I don’t think it’s a conspiracy with the casino.
The TV broadcasters just agreed to pay $2.5 billion for TV rights, so they want to maximise their return. Seven dominates the prime-time slots, but of the dregs Foxtel really likes the Sunday twilight slot. Game day punters on the East Coast, however, don’t really want to attend a 5pm Sunday. The timing in Perth means you can’t play the game at the more palatable 2pm (or 3pm in March) and attending families can still, mostly, make it home for dinner.
Also, unlike in Melbourne, most punters in Perth have already paid for their ticket through memberships, so you don’t lose out as much on the walk-up crowd on a Sunday in Perth.
It’s bad for Freo fans, and the club, but from a TV rights perspective it makes a lot of sense. The only way to break out of that schedule is to be a team that rates on the East Coast. I can’t see that happening soon.
Of course, then people would complain about getting to a game on Thursday night.
