Bartel Dismisses AFL’s Outlandish Mid-Season Tournament Proposal, Citing Priorities

According to Nine journalist Sam McClure, the AFL is contemplating the introduction of a mid-season tournament, similar to the NBA Cup.

The current season has narrowed the field to just nine teams vying for a place in the top eight, leading to nearly 20 matches that will essentially be inconsequential for the remainder of the season.

With Tasmania joining the league in 2028, this initiative is part of the AFL’s shift away from the traditional 24-match format, proposing that each team will face each other once, supplemented by a rivalry round, Gather Round, the Opening Round, and this new tournament.

In the NBA Cup format, games count towards regular season standings as well as serving as pool or elimination matches for the tournament, culminating in the final four teams competing in Las Vegas.

The tournament victor secures a cash reward, which is distributed among the players and the club.

McClure noted that the AFL is intrigued by this model, viewing it as a potential new revenue stream, including the possibility of selling naming rights for the tournament, which could yield millions.

“The AFL is worried about teams effectively having a dead second half to the season,” said McClure during an appearance on Nine’s Footy Classified.

“There’s also a chance to generate entirely new revenue.”

“The AFL is drawing inspiration from the NBA Cup as it considers ways to keep teams that are out of the finals race engaged.”

He referenced the NBA’s partnership with Emirates, which was valued at $500 million.

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However, Geelong legend Jimmy Bartel is hesitant about the proposal, arguing that the AFL should prioritise addressing existing issues before implementing such a significant change to the competition format.

This season, the league has faced criticism regarding umpiring decisions, suspension controversies, and communication shortcomings that have put the executive team in an embarrassing position.

“The AFL has a multitude of other matters to resolve first,” Bartel remarked.

“I appreciate innovative ideas and the long-term vision, but we should proceed with caution, rather than rushing this initiative just because of this year’s circumstances.”

With the exception of Fremantle, all struggling teams appear to be out of finals contention.

Bartel believes this year’s scenario is an outlier rather than a standard occurrence for late-season matches.

“Reflecting on 2023, only two games separated the finals positions from 13th place, and last year, it was just two games from 14th,” he noted.

“The past two seasons have been quite competitive. Our sport has had its ups and downs over the last century; it’s simply part of footy.”

McClure indicated that the AFL is considering making the tournament more appealing by offering the winner automatic qualification for the finals.

However, Bartel dismissed this notion, pointing out that such a prize would hold little value for the leading teams, who would likely qualify for the finals regardless.

“But what if Collingwood wins it? That would leave us with a spot that no one claims,” he asserted.