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-

 

[Dan26]

Why can't "A footy festival that gives people a reason to travel during the holidays and enjoy a bunch of games is fun!" be enough?

I'm sure it is fun. For the 0.16% of the Australian population who are having a weekend holiday in SA at the time. Not for the 99.84% of the population who aren't there.

The stark reality is that it makes zero sense, is not needed in a big crowd drawing sport and brings no new fans to the sport. The AFL have essentially been "gamed" by the SA premier, as the only entity that gets a positive out of this is the South Australian economy, which ironically has Sweet F.A to do with the AFL.

 

[boncer34]

I'm sure it is fun. For the 0.16% of the Australian population who are having a weekend holiday in SA at the time. Not for the 99.84% of the population who aren't there.

The stark reality is that it makes zero sense, is not needed in a big crowd drawing sport and brings no new fans to the sport. The AFL have essentially been "gamed" by the SA premier, as the only entity that gets a positive out of this is the South Australian economy, which ironically has Sweet F.A to do with the AFL.

As one of the 99.84% it makes 0 difference to me either way.

 

[kickazz]

Dan26 it adds a little colour to our lives, cheer up and don't be such a misery guts.


There are so many worthwhile things that happen every day across the country that involve less that 0.1% of the population.

Even for those that don't go, I have found it interesting watching over the last couple of years, it's cool watching games that are at different grounds - something to talk about. You say it is not needed - well footy itself is not needed either.

If your argument is a poor short term ROI or opportunity cost to the AFL - well it helps build the brand, keeps it in the news. I'm no marketing expert but they do not get nothing out of this. I dare say interest in footy in SA increases during this week. More SA people would watch some of the neutral games and that can flow to higher ratings throughout the year for neutral games. Kids going to the footy clinics etc will be more engaged. It about relationship building and long term health of the game.

 

[Bostonian]

If your argument is a poor short term ROI or opportunity cost to the AFL - well it helps build the brand, keeps it in the news. I'm no marketing expert but they do not get nothing out of this. I dare say interest in footy in SA increases during this week. More SA people would watch some of the neutral games and that can flow to higher ratings throughout the year for neutral games. Kids going to the footy clinics etc will be more engaged. It about relationship building and long term health of the game.

You should go get a job with AFL PR team peddling that waffle.

 

[Saint12]

I'm sure it is fun. For the 0.16% of the Australian population who are having a weekend holiday in SA at the time. Not for the 99.84% of the population who aren't there.

The stark reality is that it makes zero sense, is not needed in a big crowd drawing sport and brings no new fans to the sport. The AFL have essentially been "gamed" by the SA premier, as the only entity that gets a positive out of this is the South Australian economy, which ironically has Sweet F.A to do with the AFL.

It's like the season doesn't really start to get serious until round 5.

 

[Bostonian]

Imagine thinking Carlton v West Coast brings anything to the game in SA.

All it does is rob one teams fans of a home game.

And given how shit both teams are travelling it's robbing one teams fans of seeing possibly their only win for the season.

 

[maskmcgee]

First year was fine but the novelty was totally gone the next. Keep moving it each year. Perth, Tasmania, Queensland, NT, Regional Victoria, anywhere but the same place year after year.

 

[Dan26]

Imagine thinking Carlton v West Coast brings anything to the game in SA.

All it does is rob one teams fans of a home game.

And given how shit both teams are travelling it's robbing one teams fans of seeing possibly their only win for the season.

Yep. It seriously is the most idiotic concept I've ever heard of. There's not one thing it adds to the sport. Not one. All it does is add to the coffers of the SA economy. That's not a criticism of the SA government by the way. They are doing their job.

 

[PeterSalt]

First year was fine but the novelty was totally gone the next. Keep moving it each year. Perth, Tasmania, Queensland, NT, Regional Victoria, anywhere but the same place year after year.

Cracking idea

We should start doing that for the GF every year too

 

[Teen Wolf]

I would've thought the resulting investment in community venues, clinics run by all 18 clubs, and reversal of downward trending attendance was a good thing for footy in SA.

 

[PeterSalt]

Imagine thinking Carlton v West Coast brings anything to the game in SA.

All it does is rob one teams fans of a home game.

And given how shit both teams are travelling it's robbing one teams fans of seeing possibly their only win for the season.

It's an extra round added to the normal H&A season

It hasn't robbed of you of anything

 

[PeterSalt]

Yep. It seriously is the most idiotic concept I've ever heard of. There's not one thing it adds to the sport. Not one. All it does is add to the coffers of the SA economy. That's not a criticism of the SA government by the way. They are doing their job.

Yet the SA government spends a considerable amount to host the event - essentially paid for by SA tax payers

But sure it gives the local economy (largely hospitality) a financial sugar hit for a few days

Taxpayers kept in the dark about cost of advertising SA's major events

The South Australian government has made major events a key part of its agenda, but taxpayers are kept in the dark about how much of public funds are spent promoting them.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Bostonian]

It's an extra round added to the normal H&A season

It hasn't robbed of you of anything

So a meaningless load of shit then.

 

[PeterSalt]

So a meaningless load of shit then.

Aren't you a little ray of sunshine

 

[Bostonian]

Aren't you a little ray of sunshine

Well I'm sick of the clowns that unfortunately run the league projecting their poxy ideas onto the fans.

 

[Billy ray]

It's an extra round added to the normal H&A season

It hasn't robbed of you of anything

Just on this, are any matchups the only time that matchup occurs in the season? If so that wasnt the original plan because that DOES rob one set of supporters a home game.

 

[PeterSalt]

Just on this, are any matchups the only time that matchup occurs in the season? If so that wasnt the original plan because that DOES rob one set of supporters a home game.

Not sure tbh

We are only playing Geelong once this year in Gather Round. But it is a home game for us

No idea about the other clubs - agree with the premise though

 

[Cuzz09]

Fair chance as long as Malinauskas is premier he'll hold onto major sporting events til the bitter end.

He loves sport and its been great for the state!

Pretty sure it was his idea too partly

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[kickazz]

You should go get a job with AFL PR team peddling that waffle.

lol if that little bit of basic marketing constitutes waffle to you then I am very jealous - you haven't had to put up with some of the real baloney they are capable of!

 

[Bostonian]

Fair chance as long as Malinauskas is premier he'll hold onto major sporting events til the bitter end.

He loves sport and its been great for the state!

Pretty sure it was his idea too partly

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

It was an NRL idea.

That's why it sucks.

 

[The Terrible Thinker]

So a meaningless load of shit then.

Said by someone spoiled for choice for footy. How many games do you go to per year or have access to in Melbourne?

South Australia gets only 1 AFL match per week and halve the time, only 1 fan base attends. This is a treat to have multiple AFL games in Adelaide as we do love our footy. The concept had already proved itself prior to gather round with the covid matches played here.

 

[Seattle Mariners]

I'm a Victorian and I love attending Gather Round.
Happy for it to stay in SA permanently.

 

[Crouch]

Bostonian Dan26

 

[Cuzz09]

It was an NRL idea.

That's why it sucks.

I meant he got it rolling in SA with the AFL and SA Gov

I like it

It's 1 weekend of the year, Vics can have literally every other weekend

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Bostonian]

Bostonian Dan26

If enough people yell at the AFL they always back down from their stupid ideas.

They will always have their minority bootlickers out there though.