably too early for most to have more than 1-2 beers).

That said, I haven't really enjoyed having 3 in a row. It's a weird timeslot for viewing on TV at home; kind of shuts off afternoon activities if your own team is playing, and one that slides under the radar for anyone else (much more likely to throw on the early game and the night game).

I think we will continue to see it for tier 2 matches - not the biggest blockbusters (who TV will want), but as a way of adding financial value to mid-tier games. Carlton vs Adelaide at Docklands was a sellout (46,000 people) - the last time the two teams played at Docklands was 2022 and that was a Sunday 4:30 game with only 23,000 attending (Carlton were 5-2 going into that match, so form wasn't hugely different). Last year Carlton hosted Geelong in a 7:20 round 2 Saturday game and had 52,000 (with a hopefuly Carlton team playing the defending premiers). This year it attracted 87,000

I think the big TV matches (eg: Carlton/Collingwood) will still go to night games, but this will start to be the default slot for those second tier matches.

 

[StillAtLarge]

Its the best timeslot to attend all week, still the weekend the next day, not all played in daylight, doesn't finish too late.

1:45 Sat is still the best. Maximum sunlight, perfect finishing time to head out post game for a couple of drinks and a bite to eat. Family friendly.
Twilight is the worst as the weather varies heaps from first bounce to the game's conclusion.
You often need shorts and a tee for the first half and a bloody down jacket for the second!

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Who drives to the G? Never understood those who did. It's very easy to walk from the city to the G, most get the VLine or park in the CBD. Lunch before, dinner after is what we did.

I can understand it for elderly, disabled, etc. But for anyone else the walk from Jolimont or Richmond stations, and even from the CBD, is something even lazy obese old me can do without a problem.
And its probably about half an hour quicker to get away than by car. Which is probably why so many park in South Yarra instead and walk from there, guessing its an option for those who live nowhere near a train line.

 

[Gavin Excell]

1:45 Sat is still the best. Maximum sunlight, perfect finishing time to head out post game for a couple of drinks and a bite to eat. Family friendly.
Twilight is the worst as the weather varies heaps from first bounce to the game's conclusion.
You often need shorts and a tee for the first half and a bloody down jacket for the second!

That's a good point on the clothes aspect

 

[The Prosecutor]

Is Saturday 4.30pm now considered a new marquee timeslot?

Have noticed a few high profile games scheduled then. Personally I hate that timeslot but seemingly others like it given 87k turned up yesterday for Geelong Carlton.

It's may favourite for attending games and I wish we had more of them.

 

[Alex Matt]

Personally I’ve been a big fan of the slot for many years. Never understood why it used to get a sub-par game. It’s a good slot to attend or watch at home. Preliminary Finals in the slot have been huge. I’m keen for Geelong to request more. Also, good for families when night games are too late.

 

[Matilda05]

Is the best timeslot for a Saturday Game. As other have mentioned , seems to be the perfect balance of allowing school sport commitments and not being too late an evening so as post match functions can be attended

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

I can understand it for elderly, disabled, etc. But for anyone else the walk from Jolimont or Richmond stations, and even from the CBD, is something even lazy obese old me can do without a problem.
And its probably about half an hour quicker to get away than by car. Which is probably why so many park in South Yarra instead and walk from there, guessing its an option for those who live nowhere near a train line.

Even if you live far away from a station it is still easier to drive to one and catch a train in instead of the s**t fight that is the MCG car park. Only thing worse is the Marvel car park.

 

[maskmcgee]

1:45 Sat is still the best. Family friendly.

Oh good that means less annoying children at the 4.30 games.

 

[RAPPA]

It’s as good as the 4pm/4.40pm Sunday time slot is sh*t

 

[The Casey Cat]

We’ve had three in a row.

Is a lot. How do they suit you compared to 1.45, 3 or 7.30 starts?

 

[Billy ray]

Dammit. For years noone wanted it and the SUNS loved it now we getting shunted out of it