How club fans could get 6000 more seats at the AFL Grand Final
More tickets could be put in the hands of competing club supporters if a new plan to take the seats off corporate and cashed-up purchasers is adopted.
Victoria
Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The AFL has been urged to increase the amount of grand final tickets handed to fans in a move that would see 40,000 seats at the MCG filled by competing club members.
The AFL Fans Association will lobby the league to find at least another 6000 more seats for spectators at the premiership decider to satisfy record club membership numbers Australia-wide.
It has developed a three point plan to put more tickets in the hands of supporters, by taking them off corporate and cashed up purchasers.
Fans Association president Ron Issko said it would see the amount of grand final tickets issued to members of competing clubs increased from 17,000 to 20,000 each.
“With record club memberships it’s time we reward members that go week in, week out in the rain, hail, shine and interstate to see their team play,’’ he said.
“These are the footy fans that deserve to be at the Grand Final.’’
The first step would see 4500 corporate sales tickets, traditionally offloaded to those who can pay between $2000 and $5000 a seat, redirected to competing members.
Secondly, AFL “contractual obligation” seats would be reduced by 600.
Finally, 900 tickets from other categories including clubs and past players would be reassigned to competing club members.
Mr Issko said fans should be given tickets snapped up by corporates who “jump the queue and buy their way into the Grand Final’’.
“We encourage the AFL to review the existing arrangements and contractual commitments including the number of tickets sold to corporates and package based consumers,’’ he said.
AFL spokesman Jay Allen said the Grand Final was “the most sought after ticket in Australian sport”.
“We continue to always prioritise the competing club members, with the biggest share of tickets always available to those club members,’’ he said.
“When you combine the club members, AFL members and the MCC, all equally passionate footy supporters, it equates to a tick over 70,000 tickets or 70 per cent of capacity.’’
While the AFL was yet to discuss this year’s allocation, leaving the remaining 30 per cent spread across clubs, AFL life members, corporate and broadcast partners helped fund the game and kept costs down for fans.
“The smallest allocation goes to premium hospitality experiences in which demand has never been bigger,’’ he said.
The issue will be put to fans in an annual fans survey to be launched on Monday.
It will ask fans their views on everything from favourite venues to the AFL’s illicit drugs policy, whether a send off rule should be introduced for violent on-field acts and if they have felt unsafe at the footy.
Mr Issko hoped the survey helped the AFL understanding what matters most to fans.
The Fans Association has also renewed calls to keep the grand final in its traditional timeslot.
“Three out of four fans prefer a Grand Final starting time of 2.30pm — let’s lock that in for the next decade — fans tell us they are sick and tired of this being debated every year,’’ he said.
Collingwood chief executive Craig Kelly said 17,000 tickets to last year’s grand final for more than 100,000 members was “far from enough for our most loyal members”.
Former AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan late last year revealed some of the 9000 tickets sold to corporates could be considered for members
Club memberships are at about 1.2 million, with an average tally of more than 70,000
The AFL increased grand final allocations to competing members from 15,000 to 17,000 per club in 2017.
Join the conversation
Wild tactics Victorians are relying on to find love on dating apps
Melburnians looking for love are going to extreme lengths to find the one, new dating app data has revealed. But some common profile pitfalls are giving would-be matches the ick.
Read more
Police called to Brunswick polling booth as Muslim Votes Matter, Labor clash
Police have been called to a Brunswick voting centre following an alleged physical altercation between a Labor volunteer and a Muslim Votes Matter activist.
Read more