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An A-League grand final at the MCG would be one for the people

19th April, 2015
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Victory face a tough season opener against the Reds in Adelaide. (AAP Image/Joe Castro)
Roar Guru
19th April, 2015
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Now in its tenth season, the A-League has showcased the ultimate football experience with star players, great matches and memorable goals.

We now excitedly look forward to the much anticipated finals series as we would with the next course of our already delicious meal.

This season has proved to be one of the closest seasons we’ve had with teams sitting in first to fifth all possible candidates in taking home the A-League’s greatest prize and the bragging rights to go with it.

Although, there seems to be a grey cloud surrounding what should be a joyous and exciting time for the competition. If either Melbourne Victory or City earn the right to host the grand final, there is the issue as to where the match will be held.

There is the distinct possibility that a Melbourne side will make the grand final and they should have every right under the sun to host it in Melbourne. The matter at hand is that Etihad Stadium is booked out all three nights from May 15-17 and that AAMI Park is not an appropriate venue due to its capacity.

But has anyone suggested the MCG as a possible option?

The MCG, the people’s arena, will be the preferred venue if both Melbourne clubs make the final. However, the A-League should look to host the grand final at the MCG even if there is only one Melbourne club participating.

Many would argue that there wouldn’t be enough tickets sold to fill up the stadium, however this writer believes that it all depends on how the match is promoted to the public.

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This is a unique opportunity for the A-League to put one over their rival codes, showing them that football can deliver the crowds on the biggest stage. The A-League should be promoting the grand final as ‘The People’s Grand Final’, giving sporting fans a great opportunity to go to an A-League finale without the majority of the seats being filled by corporates, as seen in the AFL.

It will also be a great opportunity for the A-League to display the passion and atmosphere that accompanies the match and will give fans a real taste of what football is like on such a big stage.

The size of the venue will allow for the league to open the gates to people who may not get the chance to access tickets to a major sporting final. This would surely reflect the FFA’s charter of bringing the enjoyment of football to the masses.

Currently in Victoria, football has more participants than Aussie Rules, not including the 650,000 people playing indoor and outdoor football nationwide. The impact of the MCG hosting the final could introduce the A-League grand final experience to a whole generation of people who have ignored the league for so long.

As the current A-League ladder sits, Melbourne Victory remain on top of the table with one round to go and have more than a hand on the premiers plate. In the race for the championship, however, Victory have many of their rivals right in the money among them, with the likes of Sydney FC and Adelaide United in among those few clubs.

The Victory is currently favourites to win the championship, let alone make the grand final. Given the circumstances that the Victory make it and meet either of these two rivals on the day, it will be a great way for the league to promote the match as two rival clubs going head to head for the top prize.

The Victory currently have 24,200 loud and loyal members who generally do a good job in filling up AAMI Park with an average crowd of over 20,000 people. The club have hosted grand finals in Melbourne with attendances over 50,000. The last one dates back to the 2009-10 season. Now as we reflect on how much football’s grown in this country, especially over the last few months given the success of the Socceroos, the Victory fans alone should be able to bring in at least 50,000 supporters.

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As well as letting more home fans in, the MCG will also allow for more travelling fans. While some people may argue that travelling fans may not be able to travel during the week due to work commitments, a later start for the match can to a certain degree ensure more travelling fans.

Thus, the A-League should be looking to utilise the night at the MCG with pre and post-match functions and celebrations. It has been an issue that has had many people scratching their heads, however the issue could be completely avoided all together, if the A-League look to properly promote this as a fantastic low cost opportunity, and thus attracting new fans.

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