MELBOURNE, Australia -- For over a century, Australia's football traditionalists have had it their way.
For absolutely no reason at all, players run through a 20-foot high banner made of sticky tape and crêpe paper, umpires persist with bouncing an oval shaped ball after each goal and, for as long as anyone can care to remember, the AFL schedules grand finals on a Saturday afternoon.
To be honest, the banner and ball bounce add to the spectacle of Australia's unique sport but in terms of the grand final timeslot, enough is enough. It's time for change.
The AFL is the only sporting code in Australia to play its showpiece match in complete daylight. The old-school scheduling robs fans of a thrilling build-up, greater excitement and, most importantly, a far better spectacle both for those at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as well as the millions tuning in on television.
A night grand final would exponentially improve the spectacle. Picture 100,000 fans crammed into the MCG on a Saturday night. Darkness has descended over Melbourne, the lights have been switched on, and then the fireworks begin ... both on and off the field. It would be a truly picturesque sight.
It's no coincidence the NRL, Super Rugby and A-League competitions have all elected for either twilight or evening grand finals as it takes the whole sporting spectacle to another level, not to mention how much a prime time slot benefits broadcasters. The AFL itself schedules almost every other final in the evening, so why not the big one?
Each year millions around the globe marvel at the entertainment extravaganza that is the NFL's Super Bowl. It's the most watched annual sporting event in the world for good reason and it looks sensational on television thanks to the regular evening kickoff. It just works in every single way.
The Singapore Grand Prix is another excellent example of how a sporting event can thrive in the evening. Back in 2008 the jaunt around the streets of Marina Bay became the first Formula One race to be held under lights, and in 10 years it has grown to become one of the jewels in the 21-race calendar and a bucket-list event for motorsport fans around the world.
An evening start would allow for more festivities to take place throughout the day as excitement builds. Fans can still enjoy a barbecue lunch, or head out before settling in with friends and family for the game. There's absolutely no need to have everything rushed in the morning and force fans to wake up at stupid-o-clock in order to arrive at the ground well before the first bounce.
If the AFL is serious about growing the game both within and outside Australia then it must showcase its marquee clash in the best possible light, pardon the pun. And fortuitously, an evening grand final would likely draw more international viewers. Instead of a 1.30am start in New York City it could be 6:50am. Instead of a 5.30am start time in London it could be 10.50am.
Earlier this year, AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan weighed in on the debate when he admitted moving the grand final to a later start was an inevitability. However, strangely, he opted to stay with the afternoon start time "for now".
Make no mistake, sooner or later the AFL will make the timeslot switch.
And when Collingwood and West Coast run out onto the MCG on Saturday afternoon just pause and think about how much better it would be if they did so a few hours later.
Change doesn't mean conformity but rather getting with the times. Professional sport is a multi-billion dollar industry, and it's about time the AFL joins the 21st century and shifts its showpiece game to the evening.