Fixture Gather Round - SA announced as host for next 3 years 2024-2026

[Festerz]

16.04.23

GATHER ROUND SOUTH AUSTRALIA
AFL LOCKS IN SA FOR NEXT THREE SEASONS

The AFL in partnership with the SA Government is pleased to announce ‘Gather Round…. A Festival of Footy’ will be hosted in South Australia for the next three seasons.

The inaugural ‘Gather Round’ has been an overwhelming success, with all nine games sold out, more than 220,000 fans attending matches across the Adelaide Oval, Norwood Oval and Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills and tens of thousands of fans attending the footy festival on the banks of Torrens.

More than 60,000 fans purchased tickets from interstate.

Across 2024, 2025 and 2026, Gather Round …. A festival of footy will be hosted exclusively in South Australia, with Adelaide Oval to be the central venue, with the intent from both the AFL and the SA Government to take regional matches in 2024 to the Barossa / McClaren Vale region.

As part of the three-year term, both the AFL and SA Government have also committed to establishing a community football legacy fund, that will benefit local footy clubs in the state beyond the weekend of matches.

The AFL will lock in the fixture dates of the round in the coming weeks to give fans as much lead time as possible to book travel and accommodation.

Ticketing information will be release later in the year.

“South Australia really turned it on. Gather Round and all the activity across the state, the nine matches, the footy festival and the community football engagement has been some of the best days and events the AFL has ever delivered,” AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan said.

“It has been a success because everyone in football got behind the idea, clubs, players, corporate partners and most importantly our fans, to deliver an extraordinary few days,

“While the concept has real momentum, and we plan on taking it to other states around the country, we also feel in order for it to be as successful in the other states we need to continue to build out the concept in South Australia,

“The reality is we only had a few months to pull this together, and we hope by locking it in now we are giving everyone a longer runway to put together a bigger and even better event, and our fans certainty around booking travel and accommodation.

“The match at Mount Barker was a special afternoon on Saturday and an important part of recommitting to South Australia was to establish the community legacy fund, ensuring local footy clubs’ benefit from bringing the Gather Round to town.”

During the round the AFL has facilitated dozens of community club and school visits, held seminars for community club volunteers and delivered more than 10,000 footballs to regional community clubs.

Details on the Community legacy fund will be communicated at a later date.

“On behalf of the AFL I want to thank to Premier Malinauskas and his team in the SA Government who in partnership, delivered an unbelievable few days for footy and the state of South Australia.”

The AFL will also work with the AFLPA on the commitments to the players.

“The players have been strong partners in the Gather Round concept and have embraced wholeheartedly the round. We will now work with the AFLPA on the commitments to the players in the coming years.”

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said “The inaugural Gather Round has been a stunning success, in no small part thanks to the willingness of South Australians, and our interstate visitors, to show up.
“We know that this has delivered huge benefits for our state, and that is why I’m so pleased to see it return for the next three years.”

“With more time to plan, we know we can make Gather Round even bigger and better than what it has already become.”

“I want to thank Gillon McLachlan, the AFL, wider footballing community, public servants, councils and others who’ve all worked so hard to deliver such an amazing event in just a few months.”

“But most of all, I want to thank each and every person who showed up.”

“This agreement is because of you.”

-ends-

 

[Cuzz09]

I have to say one of things the AFL got right.

Sth Aussies deserve to watch a full round of footy.

Western Australia next but there has to be some sort of flight deal to make it palatable with fans.

If it's in WA:

$300 ticket to game/return flight package would be good

 

[Rabish Binney]

I have to say one of things the AFL got right.

Sth Aussies deserve to watch a full round of footy.

Western Australia next but there has to be some sort of flight deal to make it palatable with fans.

Why would you think that an airline would 'make a deal' to help with the cost of fans travelling?

The AFL is sponsored by one of the 2 big airlines in Australia. Come finals time, that particular airline cant wait to jack up their prices and to rip the consumer off.

Interstate fans have had to put up with price gouging to see their clubs compete at finals times in Vic. Were you concerned with the cost of flights previously then or becuase now it might affect you, something should be done about it?

 

[Dan26]

I don't mind the SA clubs get an extra home game.

Magpies, bombers, tigers and blues get 15 or 16 MCG games every season.

Most of those games are neutral games. It's a total false narrative, and, quite frankly, a steaming pile of crap

DEFINITIONS
Advantage games: Games where you host a travelling opponent, or in the case of Geelong playing a Victorian team (or any team) at Kardinia Park.

Neutral games: Games between Victorian clubs at the MCG or Marvel, and the derbies and showdowns in Perth and Adelaide played at shared home grounds

Disadvantage games: Games where you travel on a plane to an opponents home state, or in the case of Geelong where Victorian teams travel to Kardinia Park. GWS playing at SCG, Swans playing at Engie, Gold Coast playing at Gabba, and the Lions playing at People's First Stadium.

Comparing your club with mine this year.

Fremantle:
11 advantage games
3 neutral games
9 disadvantage games
PLUS 2 net advantage (11 minus 9)

Essendon
5 advantage games
12 neutral games
6 disadvantage games
MINUS 1 net disadvantage (5 minus 6)

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Really hope that the AFL refuses the temptation to move the concept to Tasmania with the new side coming in. Let South Australia as one of the most footy mad states have this one, they’ve supported it from ground up.

