Plenty in accordance with footy followers after the AFL introduced its extra spherical in Adelaide subsequent yr can be referred to as “Gather round…a festival of footy”.
While the AFL is following within the footsteps of the NRL’s profitable “Magic Round” idea, it clearly needed a reputation that was completely different to its rival code.
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The occasion will happen in spherical 5 subsequent season and can see all 18 groups converge on Adelaide for a nine-match, one-city showcase.
“Gather Round” was settled on after the AFL acquired submissions from supporters and league boss Gillon McLachlan opened the discussion board to followers.
“I’ve got the best team in the world, certainly in any form of sport and they get most things right,” McLachlan stated final month.
“However, all of their suggestions are terrible around this name.
“I saw a list of them, we’ve done polling and research … so it’s an open invitation to all South Australians but frankly all football supporters nationally.
“This thing, I feel, is going to be huge and it needs to have its own life and its own identity, and its own character.”
The many fan concepts for the spherical included United Round, AFL Roadshow, Footy Fiesta, The Big Show, Family Round, Connection Round, Roving Round, Premiers Round, The Grape Escape, Hanger Round, Round Five!, AFL Mega, Celebration Round, All-in Round, Magnetic Round, Destination Round, Fanatics Round and Festival of Footy.
The AFL rejected choices proposed by an company.
But it’s secure to say the Gather Round moniker has fallen flat with followers, with many arguing the AFL would have been higher off simply blatantly copying the NRL’s Magic Round.
Sports reporter Michael Atkinson tweeted: “Gather Round, people. I’ll tell you a story.
“A story about how to ‘copy’ an idea and butcher it at the naming phase. “
The name choice comes days after the AFL was widely criticised for announcing its Round 1 fixture during the Socceroos’ World Cup clash with Argentina in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The AFL defended its choice of Gather Round, saying it had strong public support.
“We had a lot of momentum around ‘Gather Round’ with many fans suggesting it,” an AFL spokesperson advised News Corp.
“We think it’s perfect as we all — clubs, players and fans — gather in South Australia, bringing a footy festival to the city.”
Adelaide Oval will host six of the 9 video games, whereas a venue for the opposite three matches has but to be confirmed.
Venues within the Barossa Valley and Norwood have been flagged as potential choices.
The addition of Gather Round to the AFL fixture will lengthen the house and means season to 24 rounds and scale back the variety of pre-season video games from two to 1.
Originally revealed as AFL roasted after unveiling title of recent Magic Round rip-off
