Latest news with #AndrewDillon
The Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Approach to AFLW's 10th season suggests some remain unconvinced of its value
Football will return to Victorian free-to-air television on Saturdays to mark the start of the AFLW season, but the first three rounds will be split across Channel Seven's main and secondary channels in a sign the broadcaster it is not fully convinced of the competition's ability to draw ratings. The AFL has faced criticism this season for its new broadcast deal which has given Saturday's men's matches exclusively to Foxtel in Victoria, in an attempt to increase Thursday night coverage on Seven. While Seven is still finalising its programming, only the season-opening Thursday night double-header of Carlton v Collingwood followed by West Coast v Gold Coast, as well as Sunday afternoon slots, are set be shown to Victorians on Seven's main channel over the first three rounds. The qualified support for the women's code from Seven comes as AFL head office seeks to accelerate growth in a competition entering its tenth season, and address negative perceptions about the AFLW. On Tuesday, the AFL chief executive, Andrew Dillon, rejected the language used in a story in the Age earlier this month which claimed the AFL told clubs at a CEOs' meeting that the AFLW was 'losing $50m' each year. 'That's certainly not a line that's ever been run by the AFL, we have a big investment in AFLW, but it's an investment absolutely worth making,' Dillon said. 'You can talk about direct profit and losses, but I think what's also important when you look at a competition like AFLW, [are] the indirect benefits that we have from having an elite women's competition.' The comments appeared to be a stern response to a persistent rhetoric from some in the AFL industry who see the women's competition as a waste of resources. Dillon said people shouldn't forget the impact of the AFLW on helping clubs win grants to build new clubrooms, attract new sponsors and retain female fans. This year will see the men's and women's seasons overlap, triggering a first-ever 18-match mega round. Last AFLW season began during the AFL's pre-finals bye weekend, but this year's first round coincides with round 23 of the AFL. However, the women's competition will still be be prominent on free-to-air, with 11 of 27 matches over the first three rounds screened on Seven and 7plus nationally. All matches until the finals are shown on Foxtel/Kayo. Dillon this week highlighted the progress in AFLW, given it was conceived barely more than a decade ago: 'If you'd said that we would be here 10 or 11 years later with 18 teams with 30 players, being the [league with the] most professional female athletes employed in Australia, and the fourth-highest combined salary cap of any sport in Australia – men's or women's – I would have said you were crazy.' But when asked for his reflections on the league's priorities, he instead offered a nostalgic perspective of the early years, when fans came to largely unticketed venues in their droves. 'If we can make that match-day experience as compelling, as engaging maybe as it was in years one and two where there was just so much joy in the game … ' he began saying at an AFL summit of hundreds of club staff on Tuesday, before amending his language. ' … Not that there's not [joy today], but I think that's something if we can rediscover that – I wouldn't say it's a hidden gem because it's really well known – but I think that we've got a really solid base from which we can grow.' Sign up to From the Pocket: AFL Weekly Jonathan Horn brings expert analysis on the week's biggest AFL stories after newsletter promotion About 200,000 attended the 29 matches in the first season in 2017, including almost 25,000 to Carlton v Collingwood at Ikon Park for the historic opening match. The inaugural season had an average crowd of close to 7,000 according to website Austadiums. Last year, 108 fully ticketed matches attracted more than 290,000 fans, but at an average of less than 3,000 a match. The competition now appears better set up for the longer term. The league is now settled into its late winter/spring window. The compressed fixture of last year has been scrapped, and matches in 2025 have been given traditional timeslots. There are no midweek fixtures and there has been an effort to build rituals into the season such as Indigenous round and Pride , as well as capitalising on the men's grand final week when the Geelong women play at home on Thursday night before four AFLW matches in Melbourne on the Friday public holiday. Despite the hopes of some players and the construction of new change rooms at the MCG, there will be no double-headers with the AFL. Rather, officials are trusting that the athleticism and skill of AFLW athletes, some who have now played for 10 seasons, together with a refined marketing strategy will be enough draw more fans to mostly suburban grounds, and offer a television product that repays the faith of Channel Seven. 'It will be really interesting to see how the two-week overlap goes this year in terms of attendance at games and viewership,' Dillon. 'But I feel it's a competition and it's a game that deserves its own time and its time to shine.'
