Collingwood CEO Craig Kelly Blasts AFL Fixture as 'Flawed' and 'Unequal'
Collingwood chief executive Craig Kelly has delivered a blistering critique of the AFL fixture, declaring it "wrong", "broken", and in need of a complete reset. Speaking to Triple M on Friday, Kelly did not hold back in his assessment of the scheduling system, which has faced widespread criticism this season from coaches, commentators, and fans over issues like byes, short breaks, and the controversial Opening Round.
Kelly's Fiery Critique and Call for Change
"The fixture is flawed, the fixture is wrong, and it's the most unequal part of our game now where everything else is equalised," Kelly asserted during the interview. He emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating, "We've got to blow it up. We've got to start again, and we've got to have an open mind to thinking, 'how do we get an even situation where we're playing each other the right amount of times?'"
This strong stance from the Magpies' heavy-hitter is particularly notable, as many believe Collingwood, being a powerhouse club, benefits significantly from the current fixture. However, Kelly dismissed such claims, arguing that his team does not receive preferential treatment. He highlighted specific challenges, such as playing a Thursday night match at the Gabba against a strong Brisbane team and the logistical squeeze around the Anzac Day clash with Essendon.
Economic Realities and Fan Impact
Kelly acknowledged that Collingwood's popularity drives demand, but he stressed the need for alternatives. "Our first few weeks we got St Kilda at home, fantastic. Was great for St Kilda, and we love that," he said. "But then we're always playing Thursday night at the Gabba and then we're also coming back and Anzac Day we start to squeeze it."
He explained that the early part of the season is particularly difficult due to both club choices and AFL decisions, noting, "We're not saying we're whinging about it, but it is sometimes driving the economy. We're part of that conversation because our fans - and our fans are outstanding - they turn up and they travel, and Brisbane want us to go Thursday night because it fills the hotel rooms."
Kelly emphasised the importance of filling stadiums for revenue, stating, "So we need to have stadiums that have got the most amount of people, because that's the revenue model, the entertainment model."
Radical Proposal for a Mid-Season Cup
In a bold move, Kelly floated the idea of introducing "a new asset" in the middle of the season, where teams could play multiple times for a trophy or premiership points. "We play each other once and we say, right, what does that look like?" he pondered. "Then do we actually have the opportunity to start a new asset that sits in the middle of the season where we condense two weeks of footy into sort of the opportunity for us to try some VFL players ... for us to be able to bring some guys in who are not necessarily playing every week."
He suggested this could resemble strategies used during COVID, allowing clubs to rest older players and test younger talent. "We might pay multiple times during the week. So we've got almost a mini cup in the middle of the year that has a consequence and an outcome that's good for the comp," Kelly added, proposing it could serve as a wildcard ticket for finals.
Broadcast and Revenue Considerations
When questioned about the impact on broadcasters, Kelly argued that the industry might need to take a step back to move forward. "If we're smart about the middle asset, it becomes an asset that's valuable for the TV viewers, because it's new and it takes some time to build," he said. "Maybe the industry needs to take it be able to prepare to say, 'Hey, we're going to take a bit of a haircut. Come back two steps to take four steps forward,' because we haven't had that."
He reflected on the AFL's growth, noting, "From 90s onwards the industry's gone up and at about 10 to 15 per cent increase every year. COVID hits and it hits us in the head ... but we've bounced back hard." Kelly warned against over-reliance on media partners, stating, "Now what has to happen is, how do we keep revenue? We can't keep asking the media partners to be the only major form of revenue in the industry."
Kelly concluded by emphasising the unique challenges of the Australian market, saying, "At some point in time, the competition will get to a point where not every year revenue will keep increasing. It just won't. We're not a big enough market. We're not like the States. Everyone keeps pointing to the States. Forget about that. This is different."
