Eddie McGuire has criticised the AFL's decision to revert back to a traditional 2:30pm grand final start time in 2021, claiming that the league is giving the NRL a free kick.
After the one-off night grand final in Brisbane due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria last year, the AFL opted to return to its traditions, confirming a day grand final to be held at the MCG.
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While he praised AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan for his efforts to keep the game afloat amid last year's financial crisis, McGuire questioned the decision to go back to the day grand final.
"I think the AFL are doing a lot of things right, Gil McLachlan had a sensational year last year," he told Nine's Footy Classified.
"Everyone is tired and a lot of people have left the game because they were exhausted from last year.
"The rationale is that we go back to some of the traditions of the game to keep people happy.
"I think there is one person that thinks it is a fantastic idea, and that person is Peter V'landys, the ARL Commission chairman. I think he is laughing all the way to the bank."
Last year's grand final drew incredible TV ratings, with close to one million more viewers tuning in compared to the 2019 decider, which was played in the traditional time slot.
It was also the highest ever Brisbane audience for any non-Lions game ever, and the highest Sydney audience for a non-Sydney grand final in 20 years.
McGuire added that the AFL's decision to revert back to a day time grand final could prove costly if it chooses to expand with a 19th team in Tasmania in the coming years.
"We need to make sure that the AFL grand final is the number one show on television if we're going to be able to pay for Tasmania, pay for five people on the bench, and I just can't understand," he said.
"What business in the world hides its product? We're spending a fortune on New South Wales and Queensland, they're on the harbour, they're on the beach on a Saturday afternoon.
"When the whips are cracking in the next few years, if State of Origin one, two, three, the NRL grand final and Married At First Sight are ahead of the AFL grand final, it doesn't matter who you are, it's going to be hard."
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