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-

 

[Walshawk]

A bit early in the season to have an AFLW game considering the woman actually have jobs

Latest is that it might be an International Rules match.

This year the 2 saturday AO games were 4:40pm and 8:10pm. The double header only works if they are back to back and no more then an hour gap in between.

NRL can changeover in 10 minutes, but we need an hour? Weird. Surely AO has four change rooms.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Bulldogs vs Brisbane is at Norwood.
The initial leak was a typo.

Great result from a selfish perspective since we stay at a mates place near the oval. That will be a belter of a contest.

 

[JPetro83]

Peter Mal (state premier) posted this. Sunday night footy and the Dogs v Lions it at Norwood, not AO as Tom Morris posted.

 

[blueiris]

So even as the Premiership team we still have to play at the worst ground in the AFL

 

[DJ75]

No double header at AO on the Saturday is a strange one.
Carl V WC won't sell out, neither will Ess V Melb. Having them back to back would have made it much more enticing. Weird decision.

 

[DJ75]

So even as the Premiership team we still have to play at the worst ground in the AFL

Ballarat?

 

[Underarm]

With such a big Gap between game 1 and 2 at AO, are they going to sell separate tickets?

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Peter Mal (state premier) posted this. Sunday night footy and the Dogs v Lions it at Norwood, not AO as Tom Morris posted.

View attachment 2162477

Good to see no Sunday cross over games.
Also glad they got rid of the Friday night double header. Impossible to make the AO game from Norwood on time.

 

[eth-dog]

No double header at AO on the Saturday is a strange one.
Carl V WC won't sell out, neither will Ess V Melb. Having them back to back would have made it much more enticing. Weird decision.

I would rather play at Norwood or Barossa tbh

 

[Seattle Mariners]

With such a big Gap between game 1 and 2 at AO, are they going to sell separate tickets?

You'd imagine so.

How dare the customer get 2 for the price of 1.

 

[glengowan]

No double header is disappointing. Probably the difference between me buying the 5-game Adelaide Oval pass vs just going to the Crows game. The double header was unique and a major drawcard imo.

 

[Libbaaaa]

The reigning premier playing off broadway is certainly an interesting decision. 4 day break for them as well if they host the Pies on Easter Thursday.

 

[apollo_creed]

I would rather play at Norwood or Barossa tbh

View at Norwood is horrid as is the seating.

 

[Underarm]

The reigning premier playing off broadway is certainly an interesting decision. 4 day break for them as well if they host the Pies on Easter Thursday.

That's a 5 day break. Still not great though.

 

[beev]

With such a big Gap between game 1 and 2 at AO, are they going to sell separate tickets?

Yeah they are. From the release:

Adelaide Oval will host two games on Saturday as Carlton and West Coast Eagles battle it out in the early afternoon before Essendon and Melbourne play in the evening, with both matches to be ticketed separately.

 

[blueiris]

That's a 5 day break. Still not great though.

4 Thursday to Saturday you don't count the game days those aren't breaks

 

[carloss]

Essendon and Melbourne again?

 

[blueiris]

Essendon and Melbourne having Adelaide oval is a joke 2 bottom teams other 2 finals teams and one being the Premiership team is a disgrace

 

[Cuzz09]

This year's gather round isn't really doing it for me lol

Could be the end of the experiment

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

 

[sabso]

Perhaps this might have influenced people in SA to provide one or two more venues with decent capacity?

 

[sabso]

So even as the Premiership team we still have to play at the worst ground in the AFL

You're not alone, plenty of teams have to play at Kardinia Park

 

[Underarm]

4 Thursday to Saturday you don't count the game days those aren't breaks

I get what your saying, but when the media talks about 5 day breaks or 6 day breaks they are counting how many sleeps.

So this would be a 5 day break, compared to Collingwood's 6 day break.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

No double header at AO on the Saturday is a strange one.
Carl V WC won't sell out, neither will Ess V Melb. Having them back to back would have made it much more enticing. Weird decision.

Of course Carl v WC will sell out.

