It's time for thursday night footy!

[globaleagle]

So you better get your hubs sorted!

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl-embraces-thursday-night-football/story-e6frg7mf-1226498769998

THE 2013 NRL season will kick off with Thursday night games being played in the first four rounds of the competition.

But 2013 will be the first season that four Thursday night games form part of the opening month of the competition. The decision means rugby league will be broadcast on television five days a week for the opening four rounds.

The official NRL draw, including a schedule of days and times of each match for the first 20 rounds, will be finalised by mid-November.

 

[The Who]

It really is becoming a TV sport.
How many fans will be motivated to attend on a Thursday night?
Channel Nein better get creative with CGIs of virtual crowds and sound tracks of 'crowds' cheering.

 

[castle eagle]

and work out a big compensation deal for teams forced to play thursday nights

 

[lsz]

They have already....the new rights deal

 

[eagleE]

I prefer Thursday night rather than Monday night for football. At least for my it is not so crazy.

 

[MWSE]

Wow. I wonder which idea the NRL will steal off the NFL next. Maybe we can start drafting players out of colleges in the US. Get some originality NRL!

 

[silvertail]

Stupid idea.

Bet Brisbane won't get any Thursday night games.

 

[Wolfpack]

I prefer Thursday night rather than Monday night for football. At least for my it is not so crazy.

Agree with this completely, there are some merits to having a game on thursday night, much prefer it to Monday.

Seems silly to have the four TNF games in the first four weeks of the season though. Why not spread them out over the season?

 

[simon64]

Will these games be on Fox or 9 ?

I suspect Fox.

 

[Frogz]

1 live on channel 9 for the week.....big deal the ARLC signed off on.......apparently

 

[Duff]

I'd actually prefer Monday to Thursday from the perspective of someone who'd make all attempts to go to either.
Monday is crap but you're unlikely to have anything else to do. Thursdays can get as socially booked as weekends at times. There's a bigger chance of something clashing that you can't get out of.
As far as work goes, they're basically both the same.

 

[Mals]

Doh glad it's only around for the 1st 4 weeks. Thursday nights are not good for me work wise. We do our prod releases on Thur nights... unless it's a big one & then it's Saturdays.

No doubt Manly will get at least one Thur night game.

 

[DSM5]

Probably all of them, and at Brookvale before a crowd of 4.300.

 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

as long as
a) they don't carry on about how fans don't travel, and how low crowd numbers are etc..
b) they work on a fair system so gap between games is fair for ALL teams.
i couldn't really care less when the games are played anymore. Obviously I'd love nothing more than daytime weekend games all the time, but reality is while the NRL are bent over for Nine we have more chance of 9 building a studio set at Nine HQ for the teams to play on so it's cheaper for them to not take cameras / staff out on the road than that happening. If NRL wants bums on seats, then they are certainly going the wrong way about it with this approach. They obviously don't give two hoots as long as the money keeps landing in their account from Nine.
You wouldn't buy full ticketed memberships these days, as chances are it'll be impossible to make all the games unless you have a lucky work / family schedule or live right near the ground. I'm done caring, every year they just get worse and worse. I'll be amazed if this fixed schedule is a fair and balanced one.

 

[Brookie4eva]

I'll be amazed if this fixed schedule is a fair and balanced one.

I remember Gyngell saying Ch 9 had just bought the game and would schedule as he pleased, so no amazement is likely to happen.

 

[Mals]

I'll be amazed if this fixed schedule is a fair and balanced one.

I remember Gyngell saying Ch 9 had just bought the game and would schedule as he pleased, so no amazement is likely to happen.

Indeed the Broncos will still play nearly every home & away game on a Friday night.

 

[Hamster Huey]

I'll be amazed if this fixed schedule is a fair and balanced one.

I remember Gyngell saying Ch 9 had just bought the game and would schedule as he pleased, so no amazement is likely to happen.

Much like the general ignorance by Nine towards Manly for all but the biggest blockbuster matches being on Friday to drive ratings, I can't see them scheduling a Sea Eagles match-up on the Thursday.

 

[Shoe1]

Who will be the first team to get a Monday followed by a Thursday?

 

[Stevo]

Won't happen

 

[MadMarcus]

I'll be amazed if this fixed schedule is a fair and balanced one.

I remember Gyngell saying Ch 9 had just bought the game and would schedule as he pleased, so no amazement is likely to happen.

In that case expect to see a new game 1 week, followed by 3 repeats in the following weeks, then another new game but at a different time, another time change leading into 5 repeats and 4 new games randomly interspersed, a 4 week hiatus, repeats of games at 7pm every night with additional ads with new games appearing from time to time on random days at random times until the season is over.