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-

 

[The_Wookie]

Can anyone tell me why gather round has to be shared around, but the AFL grand final, Dreamtime at the G, Anzac Day, King's Birthday, Easter Monday all has to stay in the same place?

single games a little different to an entire round

 

[Underarm]

And People will eventually get bored of travelling to Adelaide.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

And People will eventually get bored of travelling to Adelaide.

We won't miss your type in Adelaide.... as it's wasted on you.

Adelaide Oval is a better for viewing sport than the MCG. Quality over quantity.

& BTW, enjoying Grant Burge Miamba Shiraz. We wouldn't waste quality SA wine on someone like you.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

And People will eventually get bored of travelling to Adelaide.

You could say that about any city in Australia really.

 

[HugeJohnson]

single games a little different to an entire round

How about an entire season? Last year Melbourne hosted 26 Thursday/Friday night games. Is it really that much of an outrage if Adelaide gets one single round?

 

[Bjo187]

Adelaide is a nice city I don't get the criticism from people that have likely never been there.

One thing is weird though, how there has barely been any population increase over the past 20 years. In saying all that, gather round is a great concept invented by the AFL that should never have been locked into one city for that long. It could have been great promotion for the game in a different city each year.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Adelaide is a nice city I don't get the criticism from people that have likely never been there.

One thing is weird though, how there has barely been any population increase over the past 20 years. In saying all that, gather round is a great concept invented by the AFL that should never have been locked into one city for that long. It could have been great promotion for the game in a different city each year.

Only visited for the first time last year, but I think I have it figured out.

Kept hearing about how players from regional cities or country towns usually thrived if they were drafted to an Adelaide side. As somebody from a regional city, I loved how easy (comparatively to other major cities) it was to get around. Was there during Fringe festival and still had no stress finding parking or attending tourist attractions. It felt like a bigger version of where I've grown up.

However, if you're from any of the other major cities, I can see why it would be easy to look down on Adelaide as being inferior for the reasons I liked it.

The nasty historical crime history might play a part when considering South Australia on the whole, but personally I don't see why that should affect anybody's experience of Adelaide as a city.

 

[terrybull]

Wish clubs could wear these jumpers on gather round:

Portfolio - AFL City Edition Jumpers

AFL CITY EDITION JUMPERS Within this portfolio, all 18 AFL teams must incorporate a third jumper for a designated round each season, referred to as the 'City Edition Jumper'. Drawing inspiration from the NBA, City Edition jumpers are distinguished by unique designs, colour schemes and patterns...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[JimmyBC]

The nasty historical crime history might play a part when considering South Australia on the whole, but personally I don't see why that should affect anybody's experience of Adelaide as a city.

Really? jeezus you wouldn't travel anywhere if that was a concern

 

[Blackhawk42]

Really? jeezus you wouldn't travel anywhere if that was a concern

Not so much the travel, more so the reputation.

But I couldn't give two craps.

Adelaide cops a bad wrap for whatever reason, but I suspect it's a 'punching down' scenario from those who dwell in bigger cities.

 

[Gough]

Salman Rushdie said Adelaide would make the perfect setting for a Stephen King novel.

 

[CrowToon]

And People will eventually get bored of travelling to Adelaide.

Adelaide is a shithole. But so is Melbourne.

 

[CrowToon]

single games a little different to an entire round

I'd suggest it's the principle at play here.

 

[JimmyBC]

Salman Rushdie said Adelaide would make the perfect setting for a Stephen King novel.

That's awesome though.

 

[Cuzz09]

Adelaide is a shithole. But so is Melbourne.

Adelaide is quite a clean city.

Yes, Melbourne is a dump. Always grimey

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Adelaide is a shithole. But so is Melbourne.

Both are liveable cities... but it's a question of what you personally consider important.

I like being able to get around easily & quieter cities than bigger cities.

 

[peetoo]

Salman Rushdie said Adelaide would make the perfect setting for a Stephen King novel.

Was it Ava Gardiner who said melbourne (1960s mind you) was a good place to make a movie about the end of the world

On the Beach, 60 years on, still makes a mark at the bottom of the world

It was, in every sense, the biggest film ever made in Melbourne. The stars were some of Hollywood's biggest: square-jawed Gregory Peck, glamorous Ava Gardner, twinkle-toed Fred Astaire. No wonder crowds lined the streets to watch them at work.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Professor Knowall]

Was it Ava Gardiner who said melbourne (1960s mind you) was a good place to make a movie about the end of the world

On the Beach, 60 years on, still makes a mark at the bottom of the world

It was, in every sense, the biggest film ever made in Melbourne. The stars were some of Hollywood's biggest: square-jawed Gregory Peck, glamorous Ava Gardner, twinkle-toed Fred Astaire. No wonder crowds lined the streets to watch them at work.

www.smh.com.au

Actually, Ava Gardiner never said that at all - the “quote” was entirely made-up and printed in the Sydney Morning Herald – the satirical invention of Sydney “journalist“ Neil Jillett, but was erroneously widely reported as an actual fact -

https://www.naa.gov.au/blog/arrival-end-world#:~:text=The%20stars%20descend,wasn%27t%20hard%20to%20believe.

BTW - I think Adelaide is a great place to visit.

 

[Bjo187]

Actually, Ava Gardiner never said that at all - the “quote” was entirely made-up and printed in the Sydney Morning Herald – the satirical invention of Sydney “journalist“ Neil Jillett, but was erroneously widely reported as an actual fact -

https://www.naa.gov.au/blog/arrival-end-world#:~:text=The%20stars%20descend,wasn%27t%20hard%20to%20believe.

BTW - I think Adelaide is a great place to visit.

Interesting the Sydney media's anti Melbourne narrative was big back then too.

 

[ibd77]

Who's coming to Adelaide for next weekend?

 

[citizen-erased]

Who's coming to Adelaide for next weekend?

Sadly not.
Looking fwd to our game...and i need to replace a few bottles of red

i miss AO. Loved the double header last year.

 

[kickazz]

Who's coming to Adelaide for next weekend?

Gottawait for this game to finish first

 

[Chism]

Who's coming to Adelaide for next weekend?

Last time i was there for work i stupidly brushed my teeth at 6am with hotel tap water and will never go back.

Bloody horrible.

 

[WillemDaDrew]

Who's coming to Adelaide for next weekend?

Arrived in Adelaide today.
(Work related) until Friday.

Turn the radio on and heard KKKKKGGGG banging on about Gather Round, Crows etc, etc…

Can’t wait to leave.

 

[bomberclifford]

Last time i was there for work i stupidly brushed my teeth at 6am with hotel tap water and will never go back.

Bloody horrible.

Awwww, petal.