NINE wants Monday Night Football if it wins next TV rights (Age)

[one-eyed]

Nine has Monday night football in mind
JON PIERIK
March 30, 2010

THE Nine Network has revealed it would be keen to cultivate Monday night football if it regains a slice of the AFL television rights.

As discussions between all free-to-air networks, Foxtel and the AFL heats up over a new five-year deal beginning in 2012, Nine's executive director and Melbourne boss Jeff Browne has told The Age he believes more could be made of Monday night football.

The AFL has slated just the one Monday night clash this season, in round seven when St Kilda takes on Carlton at Etihad Stadium.

There are day games between Hawthorn and Geelong on Easter Monday, in round five on the Anzac Day long weekend between Carlton and Geelong and the traditional Queen's Birthday clash between Collingwood and Melbourne in round 12.

Browne said Friday night football wasn't necessarily the big one when it came to jostling for the new rights.

"Not necessarily, we like all the slots the AFL has chosen to schedule their games and we'd be keen to develop the Monday night franchise," he said.

The AFL was last season buoyed by the Monday night clash between St Kilda and Collingwood in round seven that drew a crowd of 46,880 at Etihad Stadium and a large TV audience.

The inclusion of Gold Coast next year, adding an extra 11 games, and Greater Western Sydney in 2012 means the league must find another fixturing slot, with Saturday twilight also on the league's radar.

AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan has said teams could volunteer to make Monday night matches their own regular fixture, as North Melbourne was able to do with eventual success on Friday nights in the 1980s.

The NRL has long declared its Monday night matches a success, based largely on healthy ratings on Fox Sports.

In the US, the NFL schedules its marquee match of the round on Monday nights when games are televised to a huge national audience and advertising is strong for the host broadcaster.

Browne said discussions with the AFL were continuing but Nine's commitment to regaining a piece of the AFL pie it lost after the 2006 season was strong.

''Regaining the AFL is at the top of our list.''

Nine could again team up with Foxtel but all networks are waiting for the federal government to release its new anti-siphoning guidelines.

Industry insiders believe the new five-year rights deal could top $1.2 billion, up from the $780 million secured last time.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/nine-has-monday-night-football-in-mind-20100329-r89g.html

[the_boy_jake]

Just no.

[RollsRoyce]

All the more reason for them to lose.

[mightytiges]

It's only worked once in the past and that was our game against North in 1995. Monday night footy has been a flop every time since it's been tried. Why not do something revolutionary and play the extra game on a traditional Saturday arvo. Even the EPL still plays a number of games on a Sat. arvo.

[Hellenic Tiger]

It's only worked once in the past and that was our game against North in 1995. Monday night footy has been a flop every time since it's been tried. Why not do something revolutionary and play the extra game on a traditional Saturday arvo. Even the EPL still plays a number of games on a Sat. arvo.

That's because also the day after was The Anzac day public holiday so we may have got some neutrals that night as well. Us being 3-0 and being on our way to our best start since the 40's helped also.