Right: Often referred to as "Mr Football", Eddie McGuire is in favour of AFL expansion in Australia and even overseas. He has warned that Australian Rules is in danger from soccer's increasing popularity.
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Arguments in favour of AFL football being played on Good Friday
1. Those who do not wish to attend or otherwise acknowledge the ALF games on Good Friday do not have to do so
Those who support AFL games being played on Good Friday claim that such games need not interfere with religious believers’ capacity to commemorate Christ’s death.
In an opinion piece published in The Age on June 22, 2014, Damon Young argued, ‘Victorians will still be at liberty to believe in Christ's death and resurrection, and worship together in church. It just forces believers to reflect on their values. Those who need the service can, like some Jews on the Sabbath, stay away from the oval or screen. Others can watch the game and, like poet Emily Dickinson, keep the Sabbath at home.’
This point has also been made by Collingwood Club President, Eddie McGuire. In an article published in The Age’s supplement Real Footy, on April 19, 2013, Mr McGuire stated, ‘We live in a secular society, and I believe that if you want to have a sacrifice to commemorate the death of Jesus on the cross, well, then you do that, you don't go to the footy. But that doesn't mean that you don't have to if you're not into it, [nor do] the Muslims or the Jews or whoever else.’
Catholic priest, father Tink of St Aloysius Church, Moama, has indicated that the new arrangements present devout Christians with a choice most should be able to make appropriately.
Speaking for himself, Father Tink has stated, ‘I have two religions, the first one is Catholic and the second one is Collingwood. But I will always put the Good Friday services first.’
2. There are many for whom Good Friday is merely a public holiday with no particular religious significance
Supporters of ALF games being played on Good Friday argue that Australia’s is becoming an increasingly secular society, with many people having either no religious conviction or only a very superficial adherence to a particular belief system. For these people, Good Friday is merely a public holiday and they see no reason why they should not be able to enjoy the sport of their choice on that day.
North Melbourne chief executive, Carl Dilena, has stated, ‘People are becoming more tolerant of playing (on Good Friday) as generations change and society becomes more multicultural.’
On June 20, 2014, The Age published the views of Alana Shetzer in its Real Footy segment. Ms Shetzer noted Australia’s increasing secular and religiously diverse character. ‘With the Australian census of 2011 revealing that 61.1 per cent of Australians identify as Christian - down from 63.9 per cent in 2006 - there’s little doubt many people can identify with Good Friday, but there’s also a sizeable proportion of the population that observes nothing particularly holy about the Easter holiday. And that’s not to mention the 2.5 per cent of us who are Muslim or the 1.3 per cent Australian Hindus who may also argue that their holy days should be footy-free zones.’
In an opinion piece published on the North Melbourne Football Club’s official website on April 17, 2014, Dr Sonja Hood argued that prohibiting AFL games on Good Friday in a secular, multicultural society is inappropriate. Dr Todd stated, ‘Think about it – as an increasingly secular nation, in a code which prides itself on its approach to multicultural participants, we hold the holiday of one religion as sacrosanct while simultaneously fixturing other games regardless of other religious holidays (for example, Passover or Ramadan). '
3. Other sporting codes play on Good Friday
It has been argued that as other sporting codes already play on Good Friday, it is unjust to AFL supporters and unfairly restricts the commercial opportunities of the AFL clubs that this code does not.
The National Rugby League has been playing on the day since 1993, moved to two matches in 2007 and this year added another one because of the success of the Good Friday matches. The West Australian Football League began scheduling Good Friday matches in 2011. A-League Soccer staged a game between Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC at Etihad Stadium on Good Friday this year.
AFL Commission chairman, Mike Fitzpatrick, has noted the trend in sports being played on every day of the year, somewhere, and was confident Good Friday AFL games would be welcomed by football audiences.
Other holy days in the public holiday calendar are already used for some major sporting competition. The first Boxing Day cricket Test was played in 1953. Cricket has also been played on Christmas Day, most recently in 2004, when a game was played between New South Wales and Victoria.
