- Published:
- Sunday 28 September 2025 at 10:12 am
Melbourne has once again proven why it’s the sporting and major events capital of Australia, with another blockbuster AFL Grand Final wowing a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground and audiences around the world.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos celebrated the huge AFL finals series which has supercharged the city and kept hotels, restaurants and businesses busy.
As of Wednesday, more than 20,000 hotel rooms have been booked for the Friday and Saturday nights of the Grand Final weekend, with final numbers expected to be higher.
Travelling Brisbane Lions fans made up part of the 120,000 arrivals at Melbourne Airport over the past two days.
At the ‘G, fans had worked up an appetite. The crowd is estimated to have consumed:
- 25,000 bottles of Mt Franklin water
- 24,000 serves of hot chips
- 14,000 bottles of Coca Cola Soft Drink varieties
- 12,000 Four N Twenty Pies
- 7,000 DON Hot Dogs
- 5,500 Chicken Tenders & Chips
- 4,000 Burgers (MCG burgers and Royal Stacks combined
The free AFL Grand Final Footy Festival and Parade, supported by the Allan Labor Government, saw hundreds of thousands of footy fans flock to the city for Grand Final Week, creating an economic boost for the CBD.
The MCG hosted four huge matches throughout September. Preliminary final week was the biggest ever as two blockbuster matches both welcomed more than 95,000 fans.
With the men’s AFL season now complete, it paves the way for a host of world-class events including two historic NBA pre-season games at Rod Laver Arena in just a few days.
The New Orleans Pelicans will meet Melbourne United on Friday 3 October and South East Melbourne Phoenix on Sunday 5 October.
It will be the first time an NBA team will play competitive matches in Victoria, in another major coup for our major events calendar.
Other highlights include the Men’s Australian Open (Golf) at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, the summer Westwood/ Kawakubo exhibition at NGV and a blockbuster Ashes test match as Australia host England on Boxing Day.
These major events all contribute to the state’s record $43.7 billion visitor economy which supports 288,000 jobs across the Victoria.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos
“Melbourne’s the only city with a Grand Prix, Grand Slam, NFL and NBA games, the Boxing Day Test and AFL Grand Final. These are the biggest and best events—and you’ll only find them here in Victoria.”
“Major sporting events bring thousands of visitors to Melbourne, support local jobs and deliver a huge boost to Victoria’s economy.”
Quotes attributable to NBL Group CEO David Stevenson
“The NBL is thrilled to welcome the New Orleans Pelicans to Australia as part of the NBA x NBL Melbourne Series, a significant milestone for our league and a powerful showcase of Victoria to the world.”
“These games will attract visitors from across Australia and abroad, energising local businesses while inspiring the next generation of players and fans. My sincere thanks to Minister Steve Dimopoulos, Visit Victoria, the NBA and the New Orleans Pelicans for their belief and partnership in making this event possible.”