Why AFL’s grand final call is a $40m mistake: Swans president Andrew Pridham on best-of-three deciders

The AFL could be throwing $40 million down the drain by refusing to engage with non-Victorian clubs’ idea of a best-of-three Grand Final series, says Swans president Andrew Pridham.

Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham says the AFL is making a $40 million mistake knocking back a best-of-three Grand Final series as he warned the league was falling behind the NRL’s suite of blockbuster games.

Pridham told this masthead on Monday non-Victorian presidents were still upset the AFL extended the Grand Final contract with the MCG by two decades in 2018 without consulting clubs.

The state government handed over $500 million to the AFL to pay for the league’s own Marvel Stadium upgrade and infrastructure works at Victorian-only venues.

The Grand Final is locked in at the MCG until 2059 with contract clauses guaranteeing all deciders are at the venue but Pridham made clear there were options to get around such impediments.

Jack Viney of the Demons celebrates kicking a goal during the Opening Round match between Sydney and Melbourne at the SCG. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.

“The big focus should be around creating events. The NRL have effectively got four events with State of Origin and their Grand Final plus the Vegas experiment,” he said.

“I genuinely think we should have a three-game Grand Final. I know the AFL don’t like it but it’s a no-brainer. There are conflicting reports but the contract is there for the deciding game. Either the Grand Final is there or the deciding game is there. You could potentially have the first game in Brisbane and the last one at the MCG.

“That is potentially three Grand Finals worth $15m-$20m. That brings a huge amount of revenue into the game and it’s definitely fairer.”

The AFL extended the Grand Final at the MCG to 2057 in 2018 before the contract pushed out to 2059 after Covid meant two deciders could not be played at the home of football.

While the AFL was able to help fund Victorian infrastructure it again locked non-Victorian clubs out of hosting the Grand Final for the foreseeable future.

Melbourne skipper Max Gawn with the premiership Cup in the middle of Optus Stadium. Picture: Michael Klein

“I was not amused that all that money went to Victorian clubs with no consultation. My coach (John Longmire) asked how – I agreed and I told him we weren’t consulted. I have got no issue with Gather Round and getting money from governments as long as we spend money growing the game nationally, not just on Melbourne,” Pridham said.

Pridham says the AFL did an exceptional job of its new-look Opening Round and is certain it will again occur in 2025.

But he is keen for the league to continue to invest in marketing in New South Wales given some critics believed AFL House did not advertise the existence of Opening Round in Sydney.

“It was hugely successful. For us to get a sellout against Melbourne, which doesn’t usually pull a huge crowd, was amazing. It was a huge tick in terms of launching a season and it would normally be round 3 before the audience in Sydney wakes up that the season is on. “Put it this way - rugby league wouldn’t have liked it. We can do it a bit better and we will, but I am sure the AFL will stick with it and we think we can get 75,000 members this year. The Essendon game (in round 2) will be a sellout, so we will sell out our first two games and then we also have Collingwood at home to come.”

Originally published as Why AFL’s grand final call is a $40m mistake: Swans president Andrew Pridham on best-of-three deciders