AFL Grand Final location debate

The AFL Grand Final location debate has been a long standing reoccurring point of contention regarding the locations of the premiership deciding match of the Australian Football League (AFL). As the AFL evolved from the Victorian Football League (VFL) this has resulted largely by default the AFL Grand Final remaining in Victoria and almost always the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). There are multiple arguments put forward for why the game should and should not move from Victoria and be shared around Australia in lieu of other professional domestic sporting competitions around the world such as the National Football League's Superbowl in the United States.[1]

The AFL Grand Final location debate revolves around the location of the premiership deciding match of the Australian Football League. It is often raised when a non-Victorian team who won the minor premiership hosts a Victorian team at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (pictured) for the AFL Grand Final.

Stadium Capacity

One of the most commonly cited reasons that the AFL Grand Final should remain in Victoria is that the MCG has the largest capacity of any Australian rules football venue in Australia.[2] This point is often raised when the suggestion is made to share the Grand Final among Australia's cities.[2]

History
Fitzroy won the first VFL Grand Final in 1898 at Junction Oval. The first Grand Final in South Australia was in 1889 and for Western Australia the first occasion was the 1904 WAFA Grand Final.

As the AFL evolved from the VFL many Victorians cite the history of the competition as a reason for the Grand Final to remain in Victoria, particularly at the MCG.[3] The first VFL Grand Final was held in 1898 and was contested by Fitzroy and Essendon with the former winning by 15 points in front of 16,538 people at Junction Oval.

The argument about the historical connection between the AFL Grand Final and the MCG is often criticised as being Victorian centric from non-Victorian supporters of Australian rules football as they cite that the competition is a national one and that each Australian rules football heartland state held their own Grand Finals, which at the time were of a relatively equal standard to the VFL, before joining the national competition.

Revenue

Many debates around the location of the AFL Grand Final focus around which location will raise the competition the most revenue.[4]

Growing the game

Proponents for sharing the AFL Grand Final across Australia, particularly hosting it in Sydney and Brisbane argue that shifting the penultimate game will help the code to grow in Australia's rugby states.

Public stances

Some Australian rules football commentators, footballers and coaches along with politicians have taken public stances on the debate regarding the location of the AFL Grand Final.

Remain in Victoria
Eddie McGuire has been a vocal supporter of the AFL Grand Final remaining at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The following people have publicly advocated for the AFL Grand Final to remain in Victoria.

"Good luck with that one! Even in the latest stadiums being built, they don’t hold 100,000 people. It’s like Augusta, that’s where they play The Masters. You think about Australian rules football as a sport, over the years it has seen the MCG as being the home of football. I think people in South Australia, Western Australia, Sydney and Brisbane, they recognise the fact there is a symbolic ground where the Grand Final is played and that is the MCG" – Kevin Bartlett.[7]

"I laugh because it’s not going to change, it is what it is, and if they get a head up about it well so be it, but that’s the way it is, full stop and 2058 is the next time that the Grand Final won’t be at the MCG...Get over that" – Eddie McGuire.[10]

Share across Australia
Brownlow Medallists Patrick Dangerfield and Michael Voss along with premiership coaches Mick Malthouse and John Longmire have supported sharing the AFL Grand Final across Australia in the interests of fairness and to help grow the game.

The following people have publicly advocated for the AFL Grand Final to be shared across Australia.

"Should it be shifted around? Absolutely!" – Rob Chapman.[14]

"Scrap the agreement that the MCG must be the venue, clearly the biggest handicap against non-Victorian sides being able to win a flag. In this scenario, highest-qualified team hosts, no arguments." – Rohan Connolly.[13]

"American football takes the finale of its season, the Super Bowl, to cities and stadiums all over the country. It becomes a celebration of the game that the whole country has an opportunity to share." – Graham Cornes.[15]

“It’s not fair as an interstate club that you finish top of the ladder and then you’re playing at the MCG instead of playing at Optus Stadium or at Adelaide Oval or at Metricon Stadium … I don’t think you can argue against that...If you talk fairness around the competition, it’s still not fair. We understand the reasons why, but I think if we finish in that position and earn the right to play a home final then we should get that right...It shouldn’t be changed just because of the size of the crowd a stadium can hold. I think the fairness of the competition should override how many spectators can come and view the game” – Patrick Dangerfield.[17]

"If we’re going to consolidate as a national competition then we have to become less Victorian-centric" – Kate Ellis.[14]

"This decision ensures that for the next 40 years, “Advantage Victoria” will well and truly be in effect before a ball has even been bounced on grand final day." – Xavier Ellis.[19]

"I think it should shift around the country, and even if you go lower than 100,000 people to a grand final that’s not the issue...If it’s truly a national competition then the grand final should shift around the country from time to time." – John Olsen.[14]

"I sit in the basket where the Grand Final should be played in different states every year and states should bid for the Grand Final. It would improve the infrastructure of our game throughout the country. I only see massive positives on being able to do that." – Michael Voss.[30]

  • Craig Vozzo (administrator).[20]

Proposed venues

Below are the venues that are often suggested as potential locations for an AFL Grand Final. These venues are usually the largest Australian rules football stadiums in each state.

