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.
That’s 217,893 with two days to go. Lord’s at capacity for five days – 150,000.
(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.
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.
Tom English
Roar Guru
Can't wait to see the Melbourne leg of the HSBC Sevens, The Melbourne to Hobart should be good, not to mention SOO game 2 held in Melbourne....
P.Currie
Guest
Wow. To say this article is naive is an understatement. Firstly the MCG attendances..how many rock up for the West Indies ??. I would suggest a huge percentage of those thousands were Poms. To dismiss Lords is irrelevant to any argument you may have. Lords is the only ground in the World that sells out test matches, twice; and at considerably more of a cost. I should know, I work there. Day 4 against the West Indies sold out at the end of September.... though it didn’t get that far. To compare the Melbourne cup to Ascot and the Derby is non senseicle. I personally felt that the tennis venue was rather Shaby. Compare that to Wimbledon ??? You win Wimbledon You are the ‘champion player of the year’. Wembley..Home of football, twickenham.. Home of rugby. Arsenal, Chelsea, spurs, West Ham, Crystal Palace, championship clubs and football league plus numerous non league clubs. Throw in a couple of rugby giants also. Oh Henley and the boat race, London Marathon, also the Olympic Park. Sold out NFL season games...spurs will be awarded a regular franchise. The o2 the worlds most successful indoor venue.. Darts at Ally Pally also. Your proud of your city, and rightly so.....but come on.
Cam
Guest
Would you class Phillip Island as Melbourne?
Andy og
Guest
The green winds of jealousy in this comment, Melbourne is a great city. It's surrounded by Victoria which is beautiful state, most of it habitable. To believe melbournians have nothing else to do is ignorance to the extreme. Personally I think Melbournians love going to sporting events because they are more connected to their city than most. It works in many ways than let's say Sydney which is beautiful but disconnected. Those in the north don't travel south. Those in the east don't cross the Anzac bridge.Its a cultural thing and one that is crafted over many generations. It's the understanding that it's attendance that make magic moments. Growing up in Melbourne so many of my favourite memories are attached to the "G" or Flemington.I saw warnies hat trick, and Makybe's 2nd,I saw Tiger tee off and Rafa storm home and the mighty rooboys win a flag. I've watched the storm get into a grand final and Liverpool with 90,000.Ive seen Ayrton win a race and azumah smash fenech. I don't know if it's the greatest sporting city, I suppose that depends on the sports that you follow. But I'm guessing not many people have that kind of sports resume without leaving home.
Mitcher
Guest
News just in from deep inside the Melbourne bubble.
jamesb
Guest
In the year 2000, Sydney, at the time, hosted the best ever Olympics. Whilst in the 1980's and 90's, Adelaide did a great job in hosting the Formula 1. If other capital cities had the opportunity to host major events like a Formula 1 and the Australian Open tennis, then i'm sure they would all do a great job.
jamesb
Guest
Did God give Sydney the Harbour Bridge?
jamesb
Guest
I don't understand why people from interstate really care how NSW spends it's government money.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Most US universities have better attendances per captita than Melbourne.
Mark
Guest
The Bills play in upstate New York. Buffalo might as well be in a different state. As for Met Life, that might as well be NYC, its 12 miles from Manhattan. Metlife is as much NYC, as the Skins are DC. Its a tax dodge and nothing more. NYC is still sporting capital of the world. Nets, Nicks, Mets, Yankees, Jets, Giants, Rangers, Islanders etc etc...
Toth
Guest
London has the Wentworth Club. Hosts the PGA on the Euro tour every year. Also hosted a Ryder Cup. Presidents Cup vs Ryder Cup, I know what I'd rather attend...
GWSINGAPORE
Guest
Not only the sporting capital of Australia. Also arts, culture, literature, gastronomy and other intellectual pursuits. Population wise Melbourne will overtake Sydney in about 2030 restoring it to the position it held for much of the 19th Century: Australia's World City.
Peter C
Guest
Don't forget Docklands stadium and the rectangular stadium near the MCG., On several occasions over the years I have gone direct from a day's test cricket at the MCG, via the footbridge outside gate 6 straight to the rectangular stadium to watch the Melborne Victory play. I did not even have to cross the road. I have watched Victory, the Storm and the Rebels there and can honestly say there is not one bad seat in the whole stadium. Then of course on the west of the CBD we have the family friendly docklands stadium. Whether you are there for the AFL, Football, Rugby, Rugby League, or even the speedway bikes, it's nice to know that if it likely to rain, the organisers can simply close the roof. Even our secondary racecourses Caulfield (home of the Caulfield cup) and Moonee Valley (Cox Plate) are comfortable venues to watch sport. Yes, Melbourne has several modern, comfortable sporting venues and all withing a 10 minute walk of a railway station or tram line.
Bakkies
Guest
With the Tennis they had to move, improve and rebuild the facilities as they considered themselves under risk of the tournament being taken from Australia. Wimbledon doesn't have that issue though they are working on the venue with a new roof to go over Court One.
Bakkies
Guest
No need to be flippant. For a man who has been involved in Cricket you are dismissing the fact that Lords and The Oval don't want or need to be multi purpose stadiums for other sports. Even though The Oval hosted Rugby matches in the dark old days they both retained their character and identity as Cricket grounds which Australia has less and less of these days.
Howie
Roar Pro
I think you are also missing the AFL games played at the MCG. That fills the MCG plenty over winter.
AR
Guest
“Nowhere in the world have I encountered a festival of people that has such a magnificent appeal to the whole nation. The Cup astonishes me.” - Mark Twain, 1985, after attending the Melbourne Cup. (Googling his full piece on the Cup is well worth a read)
Jeffrey Dun
Roar Rookie
"....give us one other example." I first read an article along these lines by the late Mike Gibson in the Daily Telegraph in the late 1960s. I remember it in particular because it was the first time I had come across the proposition about the sports mad folk of Melbourne. Gibson suggested that the people of Melbourne were such enthusiasts that the organisers of major sporting events, such as the Tour de France; Super Bowl, etc, would eventually bring their events to Melbourne. It was an amusing read - it must have been because I still remember the article.
Alicesprings
Guest
Shocking waste of money. Should have been spent on grassroots clubs. Still wouldn't surprise me if with a potential change of government ANZ stays as is. Stranger things have happened.
Alicesprings
Guest
Touché Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney to host AUS v INDA. Brisbane and Canberra to host AUS v SRI Hobart to miss out. Either way the GABBA is under pressure to update facilities as now both Adelaide and Perth have leap frogged it as preferred venues.