Countdown clocks at the ground

[Dogwatcher]

Came across this one today, what are your thoughts on the countdown clock being accessible to the punters in the outer?
I'm getting the feeling there could be plenty of opinions on this:

AFL Football Operations Manager Adrian Anderson today said the AFL would trial the use of a countdown clock at the ground for the remaining matches at Telstra Dome in the 2009 NAB Cup competition, and would be seeking the views of fans as to whether they supported or opposed its use during games.

Currently, television viewers have access to the official countdown clock via the television broadcast, as do coaching staff of the competing teams, but the AFL has prevented scoreboards at venues from displaying the official time remaining, and has always used a count-up clock.

Mr Anderson said the AFL would trial the countdown clock for supporters on the scoreboard at Telstra Dome only in the remaining three weeks of the NAB Cup, and wanted to know the views of supporters.

"The NAB Cup does enable us to trial different things that may or may not be introduced down the track, and the use of a countdown clock for fans is one area we would like to look at, starting with this Thursday's match between Collingwood and Richmond," Mr Anderson said.

"Currently, the television viewer has access to the official time while the coaches, and by extension the players, are aware of the time remaining with a direct link to the official timekeepers. The only people in the ground who don't know the exact time remaining in a match are the fans in the crowd.

"There are two distinct views - one that a supporter should be able to know the time remaining, and the other that the suspense of not knowing when the siren will sound adds to the tension of a close game.

"We will trial a countdown clock for each of the remaining matches to come at Telstra Dome and will be asking our fans to express their views and give us some feedback on the trial, either by writing to the AFL, or via the survey on the AFL website at afl.com.au.

"We particularly want the views of those fans who have been at the matches where the trial has operated."

The clock will be directly linked to the official timekeepers, meaning play will be counted down in each quarter, as well as the breaks in play at quarter time, half time and three quarter time, until the next quarter starts.
ends

[Baron Greenback]

I dunno.
I like the idea of a countdown clock, but I can just see more time wasting by players.
I also like the idea of not knowing when the match is going to end. It's something pretty rare in sport methinks.

[Pidge]

Only if it is the same as how Channel 10 do it.

[gadj1976]

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttttteeeeeeeeeeeee them

[Dogwatcher]

I thought there would have been a few more people expressing hatred for this one.

CN, I reckon you make a great point about it being easier for players to consider time wasting if they can actually see the clock.

I like the fact you don't know how long is left in the game.

[Adelaide Hawk]

What's the big deal here? If supporters don't want to know how much time is left, don't look at the clock. It's like scoreboards really, if you don't want to know the score, look away.

People who DO wish to know how much time is remaining should have the resources available to therm. The coaches, players, commentators, viewers at home, etc, all know how much time is remaining so it's not going to alter the way the game is played if they have a countdown clock at the ground or not.

I just hope if they have Countdown clocks, they don't have pictures of Molly Meldrum on them

[Hondo]

The players already know how much time is left and play accordingly. It would be a negligent coach that didn't make sure his players new where the time clock was at.

The coach knows, he tells the runner and the runner yells it out. They know when there's 30 second left, 20, 10. Even if the runner didn't tell them, at AAMI (don't know about others) the live TV coverage shows the count down clock anyway (as long as its not Ch 10).

I would support hiding the time left if no-one knew other than the time keeper. But if the only ones in the dark are the supporters at the ground (or those watching C10) then the only reason I can think of to not do it is because it's what we've always done. If we'd had it since 1960 we wouldn't care less right now.

In fact, knowing how much time is left allows supporters to better understand what's going on in the last few minutes (seeing as everybody knows but them ).

When Ch7 first brought it in in the late 80s I thought it would ruin the suspense for me. But it actually made bugger all difference and I enjoyed the games as much as I always did. There's nothing like that bounce down with 30 seconds left when you look for the fast break knowing the siren's close. It doesn't ruin the suspense, it just makes it different. I find it annoying now when C10 hide it. What's achieved?

[Pidge]

The players already know how much time is left and play accordingly. It would be a negligent coach that didn't make sure his players new where the time clock was at.

The coach knows, he tells the runner and the runner yells it out. They know when there's 30 second left, 20, 10. Even if the runner didn't tell them, at AAMI (don't know about others) the live TV coverage shows the count down clock anyway (as long as its not Ch 10).

I would support hiding the time left if no-one knew other than the time keeper. But if the only ones in the dark are the supporters at the ground (or those watching C10) then the only reason I can think of to not do it is because it's what we've always done. If we'd had it since 1960 we wouldn't care less right now.

In fact, knowing how much time is left allows supporters to better understand what's going on in the last few minutes (seeing as everybody knows but them ).

When Ch7 first brought it in in the late 80s I thought it would ruin the suspense for me. But it actually made bugger all difference and I enjoyed the games as much as I always did. There's nothing like that bounce down with 30 seconds left when you look for the fast break knowing the siren's close. It doesn't ruin the suspense, it just makes it different. I find it annoying now when C10 hide it. What's achieved?

