Melbourne Cricket Ground - Nothing Can Match It!

Melbourne Cricket Ground – Nothing Can Match It!

The MCG is more than just a sports venue. It’s a place where memories are
made and childhood dreams come alive. There are fleeting moments at the ‘G
that stay with you forever.
Ask any Victorian and they’ll be aware of the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s status as
the home of sport.

But it is also steeped in rich history. Established in 1853, less than 20 years after the
founding of Melbourne, it is often described as the beating heart of this fantastic city.
It was the birthplace of Australian football in 1859, Test cricket in 1877 and one-day
international cricket in 1971.

It was the main stadium for the 1956 Olympic Games and 2006 Commonwealth
Games, attracts up to 100,000 fans to the annual AFL Grand Final and the ‘G comes
to life each Christmas at the Boxing Day Test.

Other sporting spectacles to have been held there include World Cup soccer
qualifiers, rugby league home and away matches and State of Origin, international
rugby union and Austral Wheel Races.

But the ‘G, as it is affectionately known to locals, is so much more than Australia’s
biggest sporting stadium. It has accommodated a Pope, a Queen and US Marines
and the Australian RAAF during World War II, as well as the more conventional
music concerts, open days, charity events, dinners and many more.

Nestled in Yarra Park, about a 10-minute walk from the heart of the city, the MCG is
open every day of the year for events and functions and tourists and the general
public alike can visit seven days a week.

More than 3.5 million people visit MCG sporting events in a calendar year. In 2015, in
addition to the staple schedule of AFL and cricket, the ground hosted the ICC Cricket
World Cup Final, a rugby league State of Origin match and in July will see giant
soccer clubs Real Madrid, AS Roma and Manchester City grace the turf in the
International Champions Cup Australia event.
Add in a vibrant tourist product, a year-round function centre and a successful,
world-class sports museum inside the stadium, there is much to offer.
But it’s not just a rich history, jam-packed activity calendar and a spiritual bond with
the community that sets the MCG apart. There are many unique aspects of life at the
MCG that require the constant attention of MCC management to maintain the
ground’s hard-earned reputation as a world-class, multi-purpose stadium.

Profile
One of the MCG’s standout features is the sheer size of the structure and its
capacity. The stadium can hold up to 100,024 people (including 95,000 seats), making
it the largest stadium in Australia and in the top 10 in the world.
The MCG playing surface is approximately 20,000 square metres in area and
measures 173.6 long x 148.3 metres wide, from fence to fence.
Coupled with its size, the MCG’s history and status make it one of the highest profile
buildings in Australia. The MCG is a very public facility. Everyone has a vested
interest in it. Along with the usual considerations with regards to facility
maintenance, its global profile from a tourism and world-class sporting event
perspective places additional pressure on ensuring everything works.
Versatility
The volume and variety of events played at the MCG requires a versatile surface that
enables the stadium to switch from one sport to another in a short period of time.
The venue also regularly converts from event mode to normal weekday business
mode, with up to 100 event days scheduled in any calendar year.
The quality of the MCG playing surface is critical to the stadium’s operation and the
MCC has developed one of the finest turf maintenance systems in the world. It has
led the field in a range of turf management techniques designed to develop a playing
surface which can be used efficiently and meets competition demands.
The MCG pioneered the world’s first successful portable cricket pitch technology.
The revolutionary system involves growing and nurturing cricket pitches off-site and
“dropping” them into the centre of the arena at the start of the cricket season and
removing them at the season’s end.
In October 2014, the MCC embarked on its most extensive turf surfacing program
since it reconstructed the field and converted the stadium to host the 2006
Commonwealth Games. The entire turf surface, almost 20,000 square metres, was
stripped and re-levelled, amounting to approximately 3000 cubic metres of material
or around 150 truck and trailer loads.
Technology

The MCG is transforming into one of Australia’s most technically advanced and
connected stadiums for fans.

WiFi

A super-fast, secure, high-density WiFi network is to be installed in the stadium,
allowing fans and stakeholders fast access to the internet on any device at the
stadium for free.

The WiFi network will be available in December 2015, and allow fans to access real-
time and interactive content and the ability to engage with other fans at the game.

In addition, MCC is working with telecommunication providers to improve 3G and 4G
connectivity within the stadium. Installation of new equipment will enhance the
customer experience, and is set to be completed by December 2015.

