‘An expensive weekend’: Grandmother unhappy with local footy finals prices

Jenny Welsh says kids have been free all year, so why slug them $5 for finals?

Grandmother Jenny Welsh is angry the GDFL is charging children to attend this year's finals. Picture: Alan Barber

A grandmother has slammed a local footy league for charging children for admission to finals games but the league says the prices are in keeping with other competitions.

Jenny Welsh said she was surprised to learn the Geelong District Football and Netball League (GDFNL) would be charging children aged between five and 15 years old $5 for admission to matches after offering free entry all year.

She said a lot of parents were forced to bring their kids to games.

“A lot of the time the children are only there because their parents are either playing footy or netball or some children are playing finals but their siblings get dragged along,” Ms Welsh said.

“It’s the principle of the matter, kids should be free, it’s only GDFNL.”

Jenny Welsh with her grandchildren and their cousins and friends. Picture: Alan Barber

Ms Welsh said a lot of the children being charged had given their time at clubs throughout the year.

“Some of these kids that they’re charging have been ball boys for their clubs over the season, they do that voluntarily,” she said.

She said that while $5 might not seem like much, it can quickly add up.

“They’re already charging parents $15 to watch,” Ms Welsh said.

“So then, if I took my six grandkids, and my husband and me, that’s $60 to get into local footy.

Grandmother Jenny Welsh is angry the GDFL is charging children to attend this year's finals. Picture: Alan Barber

“If I’ve got someone in two finals over the weekend it can become $120, it becomes a pretty expensive weekend.”

GDFNL president Neville Whitley said the admittance was in line with the Bellarine and Geelong leagues.

“There’s always been a charge for children, we’ve just cleaned it up a bit by having an age limit on it,” Mr Whitley said.

“We virtually followed along with the fee that AFL Barwon charge at their finals.”

MR Whitley encouraged those planning to come to games to get cheaper tickets via the league’s app.

“People can go to the games for cheaper by buying a family ticket,” he said.

“If they download the ticket online, they can get in for much cheaper.”

Originally published as ‘An expensive weekend’: Grandmother unhappy with local footy finals prices