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 one.
TAC Cup club Eastern Ranges may also play night matches at Bayswater Oval in 2013.
Sharpe 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 emphasised 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 dismissed rumours a new club would join the league in 2013. Northern Football League power Heidelberg has repeatedly been linked with a move to the EFL since its failed attempt to officially transfer several years ago.
Sharpe said he couldn't see a way for Heidelberg to join the EFL. "They have always indicated they would like to play here since they first asked in 2006 or so," he said.
"They have maintained an interest to play here but there is not an opening at this time and the NFL wouldn't be likely to release them.
"We are not going to fight that battle again; it caused too much grief last time. So nothing will change unless there was an amicable parting of the ways between them and the NFL."
Sharpe also said no other clubs were in line to join the league in 2013 although he still received calls "quite often" from outside clubs.
The EFL announced two weeks ago its four divisions would stay the same in 2013 with 12 teams in division 1, 10 in division 2, 12 in division 3 and 11 in division 4.
Sharpe also revealed the EFL has had more people attend its finals series than ever before.
While the crowds for earlier finals matches were below expectations, he 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."