Chairman’s REVIEW 2011 was a highly significant year for the year. We thank our partners, the Victorian MCG Trust, being the 150th anniversary of the Government and the AFL in these important appointment of the initial MCG Trustees in 1861. projects. The occasion was marked with a dinner that The environment facing sporting stadiums celebrated the amazing history of Melbourne’s everywhere is changing, perhaps the most sporting ground that has come to mean so rapidly during the MCG’s 150 year life. much to so many. Technology and digital media now occupy a central role in our lives. Only a decade ago few Sporting legends, Ron Barassi and John could have conceived that we would now take Landy among them, spoke movingly of what for granted the ability to watch all AFL matches the ground means to them, while to mark anywhere, anytime (especially live) and usually the occasion, one of Australia’s greatest ever in high definition; that we could broadcast our sporting champions, Cadel Evans, made the thoughts real time to our (keenly awaiting!) outstanding gesture of providing his Tour fellow spectators at the ground via the MCG de France yellow championship bike as a scoreboard; and that we could access enough permanent exhibition for the National Sports live game data and information through our Museum at the MCG. mobile telephones to keep any statistician happy. The Melbourne Cricket Ground has for We at the MCG are determined to embrace generations retained its status as Australia’s this societal change and ensure that the MCG pre-eminent sports stadium in no small remains, as it has in prior generations, at the measure due to the commitment of successive cutting edge of global stadium design and MCG Trusts and MCC Committees to ensuring relevance. it remains that way. This remains as true today as it was when the Olympic Stand was built in This means things like Wi-Fi systems that work 1956 for Melbourne’s Olympic Games, the Great for large crowds; larger and higher definition Southern Stand in 1992 for Australia’s only scoreboards; and hundreds if not thousands cricket World Cup, and the new Northern Stand of video boards around the ground able to in 2006 for Melbourne’s Commonwealth Games. provide useful and real time information to patrons such as queue updates and match data Today’s MCG Trust and MCC Committee are relevant to patrons’ particular interests. These giving expression to this desire for excellence innovations and many others are under active through two major projects now nearing consideration now by the MCG Trust and the finality. One is to refurbish and upgrade the MCC Committee through a detailed feasibility Great Southern Stand, the other to improve and study on a high speed broadband-enabled make Yarra Park self sufficient in non-potable MCG. In an era where stadium attendance is water whilst reducing the MCG’s potable water increasingly competing with the armchair at by some 50m/l per year through a major new home, this is an exciting and vital project for water recycling facility. the future of the ground. These projects will provide outstanding long Of course, the MCG can only be in great shape if term assets for the ground. Patrons can the codes that play there are in great shape as already see for themselves the improvement well, and this is clearly the case. in facilities and amenity in and around the TRUSTEES OF THE MCG TRUST Great Southern Stand. We have completed Over 3 million AFL supporters attended a new, large capacity AFL Members’ dining the MCG for the second year running – a Mr John M.R. Wylie AM (Chairman) room; refurbished the Jack Ryder and phenomenal outcome, especially when it is The Honourable John Cain RUST Lindsay Hassett rooms and the Barassi cafe; considered that the average season attendance T Ms Anne-Marie Corboy launched a new AFL sports bar (replacing figures prior to the redevelopment of the Mr Robert N. Herbert AM the old Bunton Bar) featuring multiple large Northern Stand was only 2.1 million spectators. Mr Ross Inglis video screens, which has quickly become very The importance of the ground for the AFL is KET GROUND Mr Chris J Lovell (Retired November 2011) C popular; and improved the stand entrance reflected in the fact that MCG attendances The Honourable Patrick J. McNamara again represented approximately 43% of total Ms Kathryn (Kate) M Palmer ways. Refurbished Tom Wills, Keith Miller and Mr Anthony Stewart (Appointed April 2012) Legends rooms and additional improvements AFL attendances for the season. ELBOURNE CRI to ground entrances and exteriors are all due M EXECUTIVE OFFICER to be finished in time for the AFL finals this Mr Graeme Sinclair 1 Chairman’s REVIEW EXECUTIVE OFFICer’s