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Melbourne truly is the sporting capital of the world

28th December, 2017
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(Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Expert
28th December, 2017
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How often have we heard Bill ‘It’s all happening’ Lawry championing the cause of the G, and Melbourne, on Channel Nine over the last 40 years?

In latter years he’s been joined by Shane Warne, as a partner-in-crime for the cause.

Parochial as it may seem, they are both right on the money. Melbourne is the the best sporting spectator city in the world, pro-rata to population.

There are just over four million living in Melbourne, but a tick over nine million in London.

Compare the MCG, and the home of cricket at Lord’s.

The record at the G is 93,013 for the 2015 World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand.

Lord’s is chockers at 30,000.

With the Ashes series decided, there were still 88,172 at the G on Boxing Day, 67,882 on the second day, a working day, and 61,839 yesterday, another working day.

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That’s 217,893 with two days to go. Lord’s at capacity for five days – 150,000.

Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne leave the MCG

(Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)

But cricket’s not the only sport where Melbourne is the best.

Melbourne has hosted the first Formula One Grand Prix of year at Albert Park since 1996, rated by the drivers as the very best year in, year out.

On race day there are always 100,000-plus, with over 300,000 for the event.

The Australian Tennis Open at Melbourne Park also kicks off the four Grand Slam tournaments every year – again voted the best by the players year in, year out.

It’s also the Slam tournament with vision, having the first retractable roof, then the first two, and now the only three.

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With such superb state-of-the-art facilities, Melbourne Park keeps breaking attendance records – setting a record that currently stands at 728,763 for the two weeks, set last January.

And the race the stops the nation the Melbourne Cup, the richest and most prestigious two-miler in the world.

The first Tuesday in November at Flemington regularly attracts 100,000-plus with 123,736 the record set in 2003.

Throw in Melbourne’s world-renowned sand-belt golf courses, and if ever the PGA of Australia got off its butt to provide world class tournaments to attract the world’s best, the crowds would flock there too.

So the next time you hear Bill Lawry, and Shane Warne, extolling the sporting virtues of the southern capital, they have good reason.

By the way, that will probably be today, and tomorrow.

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