Eddie McGuire says South Australia should be the long-term home of AFL’s Gather Round

The man South Aussie footy fans love to hate says the AFL’s Gather Round should stay permanently in SA. Here’s why.

Eddie McGuire says South Australia should be the long-term home of AFL’s Gather Round, and urged other states to come up with their own concept instead of moving the Festival of Footy around the country.

The media personality and former Collingwood president said the incredible success of last year’s inaugural event showed Adelaide was the ideal location for the footy feast – and it couldn’t be replicated elsewhere.

“The northern states got the opening (round) this year and it’s not going to take anything away from Gather Round,” said McGuire, who will host the Gather Round Spectacular at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on April 2.

TELL US WHY IN THE COMMENTS

“But I reckon that’s about enough. I really don’t think New South Wales would have the level of support for the entire round.

“Adelaide has got the infrastructure. Stadia, hotels, the appetite, the excitement, which is the other thing – these things have got to be seen as being exciting.

“It’s hard enough coming up with a concept that works without trying to then muck around with it. Others will want to do it but maybe come up with something a bit different.

“So until further notice, leave it in South Australia.”

South Australia has locked in the Gather Round until 2026, following last year’s footy festival which saw more than 200,000 fans attend nine AFL matches around the state.

Guests arrive at the National Gallery Victoria for celebrations of trucking magnate Lindsay Fox who turns 86yrs. Eddie McGuire arrives.Picture: Ian Currie

McGuire’s comments come after Sydney coach John Longmire said earlier this month that it was a “no-brainer” for the AFL to eventually move Gather Round to Sydney to help grow Aussie rules in the northern states.

“I think it’s wonderful what’s happened in Adelaide in terms of a great concept, and I understand that. But I would have thought that if you’re really keen to promote the game in the northern markets, in particular... you’d be keen to try and expand the game’s growth,” he said on the club’s new ‘More than Footy’ podcast.

“We need some more infrastructure, but we need to have a Gather Round in Sydney.”

McGuire said he expected this year’s event, which will be held from April 4-7 and feature games at Adelaide Oval, and in Norwood and Mt Barker, to be “exponentially bigger” once again.

“The government and the AFL can make this even bigger in South Australia,” he said.

“I think there’s a huge appetite and I think the economic impact is going to get bigger and bigger. Last year showed SA is a can-do state with a can-do government at the moment.”

McGuire said the Gather Round Spectacular event on April 2 would have a huge emphasis on South Australia, showcasing the best of the state and celebrating all things football.

Crows and Power stars including Connor Rozee, Josh Rachele, Izak Rankine and Charlie Dixon will join Nine footy favourites Billy Brownless, Nathan Brown, Tony Jones, Kane Cornes and Jimmy Bartel for the show, which will also feature a set from singer Delta Goodrem.

“What we wanted to do was come back with another big show but for the footy public,” he said. “It’ll be absolutely focused on SA football and all the fun and fair of Gather Round.”

Tickets for the Gather Round Spectacular are available from Ticketek. The show will also be broadcast on Channel 9.