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-

 

[Teen Wolf]

It's not as if teams can't have 5-day breaks. And the Pies won't use one up on Anzac Day next year, with April 25th being a Friday (and 8 days after Easter Thursday).

So just have Brisbane vs whoever, and Collingwood vs whoever, on the Saturday.

 

[Clark G]

Hoping for an Essendon versus Melbourne match up. Seemed to work well in 2023.

 

[CarterS]

Feels like an unnecessary drive by from Malinauskas with his Brisbane/Freo joke.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Do Brisbane v WCE at Barossa

Sent from my SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

West Coast vs Sydney at the Barossa probably more apt.

Do it every year

2024 - Adelaide Hills
2025 - Barossa
2026 - McLaren Vale
2027 - Clare

 

[Dirty Bird]

They should keep the Pies away from the SA teams as they’re the most likely to draw a big crowd independent of us.

I expect it to be shared tbh.

2023 - Carlton and Western Bulldogs
2024 - Essendon and Melbourne

Then Richmond, Collingwood, Geelong, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, St Kilda to vs the hosts in the next 3 gather rounds

 

[Teen Wolf]

Collingwood president Jeff Browne pushing for "mini-Magic" rounds in Sydney and Brisbane next year to open the season:

“We will speak (to the AFL) about Opening Round; we won’t be going if it is just two clubs going to Sydney,” Browne told the Herald Sun.

“It took a bit out of us (last year) … if everyone goes up there and plays the game there, I am happy with that - but we are not going to do like we did (earlier) this year.” Browne said he could not understand why the AFL would not fixture “a mini-Magic Round” - replicating the NRL experience - to kickstart next season, with potentially five games in Sydney and four in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

He said it would have a different feel to Gather Round, which had been so successful in two different versions in Adelaide, but would be great in terms of promotion of the code.

“Half the teams could go to Brisbane and half the teams could go to Sydney. It neutralises disadvantage, but also pumps up the development of those markets. We are fully supportive of that. We want to go there, but we want to make sure it is fair for everyone.”

To do this, the AFL would need to get 5 clubs to agree to sell a home game. Or: the AFL just brings in the 24th game a few years early, which they can use for Opening Round (thereby preserving every club's 11 home games).

I think the AFL would rather put 9 games in Sydney than give Queensland any extra matches, but the logistics may force their hand.

Other news today:

https://www.pm.gov.au/media/125m-upgrade-henson-park-under-way

Work has begun on the much-needed upgrade to Henson Park following a $12.5 million funding agreement between the Federal Government, State Government, the AFL and Inner West Council.

The investment from the Australian Government of $2.5 million for the upgrade alongside the NSW Government’s $5 million investment, $4.5 million from the AFL and $500,000 from the Inner West Council – plus the Council’s $2.85 million for surface renewal, drainage and improved lighting in recent years – has meant the dream for Henson Park to become an elite venue is almost realised.

 

[Bjo187]

Collingwood president Jeff Browne pushing for "mini-Magic" rounds in Sydney and Brisbane next year to open the season:






To do this, the AFL would need to get 5 clubs to agree to sell a home game. Or: the AFL just brings in the 24th game a few years early, which they can use for Opening Round (thereby preserving every club's 11 home games).

I think the AFL would rather put 9 games in Sydney than give Queensland any extra matches, but the logistics may force their hand.

Other news today:

https://www.pm.gov.au/media/125m-upgrade-henson-park-under-way

On the first point, how can Collingwood say they won't be going, since when do they decide the fixture?

On Henson park, that's good they're getting an upgrade of 12.5 million, but again it's an example of Albanese requiring the AFL to tip in money, yet leichardt oval he is putting more in and the nrl aren't required to put a cent towards the 40 million upgrade there. It's double standards.

 

[Teen Wolf]

On the first point, how can Collingwood say they won't be going, since when do they decide the fixture?

Outright refusing the fixture seems like a stretch. But the AFL would want them to be "all in" on the promotion in the same way clubs are for Gather Round (not just talking up the concept via media but also getting involved in local clinics etc.), which is something Collingwood could legitimately withhold.

On Henson park, that's good they're getting an upgrade of 12.5 million, but again it's an example of Albanese requiring the AFL to tip in money, yet leichardt oval he is putting more in and the nrl aren't required to put a cent towards the 40 million upgrade there. It's double standards.

He allocated $65m to York Park last year which, far as I know, is $65m more than what the AFL is putting in.