Whats annoying about that? If its a close game (ie Sydney V Geelong 2005 Semi Final), it adds to the drama of the game when something happens in the dying seconds.

[Adelaide Hawk]

The players already know how much time is left and play accordingly. It would be a negligent coach that didn't make sure his players new where the time clock was at.

The coach knows, he tells the runner and the runner yells it out. They know when there's 30 second left, 20, 10. Even if the runner didn't tell them, at AAMI (don't know about others) the live TV coverage shows the count down clock anyway (as long as its not Ch 10).

I would support hiding the time left if no-one knew other than the time keeper. But if the only ones in the dark are the supporters at the ground (or those watching C10) then the only reason I can think of to not do it is because it's what we've always done. If we'd had it since 1960 we wouldn't care less right now.

In fact, knowing how much time is left allows supporters to better understand what's going on in the last few minutes (seeing as everybody knows but them ).

When Ch7 first brought it in in the late 80s I thought it would ruin the suspense for me. But it actually made bugger all difference and I enjoyed the games as much as I always did. There's nothing like that bounce down with 30 seconds left when you look for the fast break knowing the siren's close. It doesn't ruin the suspense, it just makes it different. I find it annoying now when C10 hide it. What's achieved?

Whats annoying about that? If its a close game (ie Sydney V Geelong 2005 Semi Final), it adds to the drama of the game when something happens in the dying seconds.

How? Do people have some sort of fantasy that by not knowing, the finish is somehow more exciting? I can't follow that.

[thebigwelshman]

AFL/VFL have always just shown the time but SANFL have always done the countdown

[Baron Greenback]

I reckon this sums it up pretty well...

http://www.realfooty.com.au/articles/20 ... 38716.html

[Hondo]

So there's never been an exciting game on TV since the late 80s when C7 brought it in? Except for games on C10?

95% of the TV viewing audience since that time have known how much time is left. Like AH, I can't see the huge issue here.

It's interesting that the RealFooty article doesn't talk about arguably one of the most exciting GFs ever, when we knew the time left - 1989 GF.

An exciting game is an exciting game. The 2005 GF would have been no less exciting if we knew how much time was left. Imagine that last kick going in with 5 seconds left and then the Barry mark!

What other sport in the world leaves spectators in the dark about the time clock? You're watching a game and then, suddenly and unexpectedly, it finishes It's almost amatuerish if you sit back and think about it and if we hadn't been brought up with it.

[rogernumber10]

On this matter, I like to be in the dark ages. But, I accept there are alternate views. For most, it seems to be black or white, with no grey.

[Pag]

I've always been a fan of the count-up clock. Can get a bit frustrating when you're watching on TV (in a game that's under a kick the difference) and the commentators are pronouncing the game as being over 30-40 seconds before it finishes (cough*Channel 7*cough). The drama disappears. Channel 10 have the right formula.

I understand that if you don't want to see the countdown clock at the ground then don't look at it, and I wouldn't. But that doesn't mean the people sitting in your vacinity wouldn't. If I wasn't looking at it, but the people in my vacinity were counting down with it, it would sorta ruin it.

I think it's a unique part of our game, that as supporters, we don't know when the game will finish, which in a close game, adds alot to the intrigue.

[Dutchy]

Every other sport knows the time left in the game except ours (well the supporters are the only ones who dont)

The benefit will be teams will be much more urgent in their movement of the ball at the end of each quarter, how many times are we frustrated by teams taking their time going forward only to run out of time

[Pag]

Every other sport knows the time left in the game except ours (well the supporters are the only ones who dont)

The benefit will be teams will be much more urgent in their movement of the ball at the end of each quarter, how many times are we frustrated by teams taking their time going forward only to run out of time

I don't mind it at the end of the first three quarters, but it should always be a count-up clock for the last quarter.

[JK]

I prefer it without knowing the time remaining, but that's just a personal preference ... I think it probably makes sense to show the remaining time however.

[Baron Greenback]

Every other sport knows the time left in the game except ours (well the supporters are the only ones who dont)

The benefit will be teams will be much more urgent in their movement of the ball at the end of each quarter, how many times are we frustrated by teams taking their time going forward only to run out of time

I reckon it will have the opposite effect mate.
If a team is up by 1 goal and they know there is only 1 minute on the clock, they'll definitely time waste.

[Dutchy]

Every other sport knows the time left in the game except ours (well the supporters are the only ones who dont)

The benefit will be teams will be much more urgent in their movement of the ball at the end of each quarter, how many times are we frustrated by teams taking their time going forward only to run out of time

I reckon it will have the opposite effect mate.
If a team is up by 1 goal and they know there is only 1 minute on the clock, they'll definitely time waste.

at the end of each quarter? doubt it

[Booney]

Keep the time a mystery. How exciting is it in a close game when 27:35 is gone and you are all guessing..."Must only be a minute to go"...." What about the time wasting earlier,I reakon there is at least 2 minutes". Then the siren pops up and surprises all.

Countdown clock at the ground? No thanks.