I think there will still be a theme for this Countdown but I do hope that it is maybe more stripped back and relaxed. More focus on the performance than the spectacle or show since she's been doing that all year.
I like when artists do something relaxed every once in a while.:yes
As long as the circus theme is finally done I'll be happy. I'm sick of that.:roflmao

I think TA tour pretty much very relaxed and performance focus concert

Maybe this is the theme: ayumi hamasaki COUNTDOWN LIVE 2016-2017 A - 20th Anniversary Best of the best -

I still want another PCDL.

CDL to AT theme seems to be her thing as of recent, before it was the peachy pink coloured cd cover art. She also loves to start and end a concert with the same costume (AT15 - Red coat and pink dress, AT16 - White kimono dress)

Countdown Live 2013-2014 doesn't have a theme, so why don't do this again?
Anyway "Countdown Live 2016-2017 A -We are the QUEENS~" will be a fun title xD

I miss a new physical release this year, but well maybe she will release another classical thing album, but I will like some single with new tracks and remixes, like the LOVE again fiasco but with We are the QUEENS instead of You&Me xD

Not correct.
For example:
http://avex.jp/ayu/news/detail.php?id=1027202
They gave 18 days for fans to join.

http://avex.jp/ayu/news/detail.php?id=1015116
They gave 1.5 days to join.
This time they gave NO time to join.

I think something that could be nice for it would be doing something like Namie did with Ballada - shooting PVs for songs that didn't get one before. We could finally get PVs for hanabi, independant etc. Although I would really want her to bring her A game for the PVs again though...

That's what the description makes it sounds like it will be. And honestly, the variation in the setlists from the TA tour means that she already has enough songs prepared to throw them all together for an epic length CDL.

Based on show start time it's gonna be usual length. But they have a right to change the time, so we'll see.

The message mentioned End roll..

The chance she preforms this song is very high.

Or it could just end up running later than usual I suppose? They did say in the message that this will be a premium countdown live to commemorate the last yoyogi show for a while.

Yoyogi only closed for two years btw

Maybe, but it would be problematic for people to return home and also to go to bed relatively early.

Fair enough.

Though after 17 years, I guess what I meant is that most people would know by now that CDL info gets released usually in Oct/November, and if they were going to join TA solely for being able to apply for tickets, it's already a well known thing that there's a deadline. So joining sooner than later would be the safest thing.

But for fairness sake, you're totally right.

I mean, if I were a new fan, I would be frustrated for sure.

^ me too xD

she don't have new fans %)

maybe people prefer to enter to fanclub during tour? There is always some kind of benefits for new members at the venue

I'm not a fan of the CDL theme carrying over to the arena tour but I wonder if it is more Avex telling Ayu to do it to keep the budget down.

I think it is happening for many reasons, mainly it requires less work and money.

I don't think the budget is the main issue, as for the stage sometimes she used pretty much the same thing from the CDL to the AT and it was fine, the problem is when the concert is basically the same, but with less time to be prepared.

I hope this is a good concert, 2009-2010 was the last CDL that I really enjoyed, because it's more like her older CDLs, so I hope it's more like this than 2014-2015 and 2015-2016.