‘It really sucks’: MCG wheelchair furore explodes as Ch7 and Fox Footy pull out

Channel 7 and Fox Footy have pulled out of their MCG studios as a behind the scenes storm erupted following the AFL season opener.

James Williams at the MCG with the Channel 7 studio behind him. Photo: Twitter, @CripsyAU

Channel 7 and Fox Footy have scrapped their out-door MCG studios in a dramatic end to a wheelchair-seating furore that has raged behind the scenes.

A photo posted on Twitter by social media influencer James Williams — which showed the wheelchair user alongside the broadcasters’ MCG studios before the season opening blockbuster draw between Carlton and Richmond — sparked outrage on Thursday night.

The popular Twitch streamer and Esports star on Thursday night said he had been unable to sit in wheelchair accessible seating on Level 4 of the Olympic Stand because Seven and Fox Footy were using two of the three bays in the stand that included wheelchair-accessible seating.

According to the AFL, the Fox Footy studio was on Thursday night moved from its 2022-season location to be side by side with the Seven studio — the first time this has happened.

Watch every match of every round of the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

It is the AFL and venue officials that are ultimately responsible for the locations of the broadcast studios inside the ground — decisions that are made in consultation with Seven and Fox.

Williams on Friday told news.com.au he did not have tickets to sit in the Level 4 seating bay that had been taken up by the broadcast partners — but is adamant that does not change the bigger issue of wheelchair-using patrons having a nightmare experience when trying to watch the game.

James Williams at the MCG with the Channel 7 studio behind him. Photo: Twitter, @CripsyAU

Williams, who has been a Carlton member for nine years, said he was pushed to purchase standard general admission tickets for the season opener, attended by 88,084 spectators, because the system for purchasing tickets for wheelchair users is a frustrating debacle.

Wheelchair-accessible seating cannot be purchased through an app or directly on a website. Wheelchair users like Williams must endure long waits to purchase tickets on the phone or through a convoluted email system that robs patrons of being able to make snap decisions to attend events at short notice.

The full time content creator, who has 34,000 followers under his “CripsyTV” Twitch account, told his followers on social media he was initially taken by venue staff to a wheelchair accessible seating bay on Level 1. The ground-level seating for wheelchair users is at the very back of the front bay and is generally a painful experience for wheelchair users who are unable to see large sections of the ground, according to Williams.

As an update...

Some lovely @MCG staff have moved us to level 4.

They have promised a swift follow up with @7AFL & @FOXFOOTY and we are going to continue the conversation to do better.

Story ain't over. #accessmatters#afltigersbluespic.twitter.com/euhBVHXI7Q

— James | CripsyTV 🇦🇺 (@CripsyAU) March 16, 2023

He said it is particularly devastating when other spectators regularly stand up in front of them and block their views entirely.

MCG officials acted quickly when alerted to the situation and Williams, his friend Troy and his father Darren Cunningham were taken back up to Level 4 where wheelchair user-friendly seating was found for them.

Despite the situation being resolved in a largely-satisfying fashion, Williams just wants his experience to raise awareness about how frustrating it can be for wheelchair-users to attend football games.

“We’re not here kicking and screaming saying, ‘This is bulls***’. We’re not saying the AFL hate disabled people,” he said.

“That’s not what we’re here for. We’re just trying to raise some awareness and I’ve been doing it for years at various stadiums. It’s not fair.

It ended in a hollow draw. Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

“We’re not having a go and saying, ‘This is bulls***’. Or that we don’t have enough (seats). They actually have enough. Sure, some of it’s not appropriate, some of it’s not great viewing. But we just want some awareness of the fact that of the very limited options that we have, some of that’s been taken away. And that really sucks.”

He said the AFL has not been in contact with him. MCG officials are understood to have reached out to him.

The league acted quickly to address the situation on Friday and an agreement was reached between the league, the MCC, Seven and Fox Footy for the studios not to be used for the rest of the opening round of the season.

The parties will meet next week to find a solution to the problem and it is unclear if the studios will be used in Round 2.

Those wheelchair-accessible seats that were taken up by the open-air broadcast studios will be available to patrons for Friday night’s blockbuster between Geelong and Collingwood.

AFL communications boss Jay Allen said the league was apologetic for the situation Williams faced.

“There is a number of accessibility seats available at the venue, even during large crowds like we saw last night,” he said in a statement.

Daisy Pearce, James Brayshaw and Brian Taylor will be front and centre for Channel 7. Photo: Channel 7.

“Unfortunately, two patrons purchased standard seating with the assumption an area would be free to utilise, however during marquee games over the last number of years, some of these areas are utilised by our broadcast partners for the telecast. When it is unavailable you cannot purchase tickets to access it, however this is done on the basis that there are similar accessible seats elsewhere in the venue.

“Once we were made aware of the two patrons not being able to access the area, MCC staff immediately acted and moved the two patrons to an alternative accessibility access area to view the game.

“Today the AFL, MCC and broadcaster partners have come together to find an immediate solution, being both broadcasters not utilising this area for the rest of the round, and it will be available for patrons who may require it.

“We will work on a solution for Round 2 and beyond.”

News.com.au contacted the MCC for comment.

Fox Footy is broadcasting its popular pre-match coverage from its Fox Footy studios in Melbourne.

Seven has the option of broadcasting from its studio inside the MCG or from ground level on the field.