Melbourne Cricket Ground Perth Stadium Docklands Stadium Adelaide Oval
Melbourne, Victoria Perth, Western Australia Melbourne, Victoria Adelaide, South Australia
Capacity: 100,024 Capacity: 60,223 Capacity: 56,347 Capacity: 53,583
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Gabba
Sydney, New South Wales Brisbane, Queensland
Capacity: 48,000 Capacity: 42,000
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See also

References
  1. "Super Bowl: The lessons that Australian sport can learn". The New Daily. 2017-02-06. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  2. Wilson, Caroline (2018-09-28). "Pyke questioned fairness of long-term MCG grand final deal". The Age. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  3. "Why the grand final must always be held at the MCG". The Roar. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  4. Rucci, Michelangelo (November 16, 2018). "Money talks and decides where AFL grand final is played". The Advertiser.
  5. "SA 'locked out' from hosting AFL grand final". InDaily. 2018-04-13. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  6. Rucci, Michelangelo (October 1, 2017). "Is it time to take the AFL Grand Final on the road?". The Advertiser.
  7. "Grand Final could be moved from MCG, says MCC chief". www.sen.com.au. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  8. "AFL extends MCG stay - ABC News". www.abc.net.au. 2009-09-03. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  9. "AFL coronavirus: Eddie McGuire tells non-Vics to suck it up". www.sportingnews.com. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  10. "AFL, AFL 2020, Eddie McGuire Victorian bias claims, AFL Victorian bias, AFL coronavirus". Fox Sports. 2020-05-06. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  11. "Gil McLachlan Tells Why The Grand Final Could Never Be Played At Adelaide Oval". FiveAA. 2018-04-13. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  12. "AFL grand final to reap $30m". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2003-09-26. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  13. "Starting the AFL from scratch: What would footy look like?". ESPN.com. 2020-04-14. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
  14. Homfray, Reece (July 10, 2016). "AFL roundtable: Take grand final on road, say SA footy leaders". Herald Sun.
  15. Cornes, Graham (April 13, 2018). "Graham Cornes: AFL capitulates once again to Victorian interests on MCG grand final deal". The Advertiser.
  16. Landsberger, Sam (2020-04-26). "Former Geelong president Frank Costa says AFL Grand Final should be held at GMHBA Stadium if Cats make it". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  17. "Dangerfield questions "fairness" of MCG Grand Final agreement – LIVE AFL RADIO". Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  18. "The MCG grand final deal is nothing but a VFL relic". The West Australian. 2018-04-13. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  19. "MCG grand final decision contradicts AFL mantra". PerthNow. 2018-04-17. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  20. Ryan, Peter (2018-11-15). "Hannebery backs best-of-three grand final series to decide premiership". The Age. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  21. Penberthy, David (September 28, 2019). "It's a national game, shift AFL grand final from MCG". The Australian.
  22. "Chris Scott: The MCG Grand Final contract is a 'travesty'". www.sportingnews.com. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  23. NA (2015-06-01). "It's time to boot the AFL grand final off the MCG: David Koch". The Age. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  24. Grieve, Charlotte (2019-07-02). "Chris Scott, Longmire criticise 40-year MCG grand final deal". The Age. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  25. "Legend savages 'Victorian-centric' AFL". NewsComAu. 2020-04-18. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  26. "WA Premier Mark McGowan Says That The Grand Final Should Be Moved To Perth". Triple M. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  27. "Eddie off limits but Swans still up for fight". www.couriermail.com.au. 2016-05-07. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  28. Rucci, Michelangelo (September 10, 2018). "Debate on locking the AFL grand final to the MCG for the next 40 years would be hotter if Collingwood gains home-field advantage this season". Daily Telegraph.
  29. O'Shea, Daniel Cherny, Nell (2019-08-24). "'The system is wrong': Scott slams AFL over MCG grand final". The Age. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  30. "The Grand Final should be played in different states: Voss". afl.com.au. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
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