“Bugbear” as fans left in dark over fixture

The AFL Fans Association has lamented the uncertainty surrounding the fixture in the last two weeks of the season.

The league is set to release the fixtures for Round 23 and 24 next Wednesday, leaving just a week for fans to prepare for Round 23.

“I think the whole floating fixture is still a bugbear for fans,” AFL Fans Association president Ron Issko told Zero Hanger.

“We understand to a certain degree that we have it because the broadcasters like it but the AFL did say they would give fans plenty of notice.”

The league has held off releasing the fixture for the last fortnight of the season as it is in broadcasters' best interests to wait and maximise bang for buck from prime time fixtures.

However, there is little to gain by not formalising the Round 23 fixture sooner given several factors significantly limit the AFL's fixturing flexibility.

There are five games in Melbourne in the round and Western Bulldogs' clash with Carlton and Collingwood's match against Hawthorn have to be played later in the weekend to prevent a team coming off a five-day break.

Issko believes the fixture needs to be forecast at least six and ideally eight weeks in advance for fans, who for a generation have been accustomed to having access to the whole fixture, except the last round, in November of the previous year.

A range of fixture issues including the floating nature of the schedule, inequity and double headers on Friday nights have been criticised this season.

“If you have transparency and honesty, whether fans agree or not, they would respect you are taking them seriously,” Issko said.

“Take us on the journey and explain the decisions so we have the rationale and can be better informed.”

“We understand the last round of the season won't have much notice so that's okay and I think fans can cope with that but I don't know why fans can't know about Round 23 fixtures.”