It has been fantastic to welcome fans back to the MCG on Wednesday night and Thursday night for the start of the 2022 AFL Premiership Season, 250 days since our last football match with fans in attendance at the Ground.
The Grand Final rematch between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs lived up to the billing – the eerily similar back-and-forth nature of the match made it the perfect way to start the season.
And the Carlton-Richmond match saw an emotion-charged Blues outfit win their first Opening Round match since 2012.
As anticipated, both games drew large and excited crowds to see the first AFL match at the MCG in nearly a year.
As managers of the MCG, the Melbourne Cricket Club prides itself on providing exceptional service toward maintaining a world-class stadium and precinct. From walking through Yarra Park, dining in our hospitality spaces, enjoying our corporate suites or being seated in the Ponsford, Olympic or Great Southern Stands, patrons are right to expect a high quality experience.
This extends from the facilities and atmosphere, to the customer service and food and beverage offerings.
We know that on Wednesday and Thursday nights, the experience for many patrons did not meet this expectation.
Like so many hospitality businesses and venues in Australia, the MCG is struggling with staffing shortages. As a result of this shortage we made the difficult decision to close selected bars and food outlets across the Ground.
We understand the frustration that this causes for fans and the resulting issues of increased wait times and queuing.
The MCG is actively recruiting to bolster staffing levels back to where they were pre-pandemic. From flying in chefs from interstate and overseas, to putting a call out for casual staff through mainstream media, we are leaving no stone unturned in the quest to fill these front and back of house roles.
As we work through this challenging period we ask you to be kind and respectful to staff. Many are working extra shifts and long hours, giving it their all in challenging circumstances, and we are greatly appreciative of their effort.
With another two games scheduled at the MCG for Round 1, the MCG will continue to do its best to deliver an enjoyable experience for all patrons.
For fans attending the MCG in the coming days, we look forward to welcoming you back to the ‘G, and appreciate your understanding as we work to overcome the ongoing challenges of the pandemic.
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