The AFL is reportedly eyeing off Kylie Minogue to perform during halftime during the first-ever twilight Grand Final at the MCG this year.
Channel 7’s Caroline Wilson reports the league is ready to change the timeslot to nighttime and also move away from a pre-match act.
Like the Super Bowl, the show appears likely to take place at halftime, under lights, rather than the traditional pre-game show.
Halftime shows have become increasingly more popular than pre-game entertainment around the world because they help keep audiences engaged while there is a break in play.
It also helps attract casual viewers, younger demographics, and non-sports fans.
And according to Wilson, the AFL is ready to splash the cash to get one of the biggest names in Australian music to usher in the halftime show era, Kylie Minogue.
“If it’s not a twilight Grand Final this year, I’ll be shocked,” Wilson said on The Agenda Setters.
“The AFL is targeting, among others, but very strongly targeting Kylie Minogue to perform at a twilight Grand Final.
Minogue was previously sussed out to perform in 2023 before the league eventually went with US rockers KISS.
Meanwhile, AFL CEO Andrew Dillon is said to be warming to moving away from the traditional 2.30pm Grand Final timeslot.
“Andrew Dillon, who was the one executive really strongly keeping it in the afternoon, is wavering,” Wilson continued.
“I think the new chairman doesn’t mind the idea of a twilight Grand Final, and pretty much the rest of the executive at the AFL are pretty keen on it.
“It will be dark at halftime, but the AFL would need to extend halftime, and that is one option they’re looking at, to have the key performer in the dark, but you could also have a performer in the daytime and then play it at twilight.
“It’s going to be really exciting.”
Minogue would be the first Australian act to perform since Eskimo Joe in 2021, when the match was played in Perth.
Since the Grand Final returned to the MCG, the AFL has turned to overseas talent in Robbie Williams, Kiss, Katy Perry and most recently Snoop Dogg to perform.
