Dear members,
I trust you and your family had a great Easter long weekend and have enjoyed the start of the 2022 AFL Premiership Season.
In a sign that things are getting back to near normality in the events industry, it has been exciting to make announcements about major events the MCG will host in the next year. From Ed Sheeran and Guns N’ Roses concerts, the Men’s T20 World Cup, and two matches featuring soccer powerhouse club Manchester United. Including a thrilling announcement this morning that the Superclasico soccer match, between Brazil and Argentina, will be played at the MCG on Saturday June 11. All categories of MCC membership will have the ability to purchase tickets to the match from tomorrow, Thursday April 21 at 4.00pm AEST.
From a Club perspective, we’ve been able to return some favourite functions to the calendar, welcome even more members into our beloved Reserve for AFL match days, and seen some of our sporting sections either finish or start their respective seasons. A special mention must go to our men’s and women’s cricket programs who enjoyed an outstanding season including several premierships across multiple divisions.
Heartbreakingly, we have farewelled a number of well-known Club members– John Landy, Rod Marsh, Shane Warne and Tom Reynolds – in the recent months as well as hosting the State Memorial Services for Tom and Shane. To permanently acknowledge Shane Warne’s lasting legacy and moments of greatness at the MCG, we welcomed the Victorian Government’s decision to rename the Great Southern Stand in his honour.
As we move into the ANZAC Day long weekend where the MCG will host two marquee matches, I wanted to provide members with an update on a number of matters.
ANZAC Eve and Day ticketing update
Limited tickets remain available in the Members’ Reserve for the ANZAC Eve match between the Richmond and Melbourne Football Clubs.Minimal tickets remain available in the Members’ Reserve for the ANZAC Day match between the Essendon and Collingwood Football Clubs.
Full and Restricted members are encouraged to reserve tickets now to avoid disappointment. A reminder to members that these matches are fully ticketed, and all members and guests wishing to attend must pre-book a ticket to access the Members’ Reserve.
Staff shortages
At the MCG we pride ourselves on delivering an exceptional level of service and experiences for our patrons and particularly for our members and their guests each time they enter the Reserve. Unfortunately we have not been delivering to that standard of late. While we, along with our catering partner Delaware North, have been proactively recruiting to bolster staffing numbers, the national staffing shortage continues to impact our usual operations at the MCG. Members will be aware of recent news reports outlining challenges other organisations and industries have also been facing as a result of the national staffing shortage and the loss of experienced staff members. These shortages have led us to not opening as many outlets as usual and have impacted our general hospitality operations.In light of these challenges, management have also focused on finding efficiencies in our normal operational practices to ensure we reduce wait times and improve experiences. While we can’t overcome all challenges, we have implemented the service of drinks in plastic cups temporarily to reduce the need to clean during an event, simplification of some trading models including takeaway or dwell only bar options, the mobility of staff to outlets during quarter breaks and the reduction of capacity in dining rooms. We agree these are not ideal and will only be short-term and temporary solutions, but we wanted to be transparent about the measures currently in place.
Reassuringly, Delaware North has seen a steady increase of staff members and over the coming months, we will gradually open more outlets to serve the crowd across the MCG and return to our usual operating models. In a pleasing development, we are looking forward to the opening of the renovated and new look Hugh Trumble Café on Wednesday May 11 for weekday dining and Saturday May 14 for match-day member dining. More details will follow in the coming weeks.
General ticketing
A reminder to members that to obtain access to the Reserve during the 2022 AFL Premiership Season, matches have been categorised in one of the following options based on the predicted attendance.1. Fully Ticketed Matches
Only a small number of AFL Premiership Season matches have been classified under this category for this year. This category is assigned to marquee matches where it is predicted demand to attend will be high amongst our members. For example, the ANZAC Eve and ANZAC Day matches are Category 1, fully ticketed matches, and are available to Full and Restricted members only. Full and Restricted members and their guests must have secured tickets in advance to attend those matches in the Reserve.
2. Members’ Reserve on Demand or Walk-Up Access Matches
For designated Members’ Reserve on Demand matches, the Reserve is available to members to secure a seat and also purchase visitor tickets on a match-by-match basis. Seats are released and sold as required and any seats not sold will be available to those members who decide to walk-up on the day of the match. This walk-up availability will be communicated on the MCC website on the Friday afternoon prior to the round.
Dress standards
Members are reminded to familiarise themselves with the expectations of the Club on what is worn within the MCC Reserve on a match day. These are available to review here.As with all operations, management reviews certain policies to ensure standards reflect that of the membership and society’s expectations. With that in mind, management are in the process of reviewing the dress standards to ensure it is clear and appropriate for members and their guests.
A recent update to the dress standards allows members the ability to wear football guernseys into the Frank Grey Smith Bar, but only over the top of clothing that meets the Members’ Reserve dress standards. Hats, caps and beanies must be removed before entering the Frank Grey Smith Bar.
Member behaviour
Management aims to ensure the Members’ Reserve is always inclusive, safe and welcoming for all members and their guests. Members and their guests are expected to observe a standard of behaviour that is socially acceptable and in keeping with the standards befitting the Club, guided by the MCC Code of Conduct.As management navigates the challenges on operations due to the national staffing shortages, we do call on members to be respectful to the staff they encounter during their visit to the Members’ Reserve at the MCG. Our staff members are committed to ensuring you have an exceptional experience while at the MCG, and while you may be experiencing longer than expected wait times for service, the Club does expect our staff members to be treated with kindness and respect.
Smoking and the use of e-cigarettes and vaping has increased in recent months, none of which is tolerated within the MCG. The use of these items within the Members’ Reserve will result in a member or guest facing immediate eviction from the venue and could result in further disciplinary action by the Club.
Members and their guests are always encouraged to notify management if they have witnessed anti-social behaviour.
Feedback
Members should always feel comfortable providing their feedback through to management and can do so by contacting the Club directly (membership@mcc.org.au or 03 9657 8888) or by submitting surveys about their recent experiences.Thank you for your continued support of our great Club and I look forward to welcoming you into the Members’ Reserve again soon.
With warm regards,
Stuart Fox
CEO
Melbourne Cricket Club