Interstate Grand Final worth three times more to Victoria than an all-local
An interstate Grand Final creates roughly three times more economic activity for Victoria than a game between two Victorian teams.
Fremantle and Brisbane play at the MCG on Saturday. About 100,000 fans are expected.
This is only the second all-interstate Grand Final since Victoria started its Grand Final Eve public holiday in 2015. RMIT Professor Angel Zhong says the weekend could create up to $75 million in economic activity for Victoria.
A game between two Victorian teams would create only about a third of that. That's roughly $25 million.
Here is why: when visitors from other states fly in, stay in hotels and eat in restaurants, that is truly new money entering the state. When local fans attend, they mostly move spending they would have made elsewhere in Victoria anyway.
Sport business expert Hans Westerbeek warns about this. The net benefit after we account for what gets moved around could be much lower.
But the interstate match still brings more economic gain than a game between two local teams.
- $75 million
- Full economic activity estimate
- $25 million
- All-Victorian derby estimate
- 100,000
- Expected attendance
- Since 2015
- Years since Grand Final Eve holiday
Why it mattersVictoria's economy gets a genuine $20M to $25M boost from interstate visitors who bring new money to the state.
AustraliaMelbourne hotels and restaurants stand to win far more revenue from interstate fans than from local supporters attending a Victorian derby.
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