Given that Fox already have Super Saturday for the majority of the season, I don’t see why Seven wouldn’t get the extra Thursday games - would help ensure that Fox can have as many Saturday’s to themselves as possible (at least in Melbourne) while Seven still get to produce and air the same amount of games.
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There were 80 Seven produced games in the 2024 H/A season.
So far I’m assuming Seven will produce:
- 25 Friday night matches (including 1 Good Friday twilight, Anzac night match)
- 25 Sunday afternoon/ night matches (including Easter Monday; 7 showed this instead of a Sunday match this year)
- 23 Thursday night matches (including Anzac Eve)
- 1 Anzac day match (Friday afternoon)
- 1 Dreamtime match (Saturday night)
- 1 Kings Birthday match (7 showed this in addition to a Sunday evening match this year)
That gives 76 matches which suggests 4 Saturday night matches after round 15, although I could see 7 not showing the Anzac evening and perhaps a Thursday night match after State of Origin. There’s also the possibility (probability?) of a few Sunday matches not being shown during the byes like this year.
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State of Origin? When was that announced?
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It wasn’t. There is no AFL State of Origin.
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I think Sunday Kings Birthday Eve between Bombers & Blues are permanent
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It could be that the 2 rounds without Thursday will have a 7 Saturday match.
So
Thursday: 23 (including ANZAC Eve)
Friday: 25 (including ANZAC)
Saturday: 2
Sunday: 25 (including Kings Birthday Eve)
Marquee: 3 (Dreamtime - Saturday, Kings Birthday - Monday, Easter Monday - Monday)
That’s 78 matches. To get to 80, they might have Saturday night in the final 2 rounds too (R23 & R24)
Maybe a ANZAC Friday double header - similar to this years Thursday double header
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No doubt there would be a Friday double on AZNAC Day. I’d also go out on a limb and say there is a high chance they could also air the Gather Round Saturday Night Match, so would only need Round 24.
According to the SEN article, Thursday nights from R0 to R22, “with the league set to put it on ice for two weeks for flexibility leading into finals”
So maybe R21-R24 have Saturday night on 7, with 7 showing 4 matches in R21 & R22
Full quote:
The league will roll out Thursday night games in each of the first 16 weeks of the year, from Opening Round to Round 15.
It will then be included in seven of the last nine weeks of the home and away season, with the league set to put it on ice for two weeks for flexibility leading into finals.
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Fremantle is set to play an Indigenous “All-Star” side on Saturday, February 15 next season, marking what’s being billed as the “return” of AFL State of Origin. However, in reality, it’s more of a novelty game, similar to past match-ups like the Bushfire Appeal match or various Victoria vs. AFL All-Star games. While it taps into the State of Origin vibe, it’s more about celebrating Indigenous talent than reviving the traditional format.
Indigenous isn’t a state. How can it be called state of origin? What are the two states?
While unlikely on a five city/national level, if there is a game that clashes with SOO, it could be advantageous to Seven for Victorian, Adelaide, West Australian and Tasmanian markets, where viewers would no doubt be impacted and to create a disruptor, especially the calibre of an Essendon v Carlton match for example. Though networks have rarely liked to be competitive at all on such one-way traffic major events.
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I think that might be the first Thursday night match between Essendon and Port Adelaide at Docklands since the venue’s first AFL match in 2000.
Would also be a good way to indirectly mark Docklands’ 25th anniversary too.
Sorry, meant league. The posts above were talking about a thursday night match being behind a paywall as a free kick to RL given they have thursday night matches. Was just sloppily saying there’s no NRL the (thursday) night after a SOO match.
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From Seven’s Upfronts
AFL fans are in for a treat, with Seven presenting AFL content every day of the week during the 2025 season, including games on 22 Friday nights, 15 Thursday nights, 23 Sundays, eight Saturday nights, six marquee games, three roving marquee games, every game in the Finals Series and – exclusive to Seven and 7plus – the Brownlow Medal and the AFL Grand Final.
The Front Bar ’s regular AFL shows and cricket and year-in-review specials return in 2025, along with a series of brand new AFL offerings for Seven and 7plus Sport, giving footy fans access to fresh AFL content every single day.
The AFL programs include The Agenda Setters, Unfiltered, Extra Time, Sunday Footy Feast, The Wash Up, Kane’s Call, podcasts and more.
Seven is also commissioning a pre-season documentary inside an AFL club, in the lead up to the season, to run after The Front Bar titled Full Sweat.
The 7plus Sport and Seven AFL team are also working on an alternative kids’ commentary for selected Sunday afternoon matches.
Seven Network Director of Sport, Chris Jones, said: “The 2024 AFL season was extraordinary. A year for the ages, but we’re even more excited about what’s to come in 2025.
“From Monday to Friday every night, there will be AFL content to watch or stream on Seven and 7plus Sport. So, with more nights of footy programming throughout the 2025 AFL Premiership Season, as well as live match broadcasts streamed on 7plus Sport for the first time, there has never been a more exciting time for AFL fans,” Mr Jones said.
“The seven-day-a-week AFL offering will be amplified on 7plus Sport, with replays, minis, highlights, video on demand, and unique exclusive content from the nightly magazine programs, which will be streamed live as well. 7plus Sport will again feature Club Hubs, encouraging AFL clubs to present their bespoke content specific to their fans. We will work to amplify that content, giving it national reach.”
Note however:
The number of AFL games on Seven mentioned was correct at the time of writing but will change a bit when the AFL releases the 2025 fixture.
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That’s a brilliant idea, borrowing a leaf from Sky Sports’ F1 broadcast.
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My first thought was the NFL on Nickelodeon, but yeah, I think the AFL Kids concept will be closer to what the F1 is doing.
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The press release above says Seven only has 15 Thursday night games, so 8 Thursdays will be Fox exclusive?
I’m looking forward to a more accurate, insightful and articulate alternative to Brian Taylor.
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It says it was correct at the time that the press release was written, which could be prior to this morning - it was only confirmed this morning that there would be additional Thursday Night games, so it could be subjected to change once the full fixture is confirmed.
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