Please find attached a copy of the speech made by AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan at tonight’s launch of the 2015 Toyota AFL Premiership Season in Melbourne:

Gillon McLachlan - 2015 Premiership Season Launch
Speaking notes – March 25, 2015

Welcome everyone to the 2015 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

Finally, the footy is back.

Everything else in life… work… friends… family, can take a back seat.

No need to pretend you’re interested in what a work colleague did on the weekend - or how their family is.

You can both go back to talking in great detail about the really important things… like Chris Judd’s groin.

This season will answer many questions.

Is this Port Adelaide’s year?

Can the Suns make their first ever finals?

Will Hawthorn fans finally have some of the success they crave?

The start of each footy season provides fresh hope for the season ahead.

Hope for young recruits. Aspiration. Unrealistic expectations are everywhere.

I know I’m not alone.

Football fans are not rational - we are a bunch of optimists.

And right now the rollercoaster - that for so many of us decides how happy or sad we are on a weekly basis - is about to gather speed.

And we are all undefeated.

And it is bloody exciting.

And Nat Fyfe looks like he might be the next undisputed Star of the game.

And Marcus Bontempelli looks like he might be the next Nat Fyfe –

and Peter Gordon is smiling again after Saturday night.

And Richmond have shown enough that maybe, just maybe….and so have North…and the Crows.

And Melbourne and the Lions look better. And so does GWS.

And for the masochists amongst us we have great hope in the number one draft pick - Paddy Mcartin.

And we have always had Nick Reiwoldt, and we are thinking of you lately Nick.

THIS is footy.

It is about our clubs.

Old and New.

And about the people in them.

Our leaders, the Presidents, the CEO’s, the coaches, the captains, the players.

Here in this room.

Its about Eddie Mcguire….for richer or poorer

Its about Brian Cook and Trevor Nisbett

Its about John Longmire and Mick Malthouse.

And Jobe Watson.

And its about Bill Kelty and Linda Dessau.

One a legend and the other about to do something legendry.

Extraordinary contributors with ethic, vision, loyalty and selflessness, they epitomize our industry and will be huge losses.

It is about our people.

And our partners.

Its about 12 years with Toyota and 14 with NAB. And over 20 years with Coca Cola and over 100 years with CUB.

And its about Seven and Foxtel and Telstra.

And its even about News ltd and the Herald Sun. What’s the saying? For better or worse …til death do us part?

And its about progress, and as footy fans, we should be optimistic about the future.

About new stadia. The new Perth Stadium is on its way, and will be open in time for the start of the 2018 season.

We’ve already seen the way Adelaide Oval has reinvigorated football in South Australia.

I expect the same will occur in Western Australia.

And its about Phase 26 of the redevelopment of Simmonds Stadium in Geelong. Or Phase 27?

And its about technology, and keeping pace with the huge changes in how people interact with and watch sport.

Never again do people have to worry about missing a game - the game is there on their phone.

It’s great for footy, and terrible for dinner parties.

That desire to stay connected with your team through digital or social is one of the reasons we started AFL media.

To provide fans with greater access to the AFL.

Our fans want to be involved and they want to have their say in their team and in the competition.

The great thing about digital media is that it enables you to get daily feedback on how you’re going.

It’s something I’m reminded of every day.

Literally EVERY DAY!

But more often than not though, the fans are right.

Because ultimately it’s about our supporters.

They are the true custodians of the game and we have been working very hard to deal with issues that have been raised by them.

On ticketing issues, the fixture and on cost of going to the game.

On food and beverage issues - in partnership with our venues.

We’ve got more to do but the fans should know that they are being heard loud and clear.

We are working hard to get out of their way - so they can just enjoy the game.

Our game.

The physicality, the athleticism, the running, the power.

An extraordinary game played by extraordinary athletes. Just ask Gatorade who when testing Gary Ablett and Scott pendlebury in Florida at their institute said in their 50 years they have never tested athletes like them.

From any sport.

Ever.

It’s a serious business, and a big business, but sometimes we can lose sight of the fact that football in the end is about passion.

And fun.

For most of us, together with our families, the game is the thing we love most. For some, their club is an extension of their family.
For others, the club and its players, are family.

Football is dinner- time conversation…….. and it is often the opening exchange with strangers.

It is common ground. It is a universal language.

Yes we have challenges. There are new words in our language.

Academies, competitive balance, luxury tax and of recent times ASADA.

Some we like, others we don’t, but there have always been new words, and we have always evolved.

For the better.

Ultimately together.

We need to ensure the league and the clubs remain financially strong. We need to support the less strong but not at the risk of the big. It’s a delicate balance.

But we have a collegiate industry and we will get the balance right.

And we must nurture and invest in our communities as much as the elite.

This is the balance we have to get right and I believe we’re heading in the right direction.

That’s why we’re undertaking an Australia-wide review of the game, chaired by Bill Kelty, from community football to the state leagues.

The AFL wants people to be able to participate in this game at every level.

Women, new Australians, indigenous Australians.

I’m optimistic we can deliver on these things. Together.

But back to today, back to the football, back to the launch of the 2015 season.

Finally, the footy is here and we all share that hope, no matter how irrational or ridiculous, that maybe, just maybe this is our year.

See you at the footy.