Fixture Gather Round - SA announced as host for next 3 years 2024-2026

[Festerz]

16.04.23

GATHER ROUND SOUTH AUSTRALIA
AFL LOCKS IN SA FOR NEXT THREE SEASONS

The AFL in partnership with the SA Government is pleased to announce ‘Gather Round…. A Festival of Footy’ will be hosted in South Australia for the next three seasons.

The inaugural ‘Gather Round’ has been an overwhelming success, with all nine games sold out, more than 220,000 fans attending matches across the Adelaide Oval, Norwood Oval and Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills and tens of thousands of fans attending the footy festival on the banks of Torrens.

More than 60,000 fans purchased tickets from interstate.

Across 2024, 2025 and 2026, Gather Round …. A festival of footy will be hosted exclusively in South Australia, with Adelaide Oval to be the central venue, with the intent from both the AFL and the SA Government to take regional matches in 2024 to the Barossa / McClaren Vale region.

As part of the three-year term, both the AFL and SA Government have also committed to establishing a community football legacy fund, that will benefit local footy clubs in the state beyond the weekend of matches.

The AFL will lock in the fixture dates of the round in the coming weeks to give fans as much lead time as possible to book travel and accommodation.

Ticketing information will be release later in the year.

“South Australia really turned it on. Gather Round and all the activity across the state, the nine matches, the footy festival and the community football engagement has been some of the best days and events the AFL has ever delivered,” AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan said.

“It has been a success because everyone in football got behind the idea, clubs, players, corporate partners and most importantly our fans, to deliver an extraordinary few days,

“While the concept has real momentum, and we plan on taking it to other states around the country, we also feel in order for it to be as successful in the other states we need to continue to build out the concept in South Australia,

“The reality is we only had a few months to pull this together, and we hope by locking it in now we are giving everyone a longer runway to put together a bigger and even better event, and our fans certainty around booking travel and accommodation.

“The match at Mount Barker was a special afternoon on Saturday and an important part of recommitting to South Australia was to establish the community legacy fund, ensuring local footy clubs’ benefit from bringing the Gather Round to town.”

During the round the AFL has facilitated dozens of community club and school visits, held seminars for community club volunteers and delivered more than 10,000 footballs to regional community clubs.

Details on the Community legacy fund will be communicated at a later date.

“On behalf of the AFL I want to thank to Premier Malinauskas and his team in the SA Government who in partnership, delivered an unbelievable few days for footy and the state of South Australia.”

The AFL will also work with the AFLPA on the commitments to the players.

“The players have been strong partners in the Gather Round concept and have embraced wholeheartedly the round. We will now work with the AFLPA on the commitments to the players in the coming years.”

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said “The inaugural Gather Round has been a stunning success, in no small part thanks to the willingness of South Australians, and our interstate visitors, to show up.
“We know that this has delivered huge benefits for our state, and that is why I’m so pleased to see it return for the next three years.”

“With more time to plan, we know we can make Gather Round even bigger and better than what it has already become.”

“I want to thank Gillon McLachlan, the AFL, wider footballing community, public servants, councils and others who’ve all worked so hard to deliver such an amazing event in just a few months.”

“But most of all, I want to thank each and every person who showed up.”

“This agreement is because of you.”

-ends-

 

[The 747]

Im not sure gather round would work in Melbourne.

You already have a psuedo Gather round every bloody week (Rd 1 had 12 teams in town!!)

We have the grounds to do it and we don't have those 9 games each round. It would work as a novelty, but as I said after the others.

Each state has its own challenges with this concept, but it has to be rotated IMO.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Gather round would work in Victoria but spread it beyond MCG and Marvel.

 

[Great8]

All tickets to Fremantle v Gold Coast have been sold.
8 of the 9 games now sellouts

 

[The 747]

All tickets to Fremantle v Gold Coast have been sold.
8 of the 9 games now sellouts

So far so good eh?

 

[BigFrizz36]

Please tell me Warren's nickname was Wreck It Ralph

Nope but pretty sure that he won lotto after retiring. "Lucky" Ralph.

 

[The 747]

Gather round would work in Victoria but spread it beyond MCG and Marvel.

Yep, Cattery plus the Carlton ground can still host I think. Could Whitten Oval be used for a one off? Same with Vic Park?

Hawthorn could host a game at Dingley.

 

[kickazz]

Yep, Cattery plus the Carlton ground can still host I think. Could Whitten Oval be used for a one off? Same with Vic Park?

