AFL ditches Virgin Australia Grand Final week party

It’s the biggest night on the AFL social calendar — ever since Brendan Fevola ruined the Brownlow — where footy stars, club bosses and A-list stars let their hair down and the beer and champagne flows. So why has the AFL called it off?

Montana Cox with the Premiership Cup at the Virgin Grand Final party. Picture: Lucas Dawson

Say goodbye to the biggest night on the AFL social calendar.

Virgin Australia has quietly dumped its Grand Final week party. The elaborate no expense spared A-lister bash has fallen victim to AFL cost cutting.

Since 2013 the Wednesday night of grand final week has belonged to Virgin. It has rightly claimed the title as one of the best Melbourne party events for the year.

It has clearly taken over from the heavily scrutinised Brownlow Medal night, we can thank Brendan Fevola for that, as the party where the industry prefers to let its hair down.

Player managers, club officials and head office honchos who may bicker during the year, come together as one as the beer, champagne and cocktails flow freely.

Shanina Shaik. Picture: Lucas Dawson

Lucy and Ruby Brownless. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis

It has become priority No.1 for those not required on the Saturday with star players coming from all over Australia to be a part of the Virgin evening.

The event certainly brings together the who’s who of the social set with leggy models and actors mingling with AFL types.

Even the great Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history, made it to a Virgin Party back in 2014. Last year Victoria’s Secret model Shanina Shaik was the VIP guest.

Every year Virgin would have an elaborate theme for the party.

Gary and Jordan Ablett. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis

Rianna and Ricky Ponting.

In 2017 guests stepped into an “Urban Utopia” featuring a mock Hong Kong supermarket where they could order an alcoholic lychee ball slushie and then take home a special Maneki Neko, a good luck figurine to mark the occasion.

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The official line is that the company is redirecting the funds used for the party to other areas of its AFL sponsorship.

A Virgin Australia spokesperson said: “Whilst we love a good party, we decided to open up the celebrations to more fans and include them in some exciting activations during the Finals series as well as providing them with Australia’s first sports fan-generated content platform, Footy Family.”

This year Virgin Australia has appealed to fans with its Footy Family activation where supporters are asked to send in pictures and videos of their game day experience with the chance to win the ultimate Grand Final experience.

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