The AFL has welcomed the Victorian State Government decision to return to 85 per cent capacity crowds for the two Anzac Round matches this weekend at the MCG.
Ticket availability at matches will now increase in-line with the bolstered capacity of the venues.
A further 10,000 tickets will now be released at 1pm today, Friday April 23 across general public, Club and AFL Members and MCC Members for the sold-out ANZAC Day match at the MCG. Tickets will be available via Ticketek.
>> Please help support veterans and their families in time of need. Donate online at anzacappeal.com.au
The 85 per cent capacity increase is the next step in getting reserved seat members back into their reserved seats. Further information will follow in the coming weeks as the AFL works with ticket partners Ticketmaster and Ticketek to ensure the right operations and processes are in place.
Members will need to continue to register for tickets online as the AFL finalises arrangements in the coming weeks to have Club and AFL reserved seat members return to their designated reserved seats.
The crowd capacity increase comes after a successful trial at two matches across Round Five, in which fans who purchased tickets online were required to enter the name and contact phone number of each person attending the match.
The aim being to support the Victorian Government in obtaining the contact details of all fans attending the matches to best assist with contact tracing. Fans can be contacted faster and more efficiently in the event of a COVID related outbreak.
This process will be required for all matches in Victoria continuing this week.
Should members or fans have dependants they are purchasing for (or someone that doesn't have a mobile phone number) they will be able to enter their own contact details on their behalf. Example being a family attending and parent enters their mobile number for the child attending with them.
>> Please help support veterans and their families in time of need. Donate online at anzacappeal.com.au
Marvel Stadium, GMHBA Stadium and Mars Stadium will remain at 75 per cent capacity for the interim.
AFL Executive General Manager Commercial and Customer Kylie Rogers, welcomed the announcement and said it was great news for fans this weekend at two of the biggest matches in the home and away season.
"The announcement of an extra 10,000 tickets at the both matches this weekend is a great result for football fans in Victoria and highlights the hard work of fans adhering to COVIDsafe rules across the first six rounds of the season." Ms Rogers said.
"We empathise that fans have had to change the way they may ordinarily purchase tickets and attend matches as we continue to navigate the pandemic and modify our behaviours,"
"Our focus continues on delivering the safest matchdays possible and getting Club and AFL reserved seat members back in their reserved seat in the coming weeks."
Crowd capacity in Victoria for Men's matches started at 50% in Round One, then 75 per cent in Rounds Two, Three, Four and Five.
The biggest crowd in Victoria so far this season is 51,723 for Collingwood vs Carlton at the MCG in Round Two, followed by 50,030 for Easter Monday, Geelong vs Hawthorn at the MCG and 49,218 for the season opener, Richmond vs Carlton, again at the MCG – three of the top four crowds for sporting events in the Southern Hemisphere post COVID.
The biggest crowd this season is 54,159 at Optus Stadium for West Coast Eagles vs Collingwood in Round Five.
After five rounds of the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, 1,270,479 fans have attended matches nationally with the average attendance of 28,233 per match.