Hawthorn could host a game at Dingley.

Ballarat too.

 

[OxfordCambridge]

Gather Round has so far morphed from "what a cr4p idea", to "it will be sh!t in Adelaide", to basically a cage fight to be able to host it next year.

 

[The_Wookie]

�

​	1:39 PM (35 minutes ago)

​

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.04.2023 Eight out of nine Gather Round matches sold out The AFL is pleased to announce that eight of the nine Gather Round games have now sold out. Tickets for Friday's Gather Round match between Sydney Swans and Richmond are still available. In conjunction with the South Australian government, the AFL are pleased to offer half-price adult tickets and free entrance for kids under 14 for the Sydney Swans vs Richmond match. To redeem the $15 tickets, fans can use the promo code ‘GATHERASONE’ here. Thursday, April 13 Adelaide Crows vs. Carlton Adelaide Oval – SOLD OUT Friday, April 14 Fremantle vs. Gold Coast SUNS Norwood Oval – SOLD OUT Sydney Swans vs. Richmond Adelaide Oval Saturday, April 15 North Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions Adelaide Hills – SOLD OUT Essendon vs. Melbourne Adelaide Oval – SOLD OUT Port Adelaide vs. Western Bulldogs Adelaide Oval – SOLD OUT Sunday, April 16 Geelong Cats vs. West Coast Eagles Adelaide Oval – SOLD OUT Hawthorn vs. GWS GIANTS Norwood Oval – SOLD OUT St Kilda vs. Collingwood Adelaide Oval – SOLD OUT The AFL encourages all ticket-holders to attend their matches and enjoy the game, atmosphere and entertainment. Those that can no longer attend can return their tickets via the Ticketek app, or share them with a friend. Club membership entitlements are not valid during Gather Round. All members will need to have redeemed or purchased a ticket to access any Gather Round matches.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Yep, Cattery plus the Carlton ground can still host I think. Could Whitten Oval be used for a one off? Same with Vic Park?

Hawthorn could host a game at Dingley.

MCG 4 games Thu / Fri / Sat / Sun
Marvel 3 games Fri / Sat / Sun
Geelong 1 game
Ballarat 1 game

Done

 

[The 747]

MCG 4 games Thu / Fri / Sat / Sun
Marvel 3 games Fri / Sat / Sun
Geelong 1 game
Ballarat 1 game

Done

Nah, boring.

 

[Rod Stroker]

�

​	1:39 PM (35 minutes ago)

​

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.04.2023 Eight out of nine Gather Round matches sold out The AFL is pleased to announce that eight of the nine Gather Round games have now sold out. Tickets for Friday's Gather Round match between Sydney Swans and Richmond are still available. In conjunction with the South Australian government, the AFL are pleased to offer half-price adult tickets and free entrance for kids under 14 for the Sydney Swans vs Richmond match. To redeem the $15 tickets, fans can use the promo code ‘GATHERASONE’ here. Thursday, April 13 Adelaide Crows vs. Carlton Adelaide Oval – SOLD OUT Friday, April 14 Fremantle vs. Gold Coast SUNS Norwood Oval – SOLD OUT Sydney Swans vs. Richmond Adelaide Oval Saturday, April 15 North Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions Adelaide Hills – SOLD OUT Essendon vs. Melbourne Adelaide Oval – SOLD OUT Port Adelaide vs. Western Bulldogs Adelaide Oval – SOLD OUT Sunday, April 16 Geelong Cats vs. West Coast Eagles Adelaide Oval – SOLD OUT Hawthorn vs. GWS GIANTS Norwood Oval – SOLD OUT St Kilda vs. Collingwood Adelaide Oval – SOLD OUT The AFL encourages all ticket-holders to attend their matches and enjoy the game, atmosphere and entertainment. Those that can no longer attend can return their tickets via the Ticketek app, or share them with a friend. Club membership entitlements are not valid during Gather Round. All members will need to have redeemed or purchased a ticket to access any Gather Round matches.

Translation; Richmond can't pull a crowd. Maybe they're not as a big as what their fans think they are.

 

[aCunningPlan]

Nah, boring.

Agreed.
Honestly, keep it in Adelaide. Footy mad city that can hold its own, seeing more than one game a weekend is a total novelty, drivable for Victorians, will be a great buzz around the city all weekend. Also, love seeing the SANFL getting a bit of love in the media, not enough of it.

