25 September 2016
Most Bulldogs members will miss their team’s first Grand Final since 1961 while anyone with the cash can buy AFL corporate packages costing up to $2640, the AFL Fans Association says.
Each competing Grand Final team only gets 15,000 tickets allocated by the AFL for its members, however the Bulldogs’ have 39,459 members whilst Sydney has 56,523.
At last year’s game, competing club members shared 30,000 tickets, MCC members 25,000 AFL members/Medallion Club 21,000, corporates/stakeholders 17,000 and AFL clubs 7000.
“The Bulldogs have not contested a grand final since 1961 so next week’s game will be cherished by so many of Bulldog fans. This is a prime example of why the AFL must absolutely increase its grand final ticket allocation to members. Sydney and the Bulldogs have a combined membership of more than 95,000. 15,000 for each club in a stadium of 100,000 is simply not good enough.” Gerry says.
In comparison, the FA Cup in England is played at Wembley Stadium which has a capacity of 90,000 spectators, however 57,464 tickets are allocated to clubs competing in the FA Cup Final. That’s 64 per cent of the total ticket allocation compared to the AFL’s 30 per cent.
Meanwhile AFL event office corporate packages costing $1610-$2640 are still available to anyone, regardless of whether they are an AFL club member. Soon after last night’s game finished, Etihad Stadium also contacted its mailing list offering packages costing $990-$1400+.
“Few grassroots fans can afford corporate packages and they shouldn’t have to. The large number of corporates and neutrals who attend the Grand Final each year drives average fans mad.”
The AFL Fans Association has a petition calling for competing club members to share 50,000 Grand Final tickets. It will be delivered to the AFL after the 2016 Grand Final.
The petition can be found online at https://goo.gl/zkomSN and via www.facebook.com/aflfans.