Premier ‘optimistic this is going to be OK’ as next Gather Round deal looms
Latest figures are out on the state’s four-day footy festival and they are buoying Premier Peter Malinauskas as he delves into negotiations on keeping the event in the state.
A decision is looming about whether AFL’s Gather Round will stay in SA and Premier Peter Malinauskas is staying upbeat, telling ABC Radio “you know, I’m optimistic this is going to be okay, but I just, like I said, I’ve got a responsibility to get this right, and I’m trying to hold the line on a few things”.
Latest figures from the state government showed more than 270,000 people flocked to games at Adelaide Oval, Norwood and the Barossa, and many tens of thousands more attended associated events like the Norwood Food and Wine Festival and festivities in the Barossa.
“Many of these people are visitors, who have spent their hard earned dollars in our local businesses, and will return home with stories to tell of their experiences. They have done this despite significant economic headwinds brought about by the war in Iran,” Malinauskas said.
It would be a brave move for the AFL to shift the showcase round after the fourth year again featured strong crowd and TV rating numbers with Malinauskas also saying “there is absolutely an opportunity to incorporate some of the best of women’s footy”. He also flagged holding a parade of all 18 football teams in future.
The government also wants a match on the Fleurieu Peninsula as part of future Gather Round plans with a new site at Noarlunga near the McLaren Vale wine region the most likely option. Figures on the economic impact of the event are expected over coming months.
You might like
Considerable rhetoric has surrounded the Gather Round over the past few days, from Malinauskas and other interested parties including Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham.
Negotiations between the league and SA were now expected to ramp up, with Tasmania’s impending entry into the competition complicating what Gather Round might look like.
As fuel price hikes added to cost of living stress, concerns had arisen that not as many interstate fans would attend this time but despite intermittent wet weather, the round drew its largest cumulative attendance, with 270,018 beating 2025’s total of 269,506.
This included a record 9,434 fans attending suburban Norwood on Sunday to watch Geelong’s win over West Coast.
“It’s a bit of an honour for the Cats to be part of that,” Geelong coach Chris Scott, whose team played at The Parade for the first time, said.
Stay informed, daily
“I would have said this if we’d lost … we just had a great experience over here.
“I’m not necessarily supporting that fact that Adelaide keep it forever, but what I will acknowledge is gee, they do a bloody good job of it.
“It’s just brilliant to see so many Geelong supporters out here in Norwood. The suburban feel, it was nice.”
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said hotel occupancy in Adelaide was up on last year and the TV ratings for Friday night’s Collingwood-Fremantle clash were the highest this season.
“When you turn our matches into events, our fans come and they watch,” he said.
“There was always a bit of uncertainty. So to just see it play out the way it has, it just shows how resilient our fans are and how much they love coming to the footy.
“It’s been such a great vibe around the city.”
Asked about the future of Gather Round, Dillon continued to play a straight bat.
“We’re just continuing to have conversations. We’ll get through the weekend, we’ll get the economic data and then sit down with the premier,” he said.
“He’s said a couple of times, and we reiterate, we want to get the right deal, not a quick one.
“We’re looking to have a medium-term deal as well, so we can invest in infrastructure and everything around the game.
“SA have put their best foot forward, as they have for the last three years, and the fans have embraced it. So we’re excited to continue the conversations.”
-with AAP
Want to see more stories from InDaily SA in your Google search results?
- Click here to set InDaily SA as a preferred source.
- Tick the box next to "InDaily SA". That's it.