It will be an absolute disgrace if Gather Round moves to Tasmania.
Let SA keep it for many years. They've done a brilliant job.

 

[speedpeck23]

An extra round of footy in an 18 club competition is fine. Each club 11 home 11 away , 1 gather round. With 19 clubs you have to play another 10 matches to even the fixture. Clearly they won't all be in SA......

 

[Bay53]

When the AFL first considered the notion of playing all games in one city over the weekend, I don't think they had any idea that a state government would be so committed to it. I think they probably planned to do it in Sydney but the SA government were so keen that they came in over the top.

Have what ever opinion you like on his other politics, but there is no question Peter Malinauskas and the SA government have built this and whilst he is Premier I think it would be crazy to take it away from SA.

 

[Nostradumbass]

 

[The Nostradamus]

I see no issue giving it to someone else for a few years then coming back to SA later

 

[Rabish Binney]

I see no issue giving it to someone else for a few years then coming back to SA later

Maybe they could do that with the GF at the MCG?

 

[Blackhawk42]

I see no issue giving it to someone else for a few years then coming back to SA later

Who though?

You won't get as many fans travelling all the way to Perth for it.

Queensland doesn't have the facilities.

Sydney isn't an easy city to navigate, and again, are the facilities up to it?

Victoria obviously doesn't need it.

Tasmania is the only other real option once 3 stadiums are in play. Or force the bottom two sides of the previous season to play on the gravel pit.


Adelaide is the perfect location for all the reasons that it has ultimately become successful.

 

[errant bounce]

WA is too far, the northern states wouldn't get the crowds for it, and within a few years anyone half interested in Gather Round will have already done it.

Tasmania is a good option, not sure the whole point is about having every single supporter within the same city. the AFL's hardcore push to get matches in the Barossa confirms that.

I think the whole thing dies off though, just isn't a continued appetite for it.

 

[offtherails9]

It won't work anywhere other than SA. The road trip factor makes the numbers from Victoria an actual option.

I do wonder whether the novelty eventually wears off.. it's a once a year event so I'm not so sure it will. It's a pretty common anecdote amongst South Aussies that this year has been the hardest to get tickets too which suggests demand is as big as it's been, let's see if it continues.

A lot of the SA country footy leagues are starting to go against the original idea of the round within SA and are not worrying about the government's push to have no local/country footy on the weekend of the round.

 

[Clark G]

Gather round can still have nine matches, one team gets left out.

 

[Melvin]

Port can play against their traditional rival The Bye and everyone is happy

 

[Clark G]

Port can play against their traditional rival The Bye and everyone is happy

That would be very controversial should the gather round be in Adelaide.

 

[Drakescoffeecake]

i'm going for the first time, gives an excuse to go to the shithole that is adelaide otherwise would never go

any recommendations on restaurants/bars?

already disappointed this year doesn't have the live free concert

If you're already coming here with that mindset despite never having been to Adelaide then nothing will please you. Pretty sad. Good luck anyway, there is no shortage of restaurants and bars.

 

[Smackdos]

Interested to see how tightly the security enforce things at the gates with pat downs and bag checkings ect following last week's fiasco..
I'm driving over for the Pies Swans game on the friday and the Port Hawks on the sunday, im tipping my old trick of sneaking in alcohol in my plastic gym drink bottle at the bottom of my backpack with snacks won't cut it this time if they are being overly cautious with checks. what do people think? Also tipping I will have to get their just after gates open to feel comfortable getting to my seat in time incase their will be delays with security

 

[JimmyBC]

Probably time to give Norwood Oval a rest next year they've had enough pocket lining. Prospect or the Bay.

 

[cleanhands]

i'm going for the first time, gives an excuse to go to the shithole that is adelaide otherwise would never go

any recommendations on restaurants/bars?

already disappointed this year doesn't have the live free concert

Where you staying?

 

[pjcrows]

One thing about South Aussies - we do love getting around an event.

We had 250,000 people walking through a new hills tunnel when it was opened, FFS

 

[mick500]

I don't know why people think gather round needs to go anywhere else. Come up with another idea. The gather round was ours and it should stay that way. I don't even particularly like it, but I don't see why anyone should feel the right to take it away.

 

[theprospector]

I don't know why people think gather round needs to go anywhere else. Come up with another idea. The gather round was ours and it should stay that way. I don't even particularly like it, but I don't see why anyone should feel the right to take it away.

agree. Keep it.

Northern States should move opening round to winter holidays and have it in a mid-season bye week.

WCE/Freo should get Pies/Blues rotate through both teams across two weekends.

Everyone gets something. Almost too simple for the AFL so it won't happen.

 

[Giant YoYo]

Couldn't be looking more forward to it.

Particularly as a first timer to Adelaide/SA.

 

[ibd77]

If you're already coming here with that mindset despite never having been to Adelaide then nothing will please you. Pretty sad. Good luck anyway, there is no shortage of restaurants and bars.

Probably gonna have a bad time down Hindley Street then. Maybe the Arkabar might be the place to be.

 

[cleanhands]

Couldn't be looking more forward to it.

Particularly as a first timer to Adelaide/SA.

What games are you seeing