REPORT In cricket, last year’s Test match at the MCG TRUSTEES ANd THE GROUNd ATTENdANCES against India created a new record aggregate attendance (189,347) for matches between our MELBOURNE CRICKET Club In 2011/12 the MCG has experienced another year of very strong attendances. The ground two countries. The most pleasing innovation has clearly retained its status as the leading major events sports stadium in Australia and is in the code was the launch of the new domestic I thank my fellow MCG Trustees and Executive recognised as the home of Australian sport. Attendance at all events at the MCG during the year 20/20 Big Bash League competition, which Officer Graeme Sinclair for their effort and was 3,502,725, only a slight decrease from the previous year’s record of 3,569,792. quickly won significant public following. valuable contribution again this year. It is a pleasure to work with them. AFL attendances continued to be strong. The continuing good performance by many of the OTHER GROUNd Chris Lovell stepped down as a Trustee in Victorian teams during the 2011 season, together with the continued strength of Australian November 2011 after nine years of valuable Rules Football amongst sports fans in Melbourne, resulted in consistently large attendances at Developments service. We are very grateful for his legal AFL games at the MCG. knowledge, judgement and all-round Cricket attendances were slightly lower with interest in the tour by India not quite matching during the year a statue of Shane Warne was contribution over this time. the level of interest in the previous year’s Ashes Test tour by England. Attendances in the first unveiled as the first statue of the Australia season of the new domestic “Big Bash League” 20/20 cricket competition provided encouraging Post Avenue of Legends outside the MCG. It is I congratulate Tony Stewart on his recent signs of attracting crowds back to the domestic cricket competition. entirely appropriate that the first statue in this appointment as a Trustee for a three year term. series is of one of Australia’s – and the world’s The Trust looks forward to the benefit of his There were no other major events staged at the MCG in 2011/12. – greatest all time cricketers, who over many extensive legal and commercial experience. years thrilled crowds with his performances Finally, congratulations to the MCC at the MCG. We were delighted to see Shane Football management team led by CEO Stephen Gough return to the hallowed turf with the Melbourne and the MCC Committee under President Paul Total attendance at all AFL home-and-away and finals matches was 7,139,272 in the 2011 Stars in the Big Bash League. Sheahan for their continued highly effective season, almost identical with the 7,147,052 in the previous year. Of this total 614,250 attended the finals, which included 99,537 at the grand final at the MCG. The good performance We were also very pleased to see the removal stewardship of the ground. The partnership of the Victorian teams during the year meant that the MCG again hosted seven finals. of live gambling odds during AFL matches between the Trust and the Club is harmonious The MCG’s proportion of total AFL attendances in 2011 was again a very significant 43%. at the MCG at the end of the 2011 AFL season, and effective, and I believe it serves the The average attendance at football matches at the MCG in recent years has continued to grow. following a stance taken by the Trust and interests of all patrons of the MCG and After a further 1.4% increase in the 2011 season, the average reached 56,842, assisted by an the MCC. Australian sports lovers very well. improvement in the average attendance at the finals. The Trust will monitor with interest the effect on ground attendances of the introduction of new FINANCES teams into the AFL competition which have virtually no supporter base in Melbourne. This, together with the effect of live telecasts of all games could negatively affect attendances at the Ground finances continue to be strong with the MCG in future years. debt reduction programme running well ahead of projections despite the continued substantial reinvestment in ground improvements. Football ATTENdANCE AT THE MCG The Trust’s assets were revalued this year SEASON Total NUMBER OF Average MCG SHARE as a part of a regular five yearly revaluation ATTENdANCE GAMES* ATTENdANCE OF Total AFL programme. The Valuer General, who at MCG ’000 ATTENdANCE conducted the valuation for the first time, ’000 % decided upon significant increases in the values 2011 3,069 54 (7) 57 43.0 John Wylie AM of the MCG land and the Yarra Park land which 2010 3,082 55 (8) 56 43.1 are reflected in the attached accounts of the Chairman Trust.