Monday Night footy is being pushed hard againPlayers consider Monday night football
Jon Ralph | September 04, 2008
AFL players would consider taking part in Monday night football, but only if it significantly increased the league's TV-rights deal.
AFLPA chief executive Brendon Gale said the players were open to an extra day of football each week, as long as their weekly six and seven-day breaks were preserved.
The momentum continues to quicken for what would be a ratings bonanza, with the league considering its inception by as early as 2012 - the first season of any new TV deal.
The league has formulated several fixturing models for an 18-team competition, one of them including Monday night football.
This year's Herald Sun footy fans survey showed an overwhelming 65 per cent did not want Monday night football.
But Gale said if an overwhelming commercial case could be put to the players, it would be hard to knock it back.
"If that was the case, we would look at it, providing the players didn't have their ability to get an appropriate break between games prejudiced," Gale said.
The NFL's Monday night football is the drawcard game of the round in the US and attracts extraordinary ratings and huge TV-rights money.
The AFL has borrowed many of its ideas from the NFL, which has split its rights among five broadcasters. ESPN, for example, carries only Monday night football.
The AFL is considering selling individual timeslots and days to help drive up bidding next time.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24290342-19742,00.html