Clubs, venues push to boost Vic crowd cap

CLUBS and venues fear only members will be able to gain access to most AFL games this year unless grounds are able to raise capacity to 75 per cent early in the season.

The AFL is adamant it will be guided by health advice from the Victorian government over crowd capacities for major sport, which is at 50 per cent in Melbourne.

South Australia and NSW have this week increased crowd capacities to 75 per cent, but the first Victorian community transmission in a month puts Victorian hopes on hold.

Carlton and Richmond will split the gate takings from a Round 1 season-opener that would normally see them bring home $1 million in combined profit from that game alone.

But the difference between playing with only 50 per cent capacity and 75 per cent capacity is significant.

If only 50,000 fans are allowed for marquee games at the MCG, 23,000 of those tickets will go to MCC and AFL members even when those groups are only being handed half their normal capacity.

About 2000 corporates would also be allowed into areas that generate lucrative revenue for the game.

That would leave about 20,000 members who have reserved seats for the home team, with as few as 5000 away club members having the chance to purchase reserved seats.

It is increasingly likely all Melbourne venues will have to be fully ticketed for contact tracing purposes with general admission walk-up fans not possible in 2021.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan, pictured, will liaise with the Victorian government in the weeks leading into the season and is expected to push for three-quarter capacity if the current community transmission can be restricted.

The AFL runs Marvel Stadium and will hope the MCC’s direct experience with a COVID-positive patron at the Boxing Day Test gives the Victorian government comfort it can allow 75 per cent capacity.

During what amounted to a test case, it was discovered 10 days later that a COVID-positive person had visited a day of the Test. The MCC was able to get the list of 8000 people who had been casual contacts to Victorian health authorities within 10 minutes, with no further spread occurring.

Increasing Melbourne venue capacities to 75 per cent would pose more of a risk for queues into arenas and around food and beverage outlets than in the stands, where gaps could still be put in place between groups of friends and family.

Perth’s five-day lockdown ends at 6pm on Friday, with no further cases in recent days giving optimism for West Australian clubs they can resume training next week. The AFL will assess WA’s COVID figures and was prepared to limit training to all 18 clubs next week in a bid for equality.