Swann clarifies his fans “don’t care” comment

Greg Swann seemingly suggested that AFL fans “don’t care” about the length of the game.

The discussion comes after AFL chair Craig Drummond recently said the league would look at shortening quarters when Tasmania enters the competition in 2028.

Swann was a guest on Fox Footy’s AFL360 on Wednesday night and was asked by Garry Lyon about the potential plan to shorten the length of the game.

“In an ideal world we’d like all the quarters to be 30 minutes,” Swann said.

“That would be utopia.

“And how we get there? Again we’ll have a look how you get to there. Whether it’s instead of 20 (minutes) and time on, is it 19 and time on, 18 and time on?

“There’s a lot of competing interests there. Channel 7, who are running ads, they’re very happy (with the current length)…”

Lyon indicated that fans of the game might not love the fact there are plans to make things shorter, which Swann dismissed.

Lyon said: “Our anecdotal evidence says the supporters will rail against it, but that’s ok…”

Swann responded: “Yeah, they don’t care. They’re happy with the game.

“With the crowds and the viewership, everything’s pretty good.”

Swann clarified his comments on SEN Breakfast on Thursday morning.

“A little bit around that I said the fans don’t care,” Swann said.

“What I actually meant was the fans didn’t really care about our debate, Garry, whether it was 32 minutes or 30 minutes.

“The fans are hugely important, obviously. We’re loving that they’re coming to the games and we’re loving that they’re watching on TV, and we listen to them.

“If there was a bit of misconception there, that wasn’t what it was meant to be. They do care, they care a lot about the game and we get a lot of advice about changing rules and not changing rules.

“But that was the context. Its was just that I don’t think the fans, from what I understand, are too fussed whether it’s 32-minute quarters or 30-minute quarters. They just want to see good footy which we’ll certainly get this weekend and we’ve had for most of the year.”

SEN Breakfast pair Lyon and Tim Watson discussed the length of the game situation.

Both were firm in their belief that the game’s supporters do in fact care quite strongly about how long a footy game is.

But Lyon, who does think the game can be shortened, says don’t get too worked up about Swann’s comment.

“He and I have been talking about length of game for years, and I will keep bringing it up because that’s what I believe,” Lyon said.

“Don’t get too upset everyone, the game’s not going to go back to 80 minutes. All I’m suggesting is if we could get it back to something like 120 it would be a good result.

“The length of the season is going to get longer with Tassie coming in. He and I have been talking about it for a long time, and we spoke about it again last night.

“The ‘they don’t care’ part of Swanny’s response has been taken as the supporters just don’t care about it. Of course the supporters care. He’s been at clubland forever and a day, he knows that they care.”

Watson added: “They care, they do care.

“The average fan looks forward to a football season and they want it to continue on long after the season is over.

“They can’t get enough of the game. That’s what we get fed day in, day out.”

Lyon said further: “We know very well they care and they care about the length of the season.”

Watson asked Lyon exactly what he wants to see with the shortening and tightening of the game.

Watson: “Is it a fine-tuning in the down time of the game?”

Lyon: “I just think in modern sport and modern entertainment, to see 33 or 34-minute quarters of footy is just too long.

“That’s what I think. If you don’t agree with that I respect it enormously. It doesn’t worry me that I’ve got a different opinion to everyone else. You just don’t need to be so abusive about it.

“I want it entertaining, I want it start to finish. Bang, go, next quarter, bang, go. I’m not advocating for 20 minutes.

“It’s averaging out to about 32 minutes at the moment, so tighten it up, keep it moving and get it down to the 30 minutes, it would be great.

“It’s a long season and there are a lot games in amongst all the good ones that drag. That’s what I think.”