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-

 

[Soggy2112]

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.

Gather round added an additional round to the season.

So fans have actually been given an extra opportunity to watch their side, and have lost nothing.

 

[Soggy2112]

From the selfish point of view of a St Kilda supporter living in Adelaide, I like that I can see StK play an additional game each year here as part of my membership. If Gather Round was held in another state I'd look at it less favourably.

Most people I work with don't care much for footy but Gather Round tends to generate a passing interest and a bit of small talk, but nothing substantial.

The CBD certainly feels full of tourists that weekend.

Ultimately though we all know it's a cash grab by the AFL, who are masters of extracting funds from governments and broadcasters.

Adelaide gets a tourism boost.

League gets some extra coin and possibly some new support.

Those who attend get an awesome experience.

Those who stay home now have 23 matches to watch instead of 22.

I genuinely struggle to see the downside.

And while selfishly I want it to stay here, and I do think it should because as much as people won’t admit it, Adelaide is really good at this stuff, I’d say the same thing if it moved to Perth, Queensland, Tasmania, etc.

 

[PAFC66]

So... gather round ay

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

Whocares.

 

[Romeoh1]

Went last year- stayed in north Adelaide. Went with the adult kids. Had a fantastic time.
Going again with all of them this year and staying in the Barossa. Can’t wait.
It’s a great idea and a great time.
And can’t really see any reason to not be a fan of it.

 

[Romeoh1]

I know lots of Victorians who couldn't give a rat's about games in SA.

And I'll go out on a limb and say if it wasn't in SA the majority of fans there wouldn't give two shits about it either.

Codswallop.

 

[Cuzz09]

Whocares.

Jesus mate settle down

[emoji2957]

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Drakescoffeecake]

I don't. Don't know a single person who thinks it's a good idea.

They see it as a joke round.

That's clearly a lie. Hope your day gets better x

 

[Bostonian]

That's clearly a lie. Hope your day gets better x

Clearly it's not.

I don't live in Adelaide. My days already better than someone who does xo

 

[Drakescoffeecake]

Clearly it's not.

I don't live in Adelaide. My days already better than someone who does xo

You must live in the smallest bubble then. Do you get released often?

 

[Bostonian]

You must live in the smallest bubble then. Do you get released often?

I have travelled the world. That's why I know Adelaide is dull AF.

Sounds like you're living in the SA bubble.

 

[Drakescoffeecake]

I have travelled the world. That's why I know Adelaide is dull AF.

Sounds like you're living in the SA bubble.

I have also travelled the world. I'm not really sure how it's relevant to you lying about no one liking gather round, though.

 

[Bostonian]

I have also travelled the world. I'm not really sure how it's relevant to you lying about no one liking gather round, though.

I said the majority. You can keep spouting the minority view if you want.

 

[Crouch]

I said the majority. You can keep spouting the minority view if you want.

 

[PeterSalt]

The image in the tweet is Elder Park - next to Festival Theatre and just across the river from Adelaide Oval (top r/h side)

FAN-tastic fun at 2025 AFL Gather Round highlighted by the return of Macca’s Footy Festival

The AFL is pleased to announce an array of free fan activities at the 2025 AFL Gather Round

www.afl.com.au

 

[Drakescoffeecake]

I said the majority. You can keep spouting the minority view if you want.

Don't know a single person who thinks it's a good idea

Oh. So you do know people that like it? You can't keep up with your own lies

 

[Bostonian]

Oh. So you do know people that like it? You can't keep up with your own lies

The two sentences you quoted don't even prove your point. How do you function in the real world?

 

[Bay53]

I have travelled the world. That's why I know Adelaide is dull AF.

Sounds like you're living in the SA bubble.

If there is one thing Adelaide does well it is a festival and that is what Gather Round is. I went last year and loved it and going again next weekend.

 

[Plat the Rat]

It was an NRL idea.

That's why it sucks.

English super league idea

 

[Bostonian]

English super league idea

Even worse.

 

[Aussie in exile]

It was an NRL idea.

That's why it sucks.

Wrong.

 

[Mr Meow]

I have also travelled the world. I'm not really sure how it's relevant to you lying about no one liking gather round, though.

"I have travelled the world"
"I have also travelled the world"

Sums up cringeworthy forum talk quite nicely.

 

[Plat the Rat]

Some people need entertainment shoved in their face to have fun so can only find that in big cities like London or New York but others are slightly more intelligent and resourceful and can find the hidden gems in any city around the world, takes a little bit more effort but makes it more rewarding, that’s where Adelaide sits.

 

[Dan26]

"I have travelled the world"
"I have also travelled the world"

Sums up cringeworthy forum talk quite nicely.

I call it the stupidity epidemic. A total inability to think critically, and instead, to think only through emotion.

 

[nutstar]

I get it, if you’ve never been.
Gather round sounds stupid.
But head to the Adelaide CBD, and what spills out to Norwood.
The atmosphere is unrivalled.
The term festival of footy covers it well.
It’s like the fringe festival for footy fans.
I love it. Will be attending 4 games at 3 grounds.
Then the Fan Zone at Elder park is a great area full of families, activities and off field entertainment.
Absolutely worth a visit to Adelaide for.

 

[Cleric]

If there is one thing Adelaide does well it is a festival and that is what Gather Round is. I went last year and loved it and going again next weekend.

They also do car races better.