AFL fans' fear over affordability continues to rise as the cost of popular food and drink at the MCG soars.
Despite the season already beginning, the MCG will host its first match of the 2024 season, with the traditional Thursday clash between Carlton and Richmond taking place after AFL's new initiative 'Opening Round'.
As fans prepare to flood the home of football to support their team, an expectation has recently dawned on them, as popular items such as beers, coffee, hotdogs, chips and pies all costing more than in previous years.
The cost of a Four n Twenty pie, hot chips or 600ml bottle of soft drinks will all cost $6.20, up from $5.50 last footy season, according to theย Herald Sun.
A 600ml bottle of water will increase from $4 to $4.70.
Hot dog prices will be hiked from $5.50 to $6, chicken burgers are to cost $1 more and coffee will go up 50 cents, to $5.50.
Beer drinkers will see the cost of a schooner rise $1 to $11.50 or a pint of Carlton Draught increased from $12.50 to $13.50.
AFL Fans Association spokeswoman Sheridan Verwey said the increasing prices of food and drink will put pressure on people to attend games, potentially resulting in a negative impact on crowd numbers.
โIncreasing food and drink prices for fans by more than 10 per cent is going to make it more difficult for fans to justify spending limited discretionary money,'' Verwey said.
โThis will likely impact on attendances at AFL games and make an affordable experience at the footy more difficult.''
3AW personality Tom Elliot shares this opinion, saying it could stretch a budget for an average family of four.
โIt wouldn't surprise me if the AFL is trying to extract too much out of our pockets here,โ Elliot said.
"I reckon the footy is becoming unaffordable for an average family of four.
"The family tickets (to the game) will cost $120 and then if a few eats, between four people, two pies, two hotdogs, two servings of hot chips, dad haas two beers, the two kids and mum have a soft drink each, plus you each pay a myki to get there and back... you will spend $250."
"Now that's $250 for a family of four for one night's entertainment, is that good value?"
MCC chief executive Stuart Fox said that the price increases were equal to or less than the rise in supplier costs.
โLike every business, the rising cost of living has also impacted us and โฆ we had to review our pricing structure,'' Fox said.
โWe worked hard to find the right balance between covering necessary operational costs, food inflation and wages while maintaining an accessible price point for fans.''
As fans enter the MCG, they will see two new public bars and a chain of Mexican restaurants.
Cocina Mexicana will have four stores within the MCG, selling tacos, nachos, quesadillas and Mexican bowls.
The new Ponsford Atrium and Betty Cuthbert bars will each be serving food whilst the
is excited about the new "MCG Express" outlets.
Placed in the Ponsford Stand, the "MCG Express" will use artificial intelligence to serve food and drinks without the need for checkouts, thus making purchasing faster.
The new system works by tapping your bank card, grabbing your items and walking back to your seat whilst being charged.
