SA’s AFL clubs to hold ballots to determine who gets Showdown tickets: 1475 for Power, 475 for Crows
It seemed a pipedream only a few weeks ago, but Saturday night’s Showdown will have over 2000 fans at the game. Now the Power and the Crows have determined how members will get access to tickets.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
More than 50,000 Port Adelaide and Adelaide members will on Wednesday learn how to get their hands on one of just 2000 tickets to Saturday night’s historic Showdown at Adelaide Oval.
Both clubs are set to notify their members of a ballot process after the State Government on Tuesday relaxed coronavirus restrictions to allow a crowd of 2240 into the game in an AFL-first.
As hosts of Showdown 48, Port Adelaide – which will be wearing its iconic prison bar guernsey to celebrate its 150th anniversary – will have access to 1475 tickets and the Crows to 475, which is in addition to 50 Adelaide Oval members and 240 corporate partners who will be seated in glass boxes.
Social distancing of 1.5m will mean that fans will sit in every third seat and seated in every alternate row.
There will be no cheer squad banners allowed on the ground.
There will be 700 fans seated in the western stand – split in two 350 batches in the Sir Edwin Smith and Chappell areas.
A further 1000 people will be seated in the southern stand and then 300 fans in the middle tier of the eastern stand.
No fans will be seated near the ground as an extra precaution to ensure footballs are not touched and they are no risk of touching players.
It will be the first AFL game to host a crowd this season and the league was last night set to rubber stamp the move which was hailed as significant progress and another step towards returning to normality by both clubs.
Power and Crows members will receive information on the ballot on Wednesday.
But it’s likely to be for 11-game members only, requiring them to register online and their names will be randomly selected.
Port Adelaide members who are successful will then be removed from the ballot to allow others to access games when their team returns from its quarantine hub on the Gold Coast in a month’s time.
The Stadium Management Authority (SMA) will record every person’s contact details for contact tracing in case of a coronavirus outbreak and will regulate how they enter the stadium and use the facilities.
While no bars will open, alcohol, food and soft drink will be served but patrons will be required to return to their seats.
More than 200 oval staff will return to work for the first time in months.
State Government officials said easing other restrictions including borders, allowing more partons into licensed venues and gaming areas, as well as opening churches to worshippers, will be revealed after the government’s transition committee meets again on Friday.
But Premier Steven Marshall also announced that 500 people will be allowed to attend SANFL and community football matches from July 3.
Port Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas and Adelaide chief executive Andrew Fagan said they were thrilled with the decision and described the ticket allocation as fair.
“It feels really important, it’s only 2000 people in a pretty big stadium but it says progress and I think every opportunity we get to celebrate that in this sort of year we should take,” Thomas said.
“As the host it’s fantastic to be able to get as many of our supporters and members into the game as we possibly can.
“The situation is slightly different given it’s the only Showdown this year and the circumstances of the season and I think the allocation reflects that. It would be more heavily skewed Port’s way in a normal year but we think it’s a fair allocation.
“It’s going to be a ticket of significance, as we look back on this year and this game, it will be one you want to keep and pin to your board, they’re always big games and this one is even bigger.”
Fagan said Crows members would receive an email on Wednesday with information about the ballot process.
“It’s great to have the opportunity for at least some members to be there and, for me, it’s one step towards normality again,” he said.
“Although there’s only 475 Crows members that will be there, I’m sure they will make their presence felt.
“It’ll add to the event and I’m sure the players will appreciate it.”
Fagan said the club had been hopeful but uncertain about whether fans would be allowed into the Showdown after a league-wide ban on crowds in Round 1 in March.
“Having been at the first game when we played Sydney with no crowd, that lack of atmosphere was telling,” he said.
“It’s a tremendous outcome for our members.”
Mr Marshall said Adelaide would be the first city in the country to have crowds at an AFL game.
“Football and crowds are back in South Australia. (It will be) the first time we will have a significant crowd at any sport in Australia for months and months,” he said.
“It is a small crowd but it is a start. It is a good reward for the people of South Australia who have done the right thing.”
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the decision to allow a crowd into Adelaide Oval was based on the SMA’s “comprehensive plan”.
“That effectively and safely manages the movement of people throughout the course of the event,” he said.
“It was also taken on the back of the fact we had a significant number of people in Victoria Square on the weekend for protest activity and that was conducted in a relatively safe manner.”
SMA chief executive Andrew Daniels said the Showdown would be a “strange and surreal experience”.
“I probably don’t need to say this but I would certainly be encouraging the people here on Saturday night to make as much noise as they like because we need to get the atmosphere back into this amazing stadium,” he said.
“For the lucky 2000 people who win the lottery and get selected they are going to have a Showdown experience like no other.”
The AFL said it welcomed the government’s announcement to allow fans to attend the Showdown.
“While the club members and fans will be required to ensure they follow the appropriate guidelines, it is great that they can experience South Australia’s biggest match of the season.”