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
AFL refuses to address reports of Snoop Dogg grand final act
It would be tha shiznit. Rumours are swirling that Snoop Dogg will drop it like it's hot for the pre-game entertainment at this year's AFL grand final. But the AFL is refusing to say whether the talk is fo' shizzle. The speculation started after Melbourne radio host Ross Stevenson told 3AW's Rumour File 'it had been suggested' the 53-year-old would headline the game at the MCG on September 27. 'It has been suggested to me that the Grand Final entertainment this year will be Snoop Dogg,' he told the show last week. AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon dismissed rumours at a press conference on Tuesday. But promised fans they could expect 'big acts'. AFL CEO Andrew Dillon promised fans could expect 'big acts' at the Grand Final. Credit: News Corp Australia 'The Grand Final entertainment is important,' he said. 'So many people care about it and we're going to have a big act that we'll be announcing relatively soon.' AFL spokesperson Jay Allen dodged questions about the rapper and said pre-game entertainment announcement would be imminent. 'The pre-game entertainment at the AFL Grand Final is always a talking point and we're hoping to make an announcement shortly,' he told The West Australian. 'We are excited to deliver another world class show in front of 100,000 fans at the 'G and the millions more watching the broadcast ahead of the biggest game of the season.' Best known for his hits Drop It Like It's Hot and Gin and Juice, Snoop made music history after headlining the 2022 Super Bowl LVI halftime show with other hip-hop greats Dr Dre, Eminem, Mary J Blige and Kendrick Lamar. The rapper has been at the centre of various controversies, including claims he sexually assaulted a woman after one of his concerts in 2013. Snoop last toured Australia in 2023 as part of his 'I Wanna Thank Me' tour.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
AFLW remains 'investment worth making' despite concerns, says Andrew Dillon ahead of 10th season
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon insists the AFLW remains an investment "absolutely worth making" as the competition battles with stagnating crowds and ratings ahead of its milestone 10th season. The competition kicks off with Carlton playing Collingwood at Princes Park on August 14. In recent years, the AFLW has expanded in size and season length while players are receiving far better salaries and conditions, but it has dropped off in attendances and TV ratings. The AFL has reportedly told clubs the women's competition is losing $50 million a year, though Dillon says that's not a "line" that's ever been run by the league. "We have a big investment in AFLW, but it's an investment absolutely worth making," he said. "And you can talk about direct profit losses, but I think what's also important when you're looking at a competition like AFLW, are the indirect benefits that we have from having an elite women's competition. "The increase in women and girls coming to our games, increasing women and girls playing our game, the opportunities that it opens up for our clubs in terms of infrastructure, the opportunities that it opens up for the clubs in the AFL in attracting and retaining broadcasters, commercial partners and just attracting fans. "I think it's an investment well worth making." Dillon was speaking at the AFL's industry summit involving staff from all clubs. Tuesday's summit included a presentation making it clear the AFL considers the AFLW a key "lever" in achieving its overall attendance and membership targets. Dillon was confident the AFLW was heading in the right direction. "Coming into season 10, we've got a really solid base from which I think we'll grow," Dillon said. "We've got incredible athletes coming into the game, incredible athletes playing and now what we want to do is just continue to promote the game and get more people to come and see it in person and then watch it on TV. "I think if you haven't watched it more recently, you'll be really pleasantly surprised. The style of play is really exciting, and I'm really looking forward to season 10 starting in a couple of weeks." AAP
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Big winner': AFL chief doubles down on Thursday football despite criticism
The AFL says Thursday night football is here to stay, as the league's free-to-air broadcaster declared it wanted the most compelling games all season long in the timeslot, which has been dogged by one-sided contests this year. League chief executive Andrew Dillon on Tuesday defended the key slot but promised he would push for a wider spread of teams playing on Thursday nights next season. Thursday night football was embraced for a full season for the first time this year. Declaring that move a success, Dillon said the timeslot had delivered an average TV audience of 1.06 million viewers – up one per cent on last year – and average attendance of 40,000 – four per cent lower than last year's 42,000. 'Thursday nights have averaged above the season average, so that's a tick. Thursday nights have rated extremely well, but what I think is important is that we have a spread of teams that play through those different slots, so absolutely we will take that on board,' Dillon said from the sidelines of the inaugural AFL industry summit at Marvel Stadium. 'We have evolved the fixture over the last couple of years with the floating fixture, which is not always as popular with all of our fans. But we think that is one important part. Loading 'Maybe this year is a bit of an outlier in terms of the teams that were selected earlier on, some big Victorian teams, who were in pretty solid form at the time the floating fixture was put in. That hasn't come to fruition. 'Again, the games are still rating pretty well, are still pretty well attended, but we will take on the feedback from fans, broadcasters and our clubs as we look to the 2026 fixture.' The past two months in the heart of winter and the school year have been a hard sell for the timeslot, broadcasters Seven and Foxtel not helped by the disappointing campaigns of power clubs Carlton (six Thursday night games so far this season) and Essendon (five). The two clubs are also likely to meet on a Thursday night in round 24.
The Age
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
‘Big winner': AFL chief doubles down on Thursday football despite criticism
The AFL says Thursday night football is here to stay, as the league's free-to-air broadcaster declared it wanted the most compelling games all season long in the timeslot, which has been dogged by one-sided contests this year. League chief executive Andrew Dillon on Tuesday defended the key slot but promised he would push for a wider spread of teams playing on Thursday nights next season. Thursday night football was embraced for a full season for the first time this year. Declaring that move a success, Dillon said the timeslot had delivered an average TV audience of 1.06 million viewers – up one per cent on last year – and average attendance of 40,000 – four per cent lower than last year's 42,000. 'Thursday nights have averaged above the season average, so that's a tick. Thursday nights have rated extremely well, but what I think is important is that we have a spread of teams that play through those different slots, so absolutely we will take that on board,' Dillon said from the sidelines of the inaugural AFL industry summit at Marvel Stadium. 'We have evolved the fixture over the last couple of years with the floating fixture, which is not always as popular with all of our fans. But we think that is one important part. Loading 'Maybe this year is a bit of an outlier in terms of the teams that were selected earlier on, some big Victorian teams, who were in pretty solid form at the time the floating fixture was put in. That hasn't come to fruition. 'Again, the games are still rating pretty well, are still pretty well attended, but we will take on the feedback from fans, broadcasters and our clubs as we look to the 2026 fixture.' The past two months in the heart of winter and the school year have been a hard sell for the timeslot, broadcasters Seven and Foxtel not helped by the disappointing campaigns of power clubs Carlton (six Thursday night games so far this season) and Essendon (five). The two clubs are also likely to meet on a Thursday night in round 24.
