Saying it was always looking for ways to ‘bring fans closer to the game’, the AFL has confirmed a new ‘Mask Singer Round’ to take place in an added extra week between the Preliminary finals and Grand Final.
CEO Andrew Dillon said the move was developed after months of careful listening to fans who begged the AFL to ‘focus on the fundamentals’.
“People have told us they want consistency in umpiring, stable rules, and less Americanisation. So naturally, we’ve introduced a round where your team’s full forward might be dressed as a rabbit singing Ariana Grande”
He admitted the AFL had not removed the unpopular ‘stand’ rule. “But you could be seeing Jordan De Goey singing Taylor Swift while dressed as a purple spider, so I think that’s a very good outcome for the fans and the game”.
Under the exciting new format, players will not reveal their identities until they kick a goal or are concussed and have to leave the field. Umpires will need to identify each player before awarding a free kick. If they get it wrong, the player will be awarded a 62.5 metre penalty.
The game will be played between the 11th and 3rd ranked teams after round 19.
The AFL has assured supporters this is not a gimmick and is merely the first step in a broader strategy to modernise the product’s entertainment fundamentals through its identity pathway arc.
