AFL broadcasting and clubs boss Travis Auld has shed light on the league's fixture plans for next season, revealing the league's intention to schedule additional Thursday night games in 2023 and scrap the much-criticised rolling fixture.
Speaking on Sportsday, Auld told fans to expect more Thursday night fixtures next season, claiming fans adored them.
"I think we're seeing more Thursdays … we'll see more Thursdays and you can see why," Auld said.
"Fans love them, it's just getting the balance right in terms of right venues, right times of year, right matchups.
"This year I think we're aiming for about 10, so I think we'll see a few more than that next year."
Auld also announced the AFL will scrap the rolling fixture that has been prominent through the recent COVID-affected seasons, detailing the league's strategy to reveal Rounds 1-15 when the 2023 fixture is initially released.
"We've certainly listened to fans and clubs … we fell into a rolling fixture during COVID because we didn’t know where we were going to be week to week," Auld said.
"We went into this current season, I think we released nine or ten rounds up front, still a bit worried about the impact of COVID, but we also saw some benefits in a rolling fixture.
"The feedback we got from fans was they wanted a bit more certainty, we had a chat to clubs about that a couple of weeks ago, and their view is 15 rounds feels really good.
"I'd imagine we'd then release Rounds 16-22 around Round 10-12, somewhere around there, and give them plenty of runway into the last part of the season.
"Then we'll leave Round 23 as a floating round which has worked quite well to set up the finals."
Auld added there was "momentum building" for earlier Friday night start times, with many fans complaining about the current 7:50 PM kick-off.
"I think one of the things we're trying to understand is has behaviours changed. Are not as many people going to the office going on a Friday?" he continued.
"We deliberately started later a Friday because a lot of people were getting to the game late, we're talking five, six, seven, eight years ago, [now] that seems to be happening a bit less."
