Right: In the US, as in Australia, linking religion and sport often results in controversy. On the other hand, both religious and sporting organisations sometimes use images like this one, depicting a Christ figure encouraging muscular sport.
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Arguments against AFL football being played on Good Friday
1. A major sporting contest is out of keeping with the religious significance of the day
The Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Denis Hart, argues that a major sporting contest is out of keeping with the religious significance of Good Friday. The Archbishop has stated, ‘A public holiday is a privileged and powerful mark of respect which honours all that the death of Christ signifies: sacrifice, faithfulness and the giving of self in love. It is a way to focus on these values, as an important part of our Australian culture.’
Archbishop Hart has explained further, ‘From our awakening to the end of the day, it is the day Christians remember that Jesus Christ suffered and died for us so that we might know and enjoy the love of God for all eternity. It provides a window into values that are not controlled by consumerism, money-making or busy-ness.’
In an opinion piece published in The Record on April 23, 2013, Peter Rosengren, now the editor of the Catholic Weekly, stated, ‘To insist on Good Friday’s solemn nature is not to try and impose some alien morality or perspective on those who do not believe but to recognise and respect the very origin of our culture and our society...’
Critics of the AFL move argue that it is inconsistent to do anything on that day which competes with the primary purpose for which the public holiday exists.
Father Kevin Dillon, the Catholic parish priest of St Mary’s in Geelong, has stated, ‘The public holiday on Good Friday originates in a long tradition of honouring the death of Jesus Christ. It provides the opportunity, while not compelling anyone, for people to attend services being held in recognition of that event...
If we’re still happy to take a day off for a “religious holiday”, even if it’s not our religion or we have no religion, then competing with the reason for the holiday should be “out of bounds”.’
Peter Rosengren has made the point more strongly, arguing that if Good Friday is not primarily about religious observance there should be no holiday at all.
Mr Rosengren has stated, ‘Paradoxically, if Good Friday, established in part to permit Christians to participate in the solemn commemoration of Christ’s passion and death, became only a public holiday there would be no reason to keep it.
The question has also been raised about the appropriateness of potentially forcing players who are devout Christians to play football games when their beliefs dictate they should be attending religious observances.
In March, 2013, North Melbourne captain Andrew Swallow indicated that despite his club’s long-standing support for Good Friday games, as a practising Christian he is opposed to the move.
Swallow stated, ‘If I was to take the club line I would say yes, but personally I would prefer not to.’
2. A large majority of Australians still profess a religious belief
Though it has declined over the course of the last fifty years, religious (and specifically Christian) belief persists within the Australian community and is adhered to by a clear majority.
As part of the Australian Survey of Social Attitudes in 2009, 1,718 people across Australian communities were asked about their belief in some key religious concepts, including God, heaven, hell, life after death and religious miracles. 71% of Australians claimed to believe in God, while almost half the population continues to believe in heaven and life after death.
Critics of Good Friday AFL games note that those who attend Christian services are at least as numerous as those who attend AFL matches.
Adelaide’s Anglican Archbishop, Jeffrey Driver, has stated, ‘The place of faith and the church in Australian society is often played down in these debates as if not many people go to church, and yet still around 20 per cent of Australians have an active church connection…
Let’s not forget that something like six million Australians are still church goers, which is multiples of the number who are footy goers.’
Similarly, the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Denis Hart, in an opinion piece published in The Herald Sun on June 23, 2014, observed, ‘Remember that while up to 100,000 people can attend a game at the MCG, more than 148,800 Catholics attend weekly Mass in the Archdiocese of Melbourne alone. The number of other Christians attending services is also significant.’
3. It deprives individuals and families of one of the few days in the year not given over to commercial activity and professional sporting contests
It has been argued that in addition to the religious significance of the day, Good Friday is a unique opportunity to temporarily withdraw from the demands and distractions of consumerism and enjoy time alone or with family.
The Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Denis Hart, has stated that playing AFL games on Good Friday ‘would take away that time and space which is not only needed by Christians but desired by all people to reflect and ponder on key issues about what it means to be human.
In that sense, keeping Good Friday as a public holiday free from obligations or distractions is a symbolic acknowledgment of our need for time and space to enrich our lives with reflection, depth, and quietness.’
