The AFL is expecting more fans to be in the grandstands of Adelaide Oval for the second match of Saturday’s Gather Round double-header.
The league on February 10 this year announced tickets for the Saturday Gather Round double-header — Essendon v Melbourne and Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs — at Adelaide Oval were “currently exhausted”.
Then on Friday morning — after Thursday night’s spectacular opening to the round with a clash between the Crows and Blues in front of 47,435 fans — the AFL announced entire Gather Round had been sold out.
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It’s why some fans and commentators were a little surprised to see a sparse crowd in the Adelaide Oval grandstands during the early stages of Saturday’s Bombers-Demons game.
A ticket to either of the weekend’s double-headers at Adelaide Oval granted a patron entry to both matches. Club membership entitlements were also not valid during Gather Round, with all club members needing to redeem or purchase a ticket to access any Round 5 matches.
An AFL spokesperson told foxfooty.com.au the league was anticipating the Bombers-Demons game would not feature as many fans in the crowd as the Power-Bulldogs clash as the indication was Port Adelaide members had purchased a significant portion of the double-tickets available.
The AFL on Friday urged any ticket-holders that could no longer attend games to either share them with someone who could attend or return them via the Ticketek app, with any fans then encouraged to keep checking the Ticketek website should any tickets become available.
The Gather Round concept has been dubbed a raging success by several parties after all 18 clubs and their fans descended on Adelaide for nine games in four days in the same city.
The strong uptake of ticket purchases has been attributed to the affordability of games, with tickets costing from $30 for adults, $20 for concession and free entry for children under 15, meaning families have been able to budget for a day at the footy.
Gill backs Adelaide in huge Gather Round | 02:52
A bumper crowd of 42,134 turned out to enjoy an engrossing contest between Richmond and Sydney on Friday night. That figure was far greater than the number SA Premier Peter Malinauskas had hoped would provide further evidence Gather Round should remain in his state.
Swans coach John Longmire said he was a huge rap for the concept.
“It’s been an absolute resounding success, you’d have to say,” he told reporters.
“You walk around the streets and the joint’s buzzing.”
