Adelaide hits accommodation record for AFL Gather Round

Steve Larkin | April 13, 2023

Adelaide has hit record accommodation rates with eight of the nine games of the AFL’s inaugural Gather Round now sell-outs.

Adelaide’s hotel occupancy rates are topping 90 per cent, a record for the South Australian capital.

The previous benchmark was a month ago when the city hosted the world music festival WOMAD and occupancy rates reached 89 per cent.

“We have now surpassed our best-ever record which was only a few weeks ago across WOMAD,” SA Premier Peter Malinauskas told reporters on Thursday.

“Never before have South Australian hotel rooms been more booked than what is the case for this weekend.”

The AFL’s Gather Round kicks off on Thursday night when Adelaide play Carlton at a sold-out Adelaide Oval. Eight of the nine games are sell-outs.

The last remaining tickets for Friday’s twilight game between Fremantle and Gold Coast at inner-suburban Norwood Oval, which has a capacity of about 8000, were sold on Thursday morning.

Seats remain available for Friday night’s Adelaide Oval fixture between Richmond and Sydney, with ticket prices for adults dropped to $15 in a bid to lure more spectators.

“Our ambition is that South Australia has a bigger crowd for a Sydney Swans game than what Sydney can achieve in Sydney, that is what we’re shooting for and I desperately hope that we get there,” Mr Malinauskas said.

Almost 200,000 tickets overall had been sold.

“There is a buzz in this city that we really haven’t experienced since the Grand Prix,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“Even if you don’t love your footy, it’s hard not to get into the excitement that the city and the state has at the moment.”

Adelaide last hosted the Formula One Grand Prix in 1985.