MCG TV network and scoreboards

By the end of 2015, fans will be able to watch high-definition replays and keep track
of the action as it unfolds via almost 3000 TV screens around the stadium - meaning
that fans won’t miss a moment wherever they may be.

Part of the network will include a best-of-breed Internet Protocol Television (IPTV)
system, to deliver the action as it happens. The IPTV system will see installation of
800 additional high-definition TV screens by the end of 2015.

The high definition screens will also promote fan competitions, statistics, broadcast
other major sporting events in the stadium’s bars and corporate suites, display key
information, and much more!

Home club theming

As the MCG is the home ground to up to 10 different sporting teams in any 12
months, one of the central pillars of the MCG’s technology improvements is the
ability to theme the stadium in the colours of the home team.

LED lights now encase the entire stadium and illuminate the entrances, enabling the
exterior of the stadium to be lit up in club colours. As fans embark on their trip to the
MCG, they can see the stadium lit up like a beacon wherever they are travelling from.

Digital signage along the concourse compliments the stadium lighting and provides
information to fans about the day’s event and how to easily get around the stadium.

Once inside, LED signage around the fences help create a real home game
atmosphere as clubs have licence to turn the stadium into their own fortress.

New website

A revamped MCG website is now online at www.mcg.org.au – browse around and
check it out!

Functions
The MCG is more than simply one of the world’s greatest sporting arenas. For more
than 160 years it has been Melbourne’s heartbeat. It offers a superb range of
possibilities for corporate and private functions, including spectacular views of
Melbourne’s city skyline and over the arena.
Managed by EPICURE, the venue has function spaces suitable for small gatherings
through to large-scale events, whether they are weddings, annual conferences,
awards nights or cocktail parties.
With privileged inner sanctum access and available all year round, guests can enjoy
a total package or select a single element from a unique range of services ideal for
teambuilding and motivation.
Our services also extend to specialised theming and entertainment options to create
a memorable event for any size function.
Cafe and pub culture comes to life

If you have tasted Melbourne’s world-famous cafe and pub culture, you will
appreciate the transformation the ‘G has made through its own range of bars and
cafes.

Venues such as the Paddock Cafe and Terrace Cafe are the equal of many of
Melbourne’s hidden cafe secrets and are the perfect complement to the range of
beer gardens, rooftop terraces and sports bars scattered throughout the stadium.

While the steady calendar of top-class sporting events will offer unforgettable
experiences for those who attend, there are plenty of other reasons to visit the MCG
more often.

Celebrating our sporting history

Widely recognised as the home of Australian sport, the MCG has outstanding
heritage values to Australia. In December 2005, the MCG was included in the
National Heritage List so that these values can be protected for generations to come.
The MCG recognises and celebrates its heritage and sporting history with a
commitment seen at very few stadiums anywhere in the world.
The MCG Tour is an absolute must on any Melbourne visit. The guided tour is the
only opportunity to get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes peek at one of the world’s
most iconic sports stadiums but is also a chance to hear about the history and
secrets of the ‘G.
Located inside Gate 3 at the MCG, the National Sports Museum is a self-guided
experience unique amongst sports and stadium museums around the world.

It brings together the history of the Melbourne Cricket Club and the MCG itself as
well as more than 3500 objects across countless sports, including cricket, Olympics,
rugby league, and rugby union, soccer, horse racing and much more.
And with an interactive sports gallery called Game On for visitors to experience the
thrill of participation, there is truly something for everyone.
The NSM houses the Australian Gallery of Sport and Olympic Museum, the Sport
Australia Hall of Fame, the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, the Australian Football
exhibition (including Australian Football Hall of Fame), Champions – Thoroughbred
Racing Gallery, and temporary exhibition areas addressing the sporting issues and
events of the day.
New exhibition!
As Australians commemorate the 100th anniversary of Anzac Day, a new exhibition
at the National Sports Museum explores the impact World War I had on sport on the
home front.
Rallying the Spirits: Sport on the home front in WWI reflects on how the war
changed Australia’s attitude to sport, with the decision to play and watch sport no
longer a simple choice. It opens until February 28, 2016 and is included in standard
museum entry.
The MCG offers a combined ticket to both attractions – go to www.nsm.org.au for
more information on ticketing and opening times.