Crowd numbers for 2021 season [merged]

[one-eyed]

28 days? Was this interview a week ago?

They were referring to 28 days being twice the life-cycle of the coronavirus. If there's no community transmission for 28 days or more then it's classed as being effectively eliminated.

[one-eyed]

Revealed: MCG’s aim for 100 per cent footy crowds

By Lauren Wood
The Australian
December 4, 2020

Clubs are hopeful the AFL will release the first two rounds of next year’s fixture before Christmas as the MCG predicts crowds could return to at least 75 per cent capacity.

Melbourne Cricket Club chief executive Stuart Fox hinted on Thursday that a full house was still a possibility for the March 18 season opener between Carlton and Richmond.

Fox said modelling for a 50 per cent capacity at the MCG in 2021 had been completed, but “hopefully by (March), we are talking 75 per cent,” he said on SEN.

“Who knows, even 100 per cent return to crowds.

“Let’s have our fingers crossed that we can start the footy season in a really positive manner, because it’s been pretty dormant in Victoria for some time in terms of the AFL landscape.”

The league declared last month that it would not release its 2021 fixture until as late as February as it continued to navigate the ongoing effects of COVID-19.

Kayo is your ticket to the best sport streaming Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

But clubs could be handed the first two rounds before Christmas – a scenario floated in a recent meeting as the league continues its planning – including contingencies – on the fixture.

The Carlton and Richmond clash is the only game scheduled so far, with an options to program crowd-pleasing grudge matches between the clubs at the centre of the Adam Treloar trade, Collingwood and Western Bulldogs. or the prospect of Jeremy Cameron in Geelong hoops taking on his old side Greater Western Sydney.

Clubs are doing their best to plan for next year despite having no fixture, including reserved seating allowances for members and fan engagement, as the “COVID normal” sporting landscape becomes clearer.

The league is also optimistic that the AFL Women’s fixture will be released in the next few weeks.

Women players have been told starting the season in hubs is still a possibility.

Clubs are hopeful that at least the first few rounds of the men’s fixture can be revealed in the next three weeks, which Fox said would be “a wise choice”.

“We might hear an early release before Christmas of the first few rounds. I think that’s a wise choice, because if we do have restrictions, it gives them the flexibility to move things about,” he said on SEN.

“I’ve had a few chats with Gill (McLachlan) on his thoughts. It’s really complicated, the footy season, because the clubs actually pre-sell reserved seats.

“And when you do that in advance, it’s going to be very difficult, because if you’ve sold 30 or 40,000 pre-reserved seats to games for members and we have to socially distance next year, that could present some challenges.

“Our focus is on cricket (right now), but I’m very, very confident that if we can keep progressing forward without too many more outbreaks of COVID, I think it sets us up for a stronger return come March and April.”

Releasing the fixture in rolling blocks to maintain flexibility throughout 2021 is also considered likely.

The Boxing Day Test will be capped at around 25,000 and with a 25 per cent capacity in the members’ pavilion, which Fox said he considered to be a safe starting point that will “set other sports up”.

“We’ve modelled a 50 per cent return of crowds (for the AFL season) … but in my discussions with the AFL, I think we need to think more aggressively than that.

“Aim high, and we might need to pull that back a bit. But let’s think boldly and think that we can return crowds and that we’re in a very different situation in March next year.

“The game and sport has suffered across Australia and across the world and we need to get it back on track, and hopefully we can do that in a responsible way that doesn’t put anyone in jeopardy in the stadium.

“I’m becoming more confident now that come the new year, things are going to be pretty positive.”

BACK IN ACTION BLOCKBUSTERS — OUR DREAM ROUND 1

Carlton v Richmond* — Guaranteed blockbuster. Richmond’s first match in Melbourne since winning a third flag in four years

Western Bulldogs v Collingwood* — Adam Treloar taking on his former side for the first time, potentially under Friday night lights. Huge.

Essendon v Brisbane* — Joe Daniher in a Lions jumper and lining up against the Bombers. ‘Nuff said.

Adelaide v Sydney

GWS Giants v Geelong* — Jezza v the Giants for the first time after his move back south.

Gold Coast v Port Adelaide

North Melbourne v St Kilda

Hawthorn v Melbourne

West Coast v Fremantle* — Western derby in front of a full Optus Stadium.

