You might like to raise with the CEO at an AGM, but I'm going to guess the conversation might look something like this:
GOPP: "I'd like to have a different opponent for Round one. We always play Richmond - and...well...it's becoming a bit boring"Brian Cook: "Both clubs work extremely hard with the AFL to ensure this game is a major event on the sporting calendar and it has proven itself to be a success with crowds averaging over 80,000"
GOPP: "But I'm bored"Brian Cook: "Sorry to hear that. We are confident that the brand of football we displayed through the second half of 2023 is very exciting and we expect that to be the case throughout 2024 no matter who the opponent is"
GOPP: "But we learn absolutely nothing about where we're at regardless of the result!"Brad Lloyd: "I can assure you that's not the case"
Brian Cook: "We are a big club and we'd like to stay that way. To open the season at the MCG is enough of an event that is necessitates playing another big club and a respected rival. From a commercial perspective, Carlton is due to be the home team in 2024. A crowd of 80,000 equates to a profit of around $600,000* (if we only play them once) and Richmond will receive a fixed fee to recognise their part in promotion and marketing. From a TV perspective, this game reached 2.14 million viewers nationally last season. We like having Richmond as the season opener. Given that our other main rivals are locked into their own blockbusters, it would have to be something pretty special to replace what we have - and that's looking at it purely from a bottom line perspective."