Kick-to-kick back in favour at MCG Caroline Wilson
The Age
November 11, 2014 The after-match kick-to-kick on the MCG, once a regular fixture of winter Melbourne weekends, will return in 2015.
In a significant backdown by the AFL and the MCC, the ban that has for years prevented football supporters from treading onto the MCG turf for a post-game kick will be lifted for more than half the home-and-away rounds next season.
The league's general manager of clubs and AFL operations, Travis Auld, confirmed on Monday that the competition's governing body had overcome the significant hurdle of insurance with its underwriters in London having cleared the move.
In the past the MCG had been hit with a number of damages claims from fans who had suffered a range of injuries after being hit by flying footballs.
Last month, league chief Gillon McLachlan is understood to have agreed to take over the insurance with his CFO Ian Anderson negotiating an agreement with the AFL's insurers during a recent visit to Britain.
At least three MCG tenants – Melbourne, Collingwood and Richmond – have been pushing for the stadium to lift the kick-to-kick ban for some years. In a favour to the Demons as part of their special agreement with the MCC, Melbourne fans have been allowed onto the ground on one occasion each season in recent years.
Auld said the other major obstacle in lifting the ban was the protection of the MCG playing surface. As a result, each home team is expected to be granted post-game kick-to-kicks on up to three occasions.
"Sunday games and potentially the occasional public holiday Monday, when the ground staff have more time to prepare the surface for the following weekend, are probably the easiest option for us in terms of ground traffic," said Auld. "Sunday is also more of a family day at the footy. We've been talking to [MCC chief executive] Stephen Goughand his team about this for some time and there are a number of hurdles we've managed to overcome.
"I think what we are seeing now is a number of things are starting to line up in a manner we hope will see some big improvements for football supporters next year."
Auld said that a far-reaching fan satisfaction survey had identified the post-game kick-to-kick as one of the top three attractions to the experience of attending an AFL game.
"The first attraction is the identity of the opposition team," he said, "then the timeslot. I think we have achieved what we were hoping and what the fans were identifying with the fixture.
"Now we are working with our partners at the venues to make some other key changes and we've been encouraged by the progress and the co-operation."
The AFL's "back to the future" policy for next season followed a disturbing decline in Victorian attendances. The 2015 fixture release saw a return toSaturday afternoon blockbusters at the MCG and the abandonment of Sunday night and Monday night games.
Fairfax Media revealed on Monday that the AFL would also re-introduce VFL curtain-raisers next year.
During Auld's previous job as the founding chief of the Gold Coast Suns, that club allowed fans onto the Metricon Stadium turf after every home game. He said the push to improve the atmosphere and experience surrounding MCG games would be part of talks with Gough and his team with a view to unveiling a semi-regular kick-to-kick schedule for 2015 by Christmas.
Auld said that the AFL's stated aim to lower food and drink prices at match-day venues would depend on the league's ongoing relationships with venue operators. "Like us, they have been keen to drive more people to the ground and have a better experience," said Auld, who added the unique turf issues at Etihad meant it was unlikely that stadium would be introducing fans onto its ground after games.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/kicktokick-back-in-favour-at-mcg-20141110-11jrmk.html