*Key games

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/hopes-afl-crowds-could-be-allowed-back-at-100-per-cent-capacity-by-round-one-as-early-fixture-drop-looms/news-story/b6e71f88ff5fd1263b72b6e737417436

[one-eyed]

Clubs expecting a crowd of at least 50% capacity for season opener at the 'G.

One of Carlton or Richmond told Tom Browne that it could even be as high as 75% capacity.

Talk of 100% capacity by the middle of the season.

Source: 7news

[one-eyed]

Gil pushing for no crowd caps for the start of the 2021 season. That could mean close to a full house for our season opener.

The MCG for the Boxing Day test is splitting the 25k crowd into 5 zones for contact tracing purposes. Fans will also have to take food and drink purchased back to their seat to consume it.

[WilliamPowell]

Gil pushing for no crowd caps for the start of the 2021 season. That could mean close to a full house for our season opener.

The MCG for the Boxing Day test is splitting the 25k crowd into 5 zones for contact tracing purposes. Fans will also have to take food and drink purchased back to their seat to consume it.

I'm going to trst on day 3. Will be interesting to see how it works

[one-eyed]

Shane McInnes on 3aw reckons there will be 40-50k allowed to our season opener.

[one-eyed]

7news mentioned clubs hoping the 30k limit for the cricket at the MCG will be raised to 50k for round 1 and 100k for the GF later in the year with most people hopefully vaccinated by then.

[one-eyed]

https://twitter.com/7NewsMelbourne/status/1358685997236539393

Apparently two meetings tomorrow: the AFL commission as well as club presidents. Tom Browne rehashing the expectation is for 50% crowds with the AFL pushing for 75%.

[one-eyed]

How tickets will be carved up for round one of the AFL season

By Jake Niall and Sam McClure
The Age
February 24, 2021

The AFL is looking at a scenario in which there will be very little or no general admission to games for round one in Victoria.

Under the ticketing arrangements under discussion by clubs and the AFL, the members of home teams will be prioritised, then the “away” club’s members, and stadium members - such as MCC and AFL members - with general admission tickets only available once those other groups have had windows to gain seats.

Sources with a knowledge of discussions say that the carve-up of tickets for the blockbuster Richmond-Carlton season opener is expected to follow a formula in which the MCC and AFL members’ areas would be allowed the same percentage of seats as the rest of the ground, which would be almost entirely filled by club members.

If, for instance, the Victorian government allowed for first-round games to be at 50 per cent capacity for both the MCG and Marvel Stadium, then the Richmond-Carlton game would likely be broken down as follows: the MCC (capacity 22,700) would have a little over 11,000, the AFL members’ area (22,000), would be about 11,000, and there would be an estimated 2000 corporate tickets.

The balance of the about 50,000 - 25,000-26,000 - allowed into the MCG would be given to the clubs’ members, with Richmond having the overwhelming share because the Tigers are the home team.

In the case of Richmond v Carlton, this could well mean there are no tickets available to non-members.

The Tigers are considering holding off the unfurling of their last two premiership flags because of COVID restrictions on the crowds.

Richmond CEO Brendon Gale said he wanted as many Richmond fans as possible at the ground to enjoy the unfurling of two flags.

“We’d like to think there’d be a lot,” Gale told 3AW Sportsday.

“Clearly it’s a really proud moment and we want to share that with as many members and fans as possible.″⁣

After the opening game against Carlton, Richmond play an away game against Hawthorn in round two, before hosting Sydney at the MCG in round three.

“We’re hoping for 50 per cent capacity. That would lend itself to a fairly sizeable crowd, so we are planning along those lines but I’m not sure that’s going to be the case,” Gale said.

“We just need to watch and wait. We want to share this moment with as much of the Richmond family as possible. It may be round one possibly, but it may not.”

The same ticketing arrangement as for the opening game is expected to apply to Collingwood v Western Bulldogs, although there will be much less demand for that game than Richmond v Carlton, which is the first game that fans of those clubs have been able to attend (not counting AFLW games) in Melbourne since 2019, the first game for the Tiger army since both their 2019 and 2020 premierships due to the coronavirus-interrupted 2020 season.

It would apply to Essendon v Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium, which would have a much smaller crowd if the government mandates just 50 per cent capacity. The AFL is at pains to avoid banking on any percentage of capacity, knowing that it could change abruptly.

Club sources at Victorian teams said the best way to understand the ticketing arrangements for reduced capacity - whatever percentage the state government permitted - was to consider it like the way finals tickets are sold and divvied up, with club members having first crack, along with stadium members; the MCC, clearly, has many more stadium members, in the form of the MCC reserve, than Marvel, with AFL members allowed in to both stadia.

