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-

 

[Gibbke]

A couple of weeks of hypocrisy...

After months of non-negotiable conditions stating Tasmania needs a brand new $750b stadium for admission to the AFL, they play games at Norwood and Mt Barker. And to get closer to the wineries, next time it'll be in the Barossa...

In the middle of shredding Robbo for suggesting the Showdown could be played in Melbourne, 7 neutral games are played in Adelaide.

After years of emphatic negotiations capping the game limit at 22 a season, they play a 23rd.

 

[offtherails9]

I think next year the Saturday Adelaide Oval double header should stay. I was there and if the weather actually held off it would've been great. They needed more public bars open too, was a bit too corporate.

Carnival aspect to the Saturday I reckon, although I do understand the calls for potentially giving people the option to buy single game or double header tickets for those games.

Would also continue to play Hawthorn against an expansion side at Norwood rather than a Vic team as some have suggested. Carlton had the highest amount of traveling fans so bit of a waste to then cap Hawks/Blues at 10k.

 

[Elixuh]

Happy to keep it in SA indefinitely if the two WA, Qld and NSW teams are given an additional home game courtesy of the Vic teams and two SA teams.

 

[kranger]

A lot of grounds will need upgrading...

Yep, which is good for footy, if more areas have better facilities.

 

[Lets Roar like '44]

People just got sucked into the commentators continually telling us how good it was, even before it started, with no actual evidence other than it could throw the non drawing clubs at bush league grounds and say it’s a sell out. And then play double headers at AO with the ground being half full for one of them. But let’s call that a sell out too.
Practice games get sold out when you play at remote grounds so not sure getting 7000 people to a league game is celebratory worthy.
All I got from it was Jonathan Brown enjoying a glass or 8 of the finest the Hills had to offer whilst on a working holiday. Lucky him. Who else thought, yes it’s Nth v Bris at Mt Barker, I need to gather some friends and get me some of those fine reds that I couldn’t possibly get anywhere else? Literally no one is who.
It’s a silly concept that the commentators have successfully sucked in the plebs to.

 

[Back Pocket Rocket]

People just got sucked into the commentators continually telling us how good it was, even before it started, with no actual evidence other than it could throw the non drawing clubs at bush league grounds and say it’s a sell out. And then play double headers at AO with the ground being half full for one of them. But let’s call that a sell out too.
Practice games get sold out when you play at remote grounds so not sure getting 7000 people to a league game is celebratory worthy.
All I got from it was Jonathan Brown enjoying a glass or 8 of the finest the Hills had to offer whilst on a working holiday. Lucky him. Who else thought, yes it’s Nth v Bris at Mt Barker, I need to gather some friends and get me some of those fine reds that I couldn’t possibly get anywhere else? Literally no one is who.
It’s a silly concept that commenters has successfully sucked in the plebs.

Were you over here? Atmosphere from Thursday to Sunday was amazing. The games at the Parade were awesome which for games featuring Gold Coast and GWS is unheard of.

 

[Bjo187]

Can anybody post the age article just released on how malinaskuas secured the 3 year deal with gill? TIA.

 

[MooreTreloar]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned but if Tasmanian come into the AFL in then one team each year will miss out on Gather Round.

Also I wonder if Tasmania come into the AFL will they host Gather Round the first year they enter. It’d make sense to me.

 

[powerrrrrrrrrrrr]

Happy to keep it in SA indefinitely if the two WA, Qld and NSW teams are given an additional home game courtesy of the Vic teams and two SA teams.

What is this possibly meant to be addressing? If the concern is the SA clubs have an extra home game, if your solution is to take one of the SA home games and give it to the other interstate clubs all it means is that WA, NSW and Qld would end up with an extra home round over SA. Doesn’t address anything if the concern is the fixture equality but just moves that 1 game advantage elsewhere across even more teams.

The easiest way to address the fixture imbalance is simply making Vic (mainly mcg tenants) actually travel for away games. Make Collingwood go to GMHBA when they play the cats, make them go to Tassi against the Hawks. Make another Marvel tenant play the Dogs in Ballarat. Pies are just an example here but same goes for any MCG / Marvel tenant. Then in turn, the interstaters aren’t the ones always doing those extra legs and more importantly, it limits the ‘away’ teams from getting more home games.

Port and Ade getting 1 extra game doesn’t break the fixture. The easy ride the Vic sides get however does have a much greater impact when they continually get to play at home when there is an easy solution to address that.

Fixture will never be completely even but this would at least balance it more.

 

[hawkman]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned but if Tasmanian come into the AFL in then one team each year will miss out on Gather Round.

Also I wonder if Tasmania come into the AFL will they host Gather Round the first year they enter. It’d make sense to me.

