THE Eastern Football League could open the 2013 season with a night game at Bayswater Oval.
In an interview with the Weekly, EFL chief executive Rob Sharpe said the league was continuing to speak with tenant club Bayswater and other sides about the possibility of a night game in round 1.
TAC Cup club Eastern Ranges may also play night matches at Bayswater Oval in 2013.
He said cold weather made night football unlikely outside of either early or late in the season.
“We may well do something in the first round at night but there is still work to get through on that,” he said.
“Eastern Ranges have also spoken to us about playing games at night there. We think it would be a good feature game for the venue.
“But it does get really cold at night there so we would need to play games early or late in the season.”
Sharpe did emphasise the EFL doesn’t control the ground which belongs to Knox Council and is tenanted by Bayswater Football Club during winter and Bayswater Cricket Club in summer.
Sharpe also revealed the EFL has had more people attend its finals series than ever before heading into the division 1 grand final on Saturday. (Sept 22)
While the crowds for earlier finals matches were below expectations, Sharpe said the grand finals had drawn large crowds.
The EFL measures its crowds by the number of paying spectators.
“We had a record crowd in the division 4 grand final on Sunday and anyone who was out there would tell you it was great to see so many people enjoying the day,” he said.
“The grand finals were really good, the earlier finals weren’t what they had been but we have got more of them so it was spread over more games.
“Overall the numbers were as good as they have been.”
The EFL will host its division 1 grand final at Bayswater Oval this Saturday with Balwyn to play Vermont for the premiership.
“Those two clubs are the blue bloods of our competition,” Sharpe said.
“They both play attacking, high-scoring football matches so it’s the good outlook.”
The Weekly will have more from Rob Sharpe in its papers next week.