8000 Richmond fans will have first access to Grand Final tickets, but Victorians locked out
Thousands of Richmond fans will be given first access to Grand Final tickets as the team hopes to win its third flag in four years. But Victorian-based supporters will need to cheer on from home.
Victoria
Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria. Followed categories will be added to My News.
More than 8000 Richmond fans will have first access to Grand Final tickets as the Tigers prepare to take their shot at a dynasty.
The Gabba capacity sits at 30,000 for Saturday night’s under-lights AFL decider, with 16,200 tickets allocated to competing club members. The Tigers have 3503 Queensland-based members who — depending on their eligibility — will have access to purchase tickets from Monday, plus eligible members from other non-COVID hot spots.
Club members who fall into priority categories but reside in Victoria, some NSW postcodes or internationally, are ineligible to buy tickets, meaning Victorian-based members cannot buy tickets and then pass them on to friends in the northern states to attend.
Any tickets left over from the club allocation will then go on sale to the public, with ticket costs, which start at $165, frozen at 2019 prices in a move league boss Gillon McLachlan said was to honour the commitment from supporters in a trying year.
For Richmond fan Shane Bennett, who travelled thousands of kilometres to Darwin 10 days ago to complete 14 days of quarantine in order to enter Queensland, it was a case of travelling on a wing and a prayer with the Tigers still having to win two more matches to even qualify for the Grand Final. Now they’re in, his relief was evident on Saturday.
“It’s just groundhog day, day after day after day here, 14 days — only a few days to go,” Bennett told SEN from the Howard Springs quarantine facility outside Darwin. “It’s a lot more exciting (here on Saturday morning) had it been if the result (against Port Adelaide) had gone the other way. I probably wouldn’t have come out of my little hut if they had lost. But looking forward to getting over to Brissy on Thursday.”
Mr Bennett said he had packed his Richmond gear with “a whole lot of fingers crossed” that the team’s third Grand Final berth in four years could be secured under coach Damien Hardwick.
“Well done Dimma (Hardwick); he’s gotten the Tigers into the granny,” he said. “I reckon there’s only about 30 people here in this section, so I reckon I might be on my own.”
AFL members and finals series ticketholders will be allocated 15 per cent of tickets to the first-ever night decider, with 16 per cent to premium hospitality packages and 15 per cent to AFL stakeholders, corporate and broadcast partners.
In line with COVID-19 rules, corporate and hospitality events will be restricted in capacity and social distancing must be observed.
Ticket numbers could yet be adjusted should Queensland health authorities elect to alter the crowd allowance.
Meanwhile, Melburnians will have to settle with watching the game on television, and while nothing compares to the electric atmosphere of a packed MCG, broadcasters have promised to put on a great show.
A Seven Network spokesman said the 2020 Grand Final day would be the “biggest in Australian sporting history” with Bruce McAvaney and Brian Taylor leading the commentary.
“Seven (is) set to bring fans all the tension, drama and electricity of the 100th running of the iconic Cox Plate and the … AFL Grand Final,” the spokesman said.
“Coverage will run non-stop from the Weekend Sunrise AFL Grand Final edition at 9am until the Grand Final post-match presentations and celebrations have finally wound up at about 11pm.”
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said the night Grand Final would be a fitting end to a “season like no other”.
“Historically a really special part of Grand Final day is the build-up and anticipation, and we want to ensure we can share the electricity and atmosphere of the night with as many people as possible around the country,” he said. “The shortened game times should see the final siren blown and the premier officially crowned just before 10pm.”