WA teams probably alternate on the bye in those weeks if it is not in Perth

 

[ibd77]

People just got sucked into the commentators continually telling us how good it was, even before it started, with no actual evidence other than it could throw the non drawing clubs at bush league grounds and say it’s a sell out. And then play double headers at AO with the ground being half full for one of them. But let’s call that a sell out too.
Practice games get sold out when you play at remote grounds so not sure getting 7000 people to a league game is celebratory worthy.
All I got from it was Jonathan Brown enjoying a glass or 8 of the finest the Hills had to offer whilst on a working holiday. Lucky him. Who else thought, yes it’s Nth v Bris at Mt Barker, I need to gather some friends and get me some of those fine reds that I couldn’t possibly get anywhere else? Literally no one is who.
It’s a silly concept that the commentators have successfully sucked in the plebs to.

Lol you dont get out much do you?

It's what you don't see off the field that makes this event special. Hoards of footy fans all in different atire roaming the city, restaurants, hotels, pubs, clubs, casino and shopping precincts.

It's a festival of football that brings tourism dollars to the host city. Actual match day attendances is not that crucial as the government is subsiding the matches.

 

[Lets Roar like '44]

Lol you dont get out much do you?

It's what you don't see off the field that makes this event special. Hoards of footy fans all in different atire roaming the city, restaurants, hotels, pubs, clubs, casino and shopping precincts.

It's a festival of football that brings tourism dollars to the host city. Actual match day attendances is not that crucial as the government is subsiding the matches.

No there wasn’t. Another sucker.

 

[ibd77]

No there wasn’t. Another sucker.

Keep mashing that keyboard

 

[Lets Roar like '44]

Keep mashing that keyboard

Dude what? Time to stop being a campaigner.

 

[dean33]

People just got sucked into the commentators continually telling us how good it was, even before it started, with no actual evidence other than it could throw the non drawing clubs at bush league grounds and say it’s a sell out. And then play double headers at AO with the ground being half full for one of them. But let’s call that a sell out too.
Practice games get sold out when you play at remote grounds so not sure getting 7000 people to a league game is celebratory worthy.
All I got from it was Jonathan Brown enjoying a glass or 8 of the finest the Hills had to offer whilst on a working holiday. Lucky him. Who else thought, yes it’s Nth v Bris at Mt Barker, I need to gather some friends and get me some of those fine reds that I couldn’t possibly get anywhere else? Literally no one is who.
It’s a silly concept that the commentators have successfully sucked in the plebs to.

On your own with this take Roy boy.

 

[The_Wookie]

No there wasn’t. Another sucker.

Dude you are way off base. Live and work in the CBD. Never seen anything like it for the footy in 20 years.

 

[Freomaniac]

Anyone know what SANFL grounds aren't AFL standard? Glenelg oval would make sense seeing its down the bay and a touristy spot with Jetty road etc
what needs to be done there? would the cricket pitch area be the issue?
Barossa
Victor Harbor
SANFL ground (Glenelg or Richmond) not sure if the AFL or SA would wanna showcase Elizabeth oval lol

Sturts home turf... Unley oval. That's only a quick bus ride south of the city.

Woodville oval is only a few stops away from the train station.

I'm a south Adelaide fan. So Noarlunga oval would be nice.

Port Adelaide fans would love a game at Alberton oval

 

[Freomaniac]

Glenelg, if they got it up to standard would easily be the best bet for a game. Why?, because it is close to a touristy strip with lots of things to do, heaps of accomodation, pubs, restautrants and good transport. It would really be the only option.

Richmond is in the suburban back streets with no entertainment close by. Ditto Woodville. Ditto Alberton.
Elizabeth is in Elizabeth.
Noarlunga is in Noarlunga.

Unley is close to pubs and restaurants, but Dog Poo Park just aint up to scratch these days. Too much of the ground is unusable for spectators.
Prospect is also a stretch. Prospect Road has a lot of Restaurants (but lacks pubs), but it still a fair way from the Ground.

Glenelg (if upgraded) and Norwood are the 2 best options. Gather Round is about ROI, thus catering for the tourist dollar is the most important thing.

I forgot about prospect oval. Like Norwood oval and Unley oval, it's a small bus ride from the CBD.

Woodville oval and Alberton would be good.

Thebarton oval is closer to the entertainment centre and can take a tram there too

 

[HugeJohnson]

Happy to keep it in SA indefinitely if the two WA, Qld and NSW teams are given an additional home game courtesy of the Vic teams and two SA teams.