In response to the claim that individuals who wish to retain the special character of the day may still do so, those who want Good Friday set aside argue this cannot be done. The more commercial intrusions there are into a day traditionally exempt from them, the more the day’s is undermined.
Those who take this view argue that Western society offers few occasions free from commercial demands. People are working longer hours; both parents in families typically have jobs outside the home; retail outlets open for most of the day on most days of the year. There is a 24 hour news cycle and constant media intrusion, including the reporting of televised sporting contests. In this context, there are those who promote the spiritual and psychological value of having time when these pressures are minimised.
In an opinion piece published in The Courier on June 20, 2014, Neil Bach stressed, ‘The general health of Australians [is important]. We are under enough pressure without this deeply symbolic public holiday being chopped up. The immense benefit of a public holiday being a “complete” holiday outweighs the benefit of a football match.’
Archbishop Hart has similarly stated, ‘There are so few days we share as a community during which families and friends can spend time together, without the pressure to work or to go to the shops. It is a day with a character of its own, out of the ordinary weekly routine. There is great value in preserving that difference.’
The same point has been made by Adelaide’s Anglican Archbishop, Jeffrey Driver, who has stated, ‘In every society we need the capacity to have days of reflection and days set aside from the hurly burly of life.’
4. Good Friday AFL football games represent corporate greed
It has been argued that Australian Rules football is predominantly a commercial enterprise and that its aim in attempting to play games on Good Friday is simply to extend its profits.
Critics claim that the competition is already profitable enough not to need to play games on the one free public holiday in the ALF season.
Bishop Philip Huggins, of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, has stated, ‘The AFL has chosen to preference another money-making opportunity over respect for cultural traditions and sensitivities, continuing the grinding banality of product marketing.’
In an opinion piece published in The Courier on June 20, 2014, Neil Bach condemned ‘the commercial greed of the AFL. It is behaving like a toddler who is offered a cupcake but would rather take one already in the hand of another child.’
In an opinion piece published in In Daily, The Adelaide Independent News, on June 17, 2014, David Washington stated, ‘Of course, there is no pressing requirement to hold an AFL match on the most sacred and solemn day on the Christian calendar. It’s just an opportunity to manufacture a new “blockbuster” match, to create revenue, and build the strength of selected clubs.
The AFL…is looking after its own interests. It cares not for the sensibilities of Christian churches or players only the growth of its own power, influence and revenue.’
Collingwood president, Eddie McGuire, has openly stressed the primacy of high profits for the Good Friday AFL fixture. McGuire has stated, ‘If we are going to use Good Friday, this is about getting more ratings to sell the TV rights for more money down the track. If we're going to do that, then we'd better put a big show on.’
5. AFL football is played on all other public holidays during the football season
Critics of the decision to play AFL Football on Good Friday argue that it is not as though supporters do not already have an adequate opportunity to enjoy their preferred sport.
As the current AFL Chairman, Mike Fitzpatrick, has noted, ‘AFL matches are scheduled on every other public holiday during the season.’ Mr Fitzpatrick offered this observation in support of games being played on Good Friday also; however, critics have noted that the already abundant opportunities to view or attend AFL games should mean that there is no need to play a further game (or games) on Good Friday.
The fact that there is no imperative to play AFL Football on Good Friday was made clear by Patrick Smith, senior sports commentator for The Australian, in an opinion piece published on April 19, 2014. Mr Smith stated, ‘For the rest who might enjoy Good Friday football, it is not an article of faith but just another opportunity to go to the footy. Cheers, and pass us another can.’
It has also been observed that the Easter holiday period already has a large number of AFL games scheduled. Dan Lonergan, in an opinion piece published in The Roar on June 17, 2014, noted, ‘The Easter weekend is a packed enough as it is, with matches on Thursday night, Saturday, Sunday and Easter Monday.
A rest on Good Friday makes sense…as well as celebrating numerous religious festivities and embracing the hospital appeal…’
In an article published in The Guardian on June 17, 2014, Russell Jackson asked, ‘Are we honestly so boring and bored that we can’t occupy ourselves for a single day of holidays without a football match?’