But the critical difference with finals is that the home team’s members will be given far more access than the “away” team - even a Victorian club that is “away”. In finals, there is no difference between home and away members’ rights.

The clubs and AFL, though, want to ensure that members who buy memberships that include “away” games in Victoria - a 16-game membership, for instance - will be given access, although there are fewer in that category.

“Full” members who purchase tickets for 11-plus games will be given priority over those who buy memberships for three or fewer games; clubs say the 11-game members are typically fewer than half of most clubs’ membership tallies.

The AFL had been hoping that 75 per cent of capacity would be achieved in Melbourne for the early rounds, a less likely scenario given that the current rules permit only up to 10,000 to attend any sporting event (such as the tennis or AFLW).

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/afl/afl-2021-who-gets-in-to-watch-football-in-round-one-20210223-p57538.html

[WilliamPowell]

Just posted in the Riund 1 match thread

50% crowds for round 1

Means 50k for the MCG

Break up of the allocation to follow

But the 50k will allocated across

MCC members
AFl members
Rich members
Carlton Members with 16/17 game memberships

[mightytiges]

Benny Gale just said he's happy with that crowd number and we will be unfurling both our flags in round 1.

[one-eyed]

AFL 2021: Crowd numbers for opening round revealed

HeraldSun
28 February 2021

Footy fans will face a ticket scramble to get to the AFL’s marquee clashes, with one in every six Carlton and Richmond club members able to get to the season opener.

But 50,000 fans will be able to flood into the MCG on March 18 as Richmond confirmed it would unfurl its past two premiership flags after a deal was brokered for 50 per cent capacity at Melbourne venues.

Under the deal announced on Friday, the MCG can host 50,000 fans and Marvel Stadium 28,961 supporters, with Geelong’s GMHBA Stadium set to be allowed 18,000 fans at a 50 per cent ratio when a deal is finalised in coming weeks.

Home teams will take the vast majority of the seats allocated, with Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale telling the Herald Sun he would meet with Carlton to discuss the ticket carve-up.

The Herald Sun understands clubs may only allocate around 1000 tickets or less to opposition members, meaning rival members will effectively be shut out of high-drawing away games.

The sight of near-empty stadiums that was a regular feature of the 2020 season is a thing of the past, with social distancing measures to ensure fan safety.

But the MCG’s tenant arrangement means even under a 50 per cent ratio 11,000 tickets will go to MCC members, 10,000 to AFL members and less than 1000 to corporates.

It means around 27,500 club members will be allowed into the Carlton-Richmond Round 1 contest, with the league allowing clubs to decide how they divide those tickets.
Last year Richmond had 100,420 members and Carlton had 67,035 paid-up fans for a total of 167,455 members.

Gale confirmed the Tigers would operate a ballot system

The Blues host Collingwood on the Friday of Round 2 so Carlton members would have to wait until that clash to see their club in the flesh for the first time in a year.

Collingwood and Western Bulldogs will play on the Friday night of Round 1 at the MCG with membership totals that, last year, tallied 115,738 competing for around 27,500 tickets.

Clubs including Geelong say only 50 per cent capacity will force them to lose money on the season, with Cats president Craig Drummond saying it would not lead to a great financial result.

AFL fixture boss Travis Auld said 50 per cent capacity would see most clubs breaking even on gate takings given most patrons will be members who have already signed up.

Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale confirmed the flag unfurling, with fears in recent weeks of a crowd as small as 10,000 fans.

“It’s wonderful. We have been up and down a bit and two or three weeks ago it wasn’t looking so good at all and we wouldn’t have gone ahead if we didn’t have a big crowd. The Tiger Army will come along and it will be a very proud moment for us all. There was a suggestion not long ago we might have only had 10,000 people there and we would have kept our powder dry.

“We are pushing towards 100,000 members again and we have got a lot of member categories and it’s important we be fair and equitable so we will use a ballot. We will sit down with Carlton and come to some agreement.”

AFL fixture boss Travis Auld said fans would be thrilled to be readmitted, even if it meant tough decision by clubs on splitting up tickets.

“The first thing I would say is if you look at Round 1 Richmond Carlton last year we had no one going to that game. This time last week we (were allowed) 10,000. And now we can look forward to 50,000. In terms of the process, the clubs will own that process and I have a commitment from them they will prioritise their members.”

