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 Sultan]

next year think they should make it interesting and have port vs Collingwood and let port wear their prison bar jumper.

 

[PAFC66]

If one of the clubs is a basket case it means one side gets 3 wins a year almost guaranteed, it's possibly even worse for the comp.

No showdown win or derby is guaranteed..... Less so in SA

 

[footyfan1978]

The teams in the host city (wherever that is) should play each other so it is truely neutral for all teams.
It wasn't really fair on Carlton or Western Bulldogs to play the two home state teams.

Play in SA - Crows and Power, then all other teams.

The other option as I mentioned, if they not playing each other they themselves on the road in Regional area v some other team. Least then it not a virtual home game like it was this week.

 

[WillHayward]

Long term deal for Gather Round in SA.

New AFL standard Stadium in Barossa.

Brilliant idea

 

[footyfan1978]

You want equality and had a cry about SA teams getting 1 extra game.

No, I want neutrality which this add on round was meant to be about when the idea was talked about. It is not about crying at all. It is about aiming to do it better and achieve that outcome in the nine matches of this gather round.
It is not hard to get , really. Take the off topic nonsense to the bay.

 

[chestbrah]

Insipid idea. Every state should get a go.

 

[Cuzz09]

Woo go SA

But maybe down the track they could play normal season games at Barossa/Mt Barker v low drawing sides

eg Port v GC @ Mt Barker
Adel v GWS @ Barossa



On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Drummond]

Shame about the music after each goal but love everything else about it.
Should be a game at the Bay too.

Games at Barossa, Glenelg and reduce 2 from AO is my view.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

3 more years of Gather Round locked in for SA

 

[Gavin Excell]

Big news

 

[Great8]

Well done to all involved and I’m sure it will only get better. Plenty of things to tinker with and 12 months to plan

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Obviously AFL and SA very happy, to make Gather Round an annual fixture for 2024, 2025 and 2026. Not good news for other states- would have thought AFL would have asked others to bid before making such a decision?

 

[le dominateur]

Woo go SA

But maybe down the track they could play normal season games at Barossa/Mt Barker v low drawing sides

eg Port v GC @ Mt Barker
Adel v GWS @ Barossa



On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

Seriously
They are not giving up 2 full houses with the 2 SA teams at Adelaide Oval to play at 7000 capacity venues. It’s not rocket science.
Just rotate the opponents.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Go_Roos!]

Hats off to Gillon McLaughlin, 3 more yrs of gather round locked in for South Australia, probably another $50,000,000 of Taxpayer's money to be given to the AFL; he is good at his job!

 

[largebus]

Woo go SA

But maybe down the track they could play normal season games at Barossa/Mt Barker v low drawing sides

eg Port v GC @ Mt Barker
Adel v GWS @ Barossa



On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

They're not getting the SA clubs to play in front of 8000 people in their home state, unless Mt Barker council gives them a shitton of money like Tassie does to North and Hawthorn.

 

[Bald]

Great news, so long as the teams playing the Adelaide teams are not repeated.

 

[ThePhantom777]

SAbias

 

[footyfan1978]

Games at Barossa, Glenelg and reduce 2 from AO is my view.

Something like that.
Sensible discusson finally.
Thursday night Adelaide Oval
Friday Norwood
Friday night Adelade Oval
Saturday Barossa Valley with Crows on road
Saturday Glenelg or Mount Barker
Sat night Adelaide Oval
Sunday Norwood
Sunday in another regional area Port
Sunday evening Adelaide Oval

 

[kirky]

Seriously
They are not giving up 2 full houses with the 2 SA teams at Adelaide Oval to play at 7000 capacity venues. It’s not rocket science.
Just rotate the opponents.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Next year, Crows and Power will play two different Vic opponents and the two years following.

The SA and footy public have supported it and given they will have 12 months to prepare (rather than 4 months) it will get even bigger next year.

As a South Australian, it has been great to see.

 

[illegaleagle]

WA screwed again isn’t supposed to go from state to state have to play additional away games every year

 

[kirky]

WA screwed again isn’t supposed to go form state to state have to play additional away games every year

Geographically, SA is the best state and should be rewarded for the next couple of years.

After that, you can have it as can Sydney.

PS : You did get a final series in 2021 inc a GF.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Details of the agreement from the AFL

Gather Round to stay in South Australia for next three seasons

The AFL has announced that South Australia will host Gather Round again in 2024, 2025 and 2026

www.afl.com.au

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Gil my man, after 2 decades of toeing the AvFL party line, to sign off with a multi year Gather Round deal to make the beautiful state of SA, your home State, the centre of the football universe is simply a brilliant troll.
Hats off to you Sir

 

[Bald]

WA screwed again isn’t supposed to go form state to state have to play additional away games every year

I would like to see it in WA, unfortunately though it is unlikely, it's far easier to get people from all over Australia down to Adelaide than it is over to Perth.

 

[Bulldog in Kiev]

Love this, 3 years gets the concept fine tuned and then rotate through WA, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide.
It’s been a real good vibe, fans of all clubs mingling etc.