I posted this in the other thread but what if Gather Round was an actual home game for Port and Adelaide, then trade off another of our home games for a neutral game against the team we play in gather round in the NT for example.
Example, Port play Bulldogs at home for gather round, then later on in the season for the double up game we play them in a neutral game in Alice Springs.
Adelaide played Carlton in gather round as their home game then later on in the year play a neutral game against Carlton in Darwin.

Then it stays status quo, every team has 11 home, 11 away, and one neutral.
Just make sure the opponent is rotated each year from one of our double up games already scheduled

 

[doppleganger]

I posted this in the other thread but what if Gather Round was an actual home game for Port and Adelaide, then trade off another of our home games for a neutral game against the team we play in gather round in the NT for example.
Example, Port play Bulldogs at home for gather round, then later on in the season for the double up game we play them in a neutral game in Alice Springs.
Adelaide played Carlton in gather round as their home game then later on in the year play a neutral game against Carlton in Darwin.

Then it stays status quo, every team has 11 home, 11 away, and one neutral.
Just make sure the opponent is rotated each year from one of our double up games already scheduled

You do realise Melbourne based clubs are already doing this?

Melbourne arent fixtured all 11 of their home games at the G.

Last year Melbourne played a "home" game against Port in the NT.

Port fans still try include that as an away game for them.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Dude you are way off base. Live and work in the CBD. Never seen anything like it for the footy in 20 years.

I was walking up the Mall on Thursday at 4pm (Going to my travel agent to get my docs for my Friday flight out) and I haven't seen anything like that anywhere ever.

And that's just with the Carlton supporters in town. I didn't see much of anyone else yet. But there were more Carlton fans there making the atmosphere amazing than away fans at a showdown.

 

[Dirty Bird]

I posted this in the other thread but what if Gather Round was an actual home game for Port and Adelaide, then trade off another of our home games for a neutral game against the team we play in gather round in the NT for example.
Example, Port play Bulldogs at home for gather round, then later on in the season for the double up game we play them in a neutral game in Alice Springs.
Adelaide played Carlton in gather round as their home game then later on in the year play a neutral game against Carlton in Darwin.

Then it stays status quo, every team has 11 home, 11 away, and one neutral.
Just make sure the opponent is rotated each year from one of our double up games already scheduled

It's solves the fixture inequities.
HOWEVER - It makes it worse for Carlton/Bulldogs fans. Cant get tickets to the gather round as easily, then they have to head elsewhere altogether.

 

[Elixuh]

You do realise Melbourne based clubs are already doing this?

Melbourne arent fixtured all 11 of their home games at the G.

Last year Melbourne played a "home" game against Port in the NT.

Port fans still try include that as an away game for them.

Why did Melbourne play a home game against Port last year? Did Melbourne sell one of their home games?

 

[doppleganger]

Why did Melbourne play a home game against Port last year? Did Melbourne sell one of their home games?

Back pre Etihad, ie back in 1999, Melbourne played all its home games at the MCG.

Upon opening Etihad, in 2000 the AFL then scheduled Melbourne to play 3 "home" games at Etihad.

The woeful stadium deal and the fact that Melbourne supporters never identified Etihad as "home" meant that they were horribly attended and the Dees lost significant $$ to stage games at a venue that wasnt at home.

As the AFL woukd no longer fixture all 11 games at theit actual home ground, they decided to sell games to other venues outside of Melbourne instead of lose money at Etihad (which wasnt home anyway).

Originally they played "home" games against your mob Brisbane at the GABBA, gifting Brisbane an extra home game.

They have done Canberra, NT all over.

The AFL enforced Melbourne based ground rationalisation policy that dudded Melbourne based clubs.

 

[HugeJohnson]

Back pre Etihad, ie back in 1999, Melbourne played all its home games at the MCG.

Upon opening Etihad, in 2000 the AFL then scheduled Melbourne to play 3 "home" games at Etihad.

The woeful stadium deal and the fact that Melbourne supporters never identified Etihad as "home" meant that they were horribly attended and the Dees lost significant $$ to stage games at a venue that wasnt at home.

As the AFL woukd no longer fixture all 11 games at theit actual home ground, they decided to sell games to other venues outside of Melbourne instead of lose money at Etihad (which wasnt home anyway).

Originally they played "home" games against your mob Brisbane at the GABBA, gifting Brisbane an extra home game.

They have done Canberra, NT all over.

The AFL enforced Melbourne based ground rationalisation policy that dudded Melbourne based clubs.

Thats a lazy excuse. Melbourne fans don't want to watch their team play a non-víc team in Melbourne, Melbourne club sells their home game interstate, and then it's unfair on them? No one is holding a gun to their head and saying they have to sell their home game somewhere else, they made this decision themselves for their own financial benefit.