 

[peetoo]

FU cheatFL

Geelong will have returned and be tucked up in their hobby farms before hawks floy out to Adelaide

Play each other Easter Monday after

 

[The_Wookie]

11.11.2024 ‘GATHER ROUND’ THE BIGGEST FOOTY FESTIVAL IN THE COUNTRY 2025 FIXTURE The AFL in partnership with the SA Government is pleased to confirm the fixture for Gather Round, which returns to South Australia for Round 5 of the 2025 Toyota Premiership season. Gather Round…A Festival of Footy will feature all 18 teams and nine matches for Premiership points, with highlights including two matches in the Barossa for the first time ever showcasing the best of the Barossa Valley food and wine, a Saturday double-header at Adelaide Oval, two matches at Norwood Oval and the return of the free Footy Festival returning to Elder Park on the banks of Torrens opposite Adelaide Oval. Gather Round will run from Thursday 10 April through to Sunday 13 April during the school holidays for Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. The Adelaide Crows and Geelong will open the round on Thursday night at the Adelaide Oval, followed by Collingwood vs Sydney on Friday night. Adelaide Oval will host two games on Saturday as Carlton and West Coast Eagles battle it out in the early afternoon before Essendon and Melbourne play in the evening, with both matches to be ticketed separately. Barossa Park will host two matches, showcasing the best of Adelaide’s food and wine offerings across the weekend. North Melbourne and the Gold Coast SUNS match up on Saturday afternoon followed by Richmond and Fremantle on Sunday afternoon. Norwood Oval will see action again when the Western Bulldogs play Brisbane Lions in a twilight fixture on Saturday. The Parade will be turned into a Food and Wine Festival on Sunday with the best of South Australian produce available for footy fans to enjoy before St Kilda face GWS GIANTS on Sunday afternoon. The action returns to Adelaide Oval for the final match as Port Adelaide and Hawthorn to bring an epic finish to Gather Round.

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said he was looking forward to heading back to South Australia for Gather Round in 2025. “Gather Round is the best of our game, a celebration of footy like no other.” Dillon said. “South Australia really turns it on, and we are excited to bring fans a bigger and better experience in 2025 with some great match ups and a new venue at Barossa Park. “The Barossa celebrates some of the best of South Australia and we are excited about all the opportunities that will be on offer for our fans to take in while visiting the region, outside of the two incredible games that will be played at the new Barossa Park in Lyndoch. “On behalf of the AFL I want to thank the SA government, led by Premier Malinauskas, who has been committed whole-heartedly to the success of the concept since 2023. “Gather Round has a unique feel of a Grand Final week, from the footy festival and the zip line over the Torrens River, to the community engagement activities and all the open training sessions the clubs hold around the town, it has been just an incredibly fun atmosphere which we are looking to top next season.” SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said the inaugural Gather Round was spectacular, this year was a step up, and next year will be magnificent. “I’m thrilled we are on track to deliver two matches in the Barossa, a spectacular destination for the many visitors who will come into South Australia for this major event. “This presents a unique opportunity to invite those visitors to stay longer, experiencing more of what SA has to offer, and delivering an economic outcome for our state. “Barossa Park at Lyndoch is looking spectacular, and I thank the Barossa Council for working with us to deliver a precinct which will deliver community benefits long into the future. “The competitive fixture should deliver major blockbusters at Adelaide Oval, and fierce competition at the Parade, which will once again be home to the Norwood Food & Wine Festival.” TICKETING INFORMATION Gather Round will go on-sale via Ticketek. Tuesday 10 December – 10am (Club Members/AFL Members/UFM) (ACDT - venue local time) Wednesday 11 December – 10am GP Onsale (ACDT - Venue local time) FLIGHTS As the official airline of the AFL & Gather Round, Virgin Australia will again be laying on extra flights to help transport fans to Adelaide which are available now. For the best available fares book HERE ACCOMODATION ALL.COM are the official accommodation partner of the AFL and AFLW. Gather Round fans have access to a variety of accommodation options to suit all tastes and budgets with over 10 hotels and apartments across Adelaide to choose from. Visit all.com to book, plus a special Member Rate can be unlocked by joining ALL for free.