The NFL is crystal-ball gazing with what the League may look like in 2020. They have put a series of videos together highlighting different aspects of the possible futures. There are six videos so far with more on the way.
http://www.nfl.com/qs/2020/week-1.jsp
A couple of things I found interesting in the two videos I watched so far (Weeks 1 and 6):
-they are looking at expanding the experience at live games by having smaller stadiums, and including standing room for cheaper tickets, while heated seats with power connections for premium seats.
-wireless technology, hd video and more and more data is a huge consideration. Do you want to know what the heart beat of a particular player is? How about how fast they are running? Real time fantasy stats FTW!
-expanding the roles of positions from specific functions to broader functions. This seems quite contrary to the last 40 years of NFL where player positions have been heavily specialised. The trend of faster, fitter, leaner athletes is consistent, but a wide receiver-quarter back combo just seems too disjointed from the norm.
-the new stadium to be opened for the SF 49ers next year cost $1.2bn!
I wonder how some of these visions relate to our game: AFL.
The AFL has been talking about 'boutique stadiums' for a while, despite doing away with smaller stadiums in the 90s. The AFL, to me, wants this because hosting the Dees v Giants at the MCG is a lose-lose situation, financially, aesthetically (empty stands). Neither team has sufficient supporters. Throw them in a 25k capacity ground and the money looks better, the stands look better, it feels more like a suburban experience from decades ago. Maybe put in some mud-pits at full-forward too? Make it fun. Oh, sorry, the old-school AFL 'fans' (read: Age/HS/Australian reporters) dont want fun: the football itself it plenty sufficient. But is it? Is it sport or entertainment? What is entertainment in 2013? 2020? Is it sport + environment + stats + video + twitter + fantasy?
Would AFL fans like to see standing room back at the MCG? Maybe a long bar with standing room down the entire southern stand, the back filled with HD tv's showing the game, other games, stats, odds, etc? How about premium seats with USB connections?
Oops, I made a mistake in the last paragraph, you couldn't watch other games at the MCG because the AFL has taken a shotgun approach to games instead of bunching them together (Maybe they could show replays of other games). Which, as a segue, is exceptionally stupid as, I expect, most fans only care about one team, their team, and are not going to watch 8+ games over the weekend because they can/are on tv/foxtel.
Are AFL players becoming more position specialised? I would argue that they are. Just like other professional sports each position has a particular specification requirement. "You must be this tall to play at Half Forward", "You must be this much of a prima donna to play Full Forward [looking at you Jack!]". The AFL draft combine equivalents feature jumping and running tests and are becoming more 'Americanised', searching for the perfect combination of physical and emotional traits. Say goodbye to the future Dane Swan's of the world. Or maybe not. There are always the diamonds in the rough, the ones that can be taught how to behave like a human and not the beast they think they are at 17 years of age. But some just s[t]ink, no matter how hard you try (Fev).
My non-exhaustive list for the AFL for 2020*:
1) no more sponsorship, or reduced sponsorship, on players clothing - it looks stupid
2) NO sponsorship on coaches clothing - it looks REALLY stupid
3) transition from sport to entertainment
4) integrate fantasy sports and reduce gambling during broadcasts
5) move 1 or 2 teams out of Melbourne
6) retain top-8
7) mandate protective headwear at least through formal U17s with a view for introduction in the AFL by 2025/30
8) proper video review technology incorporating slow-motion and digital reconstruction
9) two more field umpires on the ground with a view for two more by 2030
10) one more goal umpire at each end
11) rule change that the ball crosses the plane of the start of line, the ball doesnt have to cross the entire line, when the ball passes out of the field of play. That is, at the goal-line, if any part of the ball breaks the vertical plane of the boundary then its a goal. Trying to determine if the entire ball crossed the line is too much.
12) player suspensions should be abolished for all but extreme penalties, the primary penalty should be monetary fines. I'm so tired of watching good players miss games for stupid on-field indiscretions. Fine them, let them play - entertain me. Don't punish me.
In summary: the game needs to transition from suburban sports game to a professional entertainment industry and put aside its regional, parochial perspective. It's taken strides in the last 10-15 years, but it is not close enough. It's not NRL, its the freakin' AFL and it should stand tall like EPL, NFL, NBA.
*Slow work day
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