Fans returning to the MCG for the AFL season will be split into five strict zones and not allowed to visit different parts of the ground.

The MCC has confirmed zones that separated fans during the Boxing Day Test to enhance contact tracing will be used for the AFL season.

The MCG will also be a cashless and ticketless venue for the footy season, with fans required to enter their personal details via QR code before being granted entry.

And it is not yet known if fans will be able to drink at bars or eat in dining areas, with authorities yet to decide whether food and drinks have to be consumed at your seat under a takeaway only model.

MCC chief executive Stuart Fox told the Herald Sun a COVID-safe plan had been drawn up to keep fans safe at the footy.

“These measures include the MCG being sectioned into five zones, the introduction of digital tickets which will replace paper tickets and cashless transactions at all of the Ground’s outlets,’’ he said.

Ticket on sale dates have not yet been announced but should be finalised in coming days.

Mr Fox said the return of footy fans to the MCG should put a spring in the step of Victorians.

“We’re so pleased to be able to welcome back footy fans - 50,000 of them - to the MCG in round one for the first time since the 2019 AFL Grand Final,’’ he said.

“Considering where we’ve come from over the last twelve months, being able to host 50,000 footy fans at the MCG will be a truly special moment, not only for Victorians but for our passionate staff who have worked tirelessly to make this happen.’’

Fans in each MCG zone will have access to toilets, parent’s rooms, first aid, merchandise, food and beverage outlets, mobile phone charging units, prayer rooms and water refill stations.

The MCC Members’ Reserve will be one of the MCG’s five zones, operating at 50 per cent capacity.

No cloaking facilities will be available at the MCG.

The AFL said home club members would receive priority ticket access, but it was up to clubs how they split those between their membership categories.

Away club members will also receive priority after the home club members, and if there’s any tickets left, the general public will be given access.

While 50 per cent is not what clubs were hoping for it’s better than the ‘crowd’ that attended the match between Richmond and Carlton in March 2020. Picture: Michael Klein

“On behalf of the AFL I would like to thank the Victorian State Government, specifically Premier Daniel Andrews, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula and Minister for Health Martin Foley for working with us in allowing fans to get back to the footy,” AFL chief Gillon McLachlan said.

“Footy fans in Victoria have been excited about getting back to matches and we have seen that with great numbers across the opening rounds of the AFLW season.

“We haven’t had footy crowds this big in Victoria since the match to support Bushfire Relief in February last year, so today’s announcement provides a big boost for our players and fans in the leadup to the season.

“Our team has been working extensively behind the scenes planning for multiple scenarios and all our venues will be ready to welcome fans back into the stands come next month.”

The AFL has been in consultation with the state government for many weeks over crowd figures and in an ideal world might have hoped for a 75 per cent capacity.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan had been keen to get as many fans into grounds as possible given South Australia, NSW and Queensland venues have 75 per cent or more capacity.

But the recent five-day lockdown and Friday’s two cases of transmission highlight the importance of following safety protocols and will ensure crowds of 50,000 at the MCG and around 25,000 at Marvel Stadium.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-2021-crowd-numbers-for-opening-round-revealed/news-story/3b46d4e76e209f8229aa942b06bf2766

[one-eyed]

... the league is more hopeful of getting approval for 60 per cent from the state government ahead of the Richmond-Carlton season opener on March 18.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/03/12/afl-renews-push-for-increased-crowd-capacity-at-round-1-games/

[one-eyed]

Crowds now up to 75% capacity.

The increased capacity of each venue:
MCG - 75,000
Marvel Stadium - 43,440
GMHBA Stadium - 27,819
Mars Stadium - 8,335

MCG
Club Members/General Public – 41,300
MCC Members – 17,000
AFL Members – 15,000
Corporate – 1,500
Total – 75,000

https://www.afl.com.au/news/568690/afl-welcomes-vic-government-decision-to-increase-crowd-capacity

[Tiger Khosh]

Crowds now up to 75% capacity.

The increased capacity of each venue:
MCG - 75,000
Marvel Stadium - 43,440
GMHBA Stadium - 27,819
Mars Stadium - 8,335

MCG
Club Members/General Public – 41,300
MCC Members – 17,000
AFL Members – 15,000
Corporate – 1,500
Total – 75,000

https://www.afl.com.au/news/568690/afl-welcomes-vic-government-decision-to-increase-crowd-capacity

Are general admin tickets only if the membership allocation isn’t sold out?