It has also been noted that the minor leagues have been playing on Good Friday for some time. Dan Lonergan, in an opinion piece published in The Roar on June 17, 2014, noted, ‘Country and suburban leagues schedule matches on this day every year… and have benefitted financially. Kyneton and Gisborne in the Bendigo Football League in North West Victoria is an example of having made this contest their own and have attracted excellent crowds.’
Supporters of the new development argue that an embargo on AFL games being played on Good Friday was out of step with international precedents. Peter Gordon, president of the Western Bulldogs, has noted that there are deeply religious regions of Italy where soccer is played on Good Friday, and that NFL games are scheduled in America’s Bible belt.
4. Having AFL Football played on Good Friday would add to the enjoyment of the public holiday for many people
Numerous supporters of AFL football being played on Good Friday have commented on the boredom of the day without the opportunity to observe the code of their choice.
In an opinion piece published in the Real Footy supplement in The Age on April 10, 2012, Simon White argued, ‘If I'd been a rugby league fan, I could have been most of the way through a blockbuster double-header.
If I'd been a rugby union aficionado, I might have been tuning in to the Western Force's clash with the Chiefs.
If it had taken my fancy, I may have been counting down to Swansea taking on Newcastle in the English Premier League.
Instead, I was twiddling my thumbs…’
In an article published on April 6, 2012, Adam Jones noted, ‘We're a bunch of bored channel surfers on Good Friday. Primetime is a wasteland if you're not into league or charity, and a good bit of night footy would almost certainly rate through the roof.’
In an article published in One Week at a Time on May 2, 2014, Greg Gibson also commented on the tedium of the traditional Australian Good Friday. ‘I think it is about time that footy was on Good Friday. It has, historically, been the worst day and night of TV for the year. Even footy the way it is played in 2014 would help alleviate the pain.’
The AFL has stressed that it would ensure that the games played on Good Friday would offer high entertainment value.
AFL chief executive, Dillon McLachlan, has stated that clubs seeking a place in this new fixture will need to play ‘fun football’ to give them the best chance of coming under consideration to play on Good Friday.
Mr McLachlan has further stated, ‘People want to see a good game and I think where the clubs sit on the ladder and what people view the contest is going to be like is as important as the two teams themselves.’
Speaking directly to contending clubs, Mr McLachlan advised, ‘If you play competitive, fun football, people watch and you'll get the good (time) slots. It's as simple as that.’
5. AFL games played on Good Friday could be associated with Christian beliefs and part of the proceeds used to support charitable causes
It has been suggested that one way to reduce the purely commercial element of playing AFL football on Good Friday would be to use some of the proceeds from the day to assist one or more charitable causes. It is argued that such an initiative may make Good Friday AFL football less potentially offensive to Christians.
In an article published in The Canberra Times on March 29, 2013, Christopher Bantick, a columnist for The Melbourne Anglican, has stated, ‘It is true that if a Good Friday football match was played with the specific intention of raising money as part of the now-traditional Good Friday Children's Hospital Appeal, then Victorians would most likely dig deeper than usual. It would be a win-win. The Children's Hospital would be a direct beneficiary, the AFL would have a well-patronised blockbuster where no other matches were played, and Melbourne would have an alternative public entertainment…’
The possibility of conducting ALF games in a manner that is sensitive to the significance of Good Friday has been suggested by Luke Walladge in an opinion piece published in Eureka Street on March 17, 2011.
Mr Walladge gas stated, ‘Good Friday football would not be a case of simply playing a normal, garden-variety match. The day could be used to promote the Church's mission and give a public face and voice to Easter's true meaning. And just like on Anzac Day, the excitement and interest generated would be immense.’
Mr Walladge went on to further suggest, ‘Collectors taking donations for the Good Friday Appeal could be positioned outside the ground. The match could be preceded by several moment's silence, or dimmed house lights and candles or glowtubes. A nominated church leader could offer a prayer of thanks and protection.’
Catholic Father Bob Maguire, who is not opposed to AFL football being played on Good Friday, believes that it should be possible to accommodate both religious believers and those who wish to see an AFL football game.
Father Maguire has stated, ‘They will go bananas if it’s at 3pm because that was the time He was tied to a cross on a hill outside Jerusalem. Let the Catholics go to church first and then maybe have a pop-up mass at the football.’