Hosting it in Victoria would just feel like any other weekend, would be a total fizzer.

At the absolute most, give it to Adelaide for the first three years to fine tune it then alternate it between Adelaide and Perth. Brisbane/Gold Coast or Sydney would be a bit flat.

 

[Wargreymon90]

Cycle it between every state that isn’t Vic.

 

[le dominateur]

Even if a lot of ticket holders don’t turn up on the day the event is already a success for SA, the SA Government and the AFL.
It has been lead story on the local news multiple times in the last few weeks, 35 extra flights of people coming in, positive publicity for SA that will dwarf the amount paid to stage the event.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[99cents]

We are more than happy to be recognised as a huge drawing team that has helped set this Gather round on the way to success. We would be more than happy to use our great brand recognition to help facilitate this every year.

Feels a bit like the football world is returning to how it should be.

Maybe your club could aspire to be like ours and help clubs achieve more success like we have with round 1, kangaroos on good Friday, gather round and kings birthday eve v the bombers.

It's been a long century for the Blues - I think Brian Cook will get you out of that rut

 

[footyfan1978]

We have the grounds to do it and we don't have those 9 games each round. It would work as a novelty, but as I said after the others.

Each state has its own challenges with this concept, but it has to be rotated IMO.

I think WA and Queensland have the largest challenge because it simple geographical reality less people will travel there for it to be worth it.
Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and New South Wales are easier for more footy fans to get to.
It is hard to know if this add on round to a regular 22 match home and away season will still exist when Tasmania become the 19th club in the league.
Until then try to improve on this add on round each year.
It would be great when Tassie team officially confirmed to be coming in, that the AFL annouce soon after the add on round in Tasmania next year.
Then Victoria, NSW and back to SA after that. By then I think Tassie club should just about be off the ground to start the next season.
Would love to see it in Tassie next year and know they have a club coming in. Would be a great celebratiory way to welcome Tasmania into the league community fold in state footy festival type manner. 5 matches in Hobart, 2 in Launceston and one each in Burnie and Devonport.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

Complete wank of an idea that deprives members the chance to see their club this weekend.

 

[PAFC_FOREVER]

Complete wank of an idea that deprives members the chance to see their club this weekend.

8/9 sold out.

Complete wank of a post. It's an extra round.

 

[footyfan1978]

Complete wank of an idea that deprives members the chance to see their club this weekend.

It is an add on round so not really but if you just meaning you miss attending a match this particular week well into the season, I kind of get the minor whinge. The idea is not a complete wank but it could be done better and fairer as an add on round. Hopefully they rectify those mistakes next time.

 

[Bjo187]

Complete wank of an idea that deprives members the chance to see their club this weekend.

Complete wank of a post.

QLD is easy to fly to, has an absolute truckload of tourists every school holidays, lots of expats living there, would be a big success. W.A and Tassie would also be good but W.A would get less travellers. The locals would accommodate for that though and show up like they did for neutral games in 2021.

 

[raskolnikov]

W

Agreed.
Honestly, keep it in Adelaide. Footy mad city that can hold its own, seeing more than one game a weekend is a total novelty, drivable for Victorians, will be a great buzz around the city all weekend. Also, love seeing the SANFL getting a bit of love in the media, not enough of it.

Hosting it in Victoria would just feel like any other weekend, would be a total fizzer.

At the absolute most, give it to Adelaide for the first three years to fine tune it then alternate it between Adelaide and Perth. Brisbane/Gold Coast or Sydney would be a bit flat.

Disagree on Queensland. Have a few games at the Gabba, a couple on the Gold Coast, a couple on the Sunshine Coast and one in Toowoomba. Would be a great success.

 

[JackFlash]

Sounds like Adelaide have done a great job, keep it there for a few years...

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

8/9 sold out.

Complete wank of a post. It's an extra round.

Are teams playing 23 games this season?

That's news to me.

As to the games that are sold out, that's a joke argument. Norwood Oval holds 15,000 FFS. Mount Barker 5,000.

 

[footyfan1978]

Even if a lot of ticket holders don’t turn up on the day the event is already a success for SA, the SA Government and the AFL.

Certainly a success for SA. Hope visitors check out places like Victor Harbour on their travels too.
I am a little concerned of logistics of how they done the ticketing but we shall see if it minor or major issue by end of the weekend.

Gather round would work in Victoria but spread it beyond MCG and Marvel.

Love to see it in Warrnambool, Bendigo or Mildura too.