THE AFL has made it clear that Friday night matches will no longer be shared around.
Melbourne, the Western Bulldogs, Port Adelaide, Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast have no games in the League's showcase slot in 2013, and the situation for those clubs will remain the same until they turn around their on-field fortunes.
"We're calling it now - that's our slot, and when you're playing good, competitive football you get there," AFL chief operating officer Gillion McLachlan said.
To download a pdf version of the 2013 fixture, click here.
Collingwood has been granted the most number of Friday night matches next season, with the Magpies playing seven, while Carlton, Essendon and Hawthorn all have five.
"There were four clubs that didn't get a Friday night game in 2012 and there's five in 2013," explained Simon Lethlean, the AFL's general manager of broadcasting, scheduling and legal affairs.
"We spoke to each club and none of them had a concern with it.
"I think there was probably an outlier this year in Melbourne-Hawthorn (in round seven), which was one of the ones where (the Demons) got beaten by about 15 goals.
"I think for Melbourne that wasn't great for their brand - getting smashed on a Friday night.
"So there's been no push-back from any club."
In the not too recent past the Friday night slot was shared around, but, according to McLachlan, "we've evolved from that.
"And I think the clubs are coming with us because they don't want to be out there under lights when they're getting beaten by 15 goals."
North Melbourne is among the big winners when it comes to Friday night games in 2013.
The Kangaroos have three Friday night matches, up from one last year. Two of them are home games - against Carlton in round 17 and Geelong in round 19.
The Roos also play a Friday night game against West Coast in Perth.
"North have been crying out for Friday night games for years," Lethlean said. "They're now playing a good brand of footy and being successful."
Friday night matches will be played in a number of different states in 2013.
The Swans have two at the SCG, while the Brisbane Lions, who improved markedly to win 10 games in 2012, will host Collingwood at the Gabba in round 10.
There will be three Friday night matches in total in Perth, with Fremantle hosting two in the opening five rounds.
The first is against Essendon in round three; the second is against Richmond in round five.
The Eagles, meanwhile, have another couple of prime-time games to go with their Friday nighter against North Melbourne.
They will host Essendon on a Thursday night in round 14 and host a Monday night game against Richmond in 10.
Sunday twilight has also emerged as a showcase slot, with an Essendon-Collingwood clash among the blockbusters to start at that time in 2013.
