Also factoring in to the AFL’s thinking is the slated entry of a 19th team to the competition in 2028 and the NRL’s popular State of Origin, which is staged throughout June/July every year.
This year’s series will conclude this Wednesday with the series tied at 1-1 and the decider is expected to attract record television numbers across the country.
While the AFL has publicly declared it is considering a rebirth of its own form of State of Origin, it’s likely to be more of an exhibition before the start of the season.
However, an in-season tournament, similar to what the NBA started in 2023, would keep struggling teams and fans engaged in the season for longer. The winning team could be rewarded with as much as $5 million, according to multiple club sources, and even a spot in the finals of the premiership season.
The new competition, which is being worked on by a subcommittee of CEOs and has so far received wide-ranging support from the majority of clubs, could be run two ways.
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The subcommittee has discussed the possibility of running the tournament concurrently with the regular home-and-away season, which would mean the games are played once every four to six weeks, similar to the FA Cup in English soccer.
Alternatively, the home-and-away season could be paused for approximately a month in the middle of the year, giving clear space to run the standalone, separate competition.
Another idea also raised in talks among the CEOs has been whether teams could recruit state league or even recently retired players for the tournament. One CEO floated big names such as Richmond great Dustin Martin and Swans and Hawks star Lance Franklin.
An in-season tournament for the AFL could also provide the game with another form of revenue, both in sponsorship and potentially a new broadcast deal.
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In 2023, the NBA staged the inaugural NBA Cup, an idea the league had been considering for decades as concern grew over dwindling TV ratings compared to its major rival, the NFL. By February 2024, global airline giant Emirates signed on as the naming rights sponsor for the tournament – which Reuters reported would bring in about $US500 million in advertising revenue.
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