FOOTBALL fans will have a month to place final orders for their favourite matches from history after it was announced on Thursday that the DVD service Name a Game would cease operating at the end of this financial year on June 30.
Since Name a Game was established in the early 1990s, more than 3000 VFL/AFL games dating back over the last 50 years have been available for purchase.
Beyond Home Entertainment, who have operated the service since 2015, said customer habits had strongly changed in recent years and it could no longer continue to operate, but wished to provide fans a further four-week opportunity for any final orders, which would be filled by early July.
"Name a Game has been part of the AFL's home entertainment offering for more than 25 years, from the days of VHS tapes in the early 1990s, through the migration to DVD in the early 2000s and into recent times.
"Unfortunately, changes in the way people consume content over recent years has ultimately meant that the continuation of a bespoke on-demand DVD service has become increasingly unviable in the face of an evolving media landscape that is rapidly moving to digital consumption.
"Name a Game has provided a window into bygone eras that many of us cherish, watching our heroes from yesterday take the field once again, their names and feats now long gone from the oval, but never forgotten. We are thankful we have been able to offer footy fans the ability to collect their all-time favourite games on DVD and tap into the unbridled nostalgia that only classic footy can offer."
Supporters will be able to place orders up to June 30, which will all be filled by late July. Over the life of the company, the most-requested games have been the 1999 preliminary final between Carlton and Essendon, the 2000 Western Derby between West Coast and Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs' victory over a previously undefeated Essendon late in the 2000 season.
End of an era for Name a Game DVD service
Customer habits means service will cease operation at end of June