Essendon and Richmond move to lock away Dreamtime at the ‘G for the next 10 yearsMICHAEL WARNER
Herald Sun
May 24, 2016 8:00pmRICHMOND and Essendon have moved to lock away the Dreamtime at the ‘G clash for another decade.
The Saturday night fixture, first played in 2005, is the flagship event of the Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round.
Four of the past five Dreamtime games have attracted crowds of more than 80,000.
The record attendance of 84,234 was set in 2013.
The Tigers and Bombers have agreed to split the gate for the Dreamtime blockbuster until 2027 — and any return fixture scheduled by the AFL each year — to underpin their joint commitment to the match.
A program of activities to be staged during a week-long build up to the game including a VFL curtain-raiser is also planned.
“This game has become a wonderful platform to celebrate the enormous contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to the game of Australian rules football,” Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale said on Tuesday.
“It has also served as an opportunity to engage a broad audience in the spirit of reconciliation and that must always be a central ingredient of the occasion.
“In conjunction with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, we have worked to establish this game into a key occasion on the AFL calendar.
“We are proud of what this game has become and this agreement with Essendon is an important commitment to the growth of this game and all that it stands for.”
Both clubs run substantial programming in support of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community — Richmond through its Korin Gamadji Institute and Essendon through its partnership with The Long Walk.
Bombers boss Xavier Campbell said: “The solidifying of this marquee match for the next decade provides us a great opportunity to further strengthen our relationship with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“Dreamtime at the ‘G offers so many unique opportunities but it also brings a sense of responsibility to reconciliation and as we begin this new long term commitment, we are also looking forward to strengthening our existing partnerships with The Long Walk and the Tiwi Islands.”
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