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An unrivalled history and host to some of the most iconic moments in Australian sport, The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) today celebrates its 170th anniversary in a year that saw sporting and concert attendance records broken at the People’s Ground.
In its 170th year, the MCG reached its biggest ever attendance in an VFL/AFL season, with 3,121,313 MCC members and fans having attended football games by the conclusion of Week 2 of the Finals Series.
The current AFL season attendance at the MCG after last night's Preliminary Final is 3, 218, 978 with the Grand Final still to be played.
This AFL season also saw the MCG break a number of marquee match attendance records with the traditional ANZAC Day match and Big Freeze at the ‘G attracting crowds of 95,179 and 83,578 respectively.
The MCG is the 11th largest stadium in the world and the largest in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere. In 2023 the ‘G would see a new name enter the history books with Ed Sheeran breaking the previous concert record at the iconic venue.
Across two shows on March 2 and 3, global singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran performed in front of 108,000 fans for his first concert at the ‘G, going on to beat that record the following night playing in front of the largest crowd of his career – a record breaking 109,500 fans.
Ed Sheeran surpassed the MCG’s largest concert crowd - a previous record created by Eminem when he played at the venue in 2019 in front of 80,708 fans.
Basking in the aftermath of a massive 97,665 crowd at last night’s Collingwood-GWS GIANTS AFL Preliminary Final, Melbourne Cricket Club Chief Executive Officer Stuart Fox said the MCG’s history is like no other.
“It’s quite remarkable when you reflect on just how much the MCG means to people,” Mr Fox said.
“Some visitors travel from the other side of the world to get a glimpse of the hallowed turf and for the people of Melbourne it’s a place of familiarity – a place of connection.
“As ground manager of the MCG, the MCC is immensely proud of the stadium and its rich history and we continue to be amazed at the atmosphere of this place each week."
With that one day in September now just one week away, in an eventful and record breaking season of AFL at the MCG, just over 3.3 million football fans and MCC members will have attended matches at the ‘G in 2023 following the Grand Final.
Fox believes these crowd figures reflect the significance of this venue to many football fans.
“This is a tremendous milestone - it’s been an amazing footy season at the ‘G - fans and members have shown us all year that they love coming here and to have already hit a record season attendance number midway through the finals is just incredible," Mr Fox said.
“Attendance figures at the footy throughout the year have been consistently strong and credit must go to the AFL – the competition is in such great shape and has provided fans with a high level of excitement over the course of the 2023 season.”
Continuing management of the MCG today, the MCC proudly oversees the People’s Ground on behalf of all Victorians, alongside the Yarra Park precinct and the Australian Sports Museum which has its home inside Gate 3 at the venue.
In February 2024 the MCG will see international superstar Taylor Swift perform three sold-out concerts at the venue.
MCG by the numbers:
- 3,218,978: Current number of fans who have attended AFL matches at the MCG in 2023.
- 1,153,000: 15- day aggregate for 1956 Olympic Games.
- 350,534: Record Test match attendance (1936-37 over six days).
- 121,696: Biggest VFL/AFL crowd, VFL Grand Final between Carlton and Collingwood (1970).
- 109,500: Ed Sheeran Mathematics Tour (March 3, 2023).
- 108,000: Ed Sheeran Mathematics Tour (March 2, 2023).
- 95,179: Largest ever ANZAC Day match (2023).
- 91,112: Record Test cricket attendance - Australia v England, Boxing Day (2013).