CARLTON fans are preparing to travel in big numbers for next week's anticipated clash against Adelaide to open Gather Round, with the Blues leading the way for supporters outside South Australia.
The undefeated Blues will help launch the feature round next Thursday night at Adelaide Oval, with the club so far identified by the AFL as having the most travelling supporters as all nine matches take place in South Australia.
Collingwood, Geelong and Richmond have also rallied large travelling contingents for their clashes against St Kilda, West Coast and Sydney respectively as Victorian fans cross the border in large numbers.
The AFL announced on Tuesday it would release additional tickets for three of Gather Round's sold-out matches – including the Adelaide versus Carlton clash – on Wednesday at 12pm ACST.
There will also be additional tickets released for Saturday's Adelaide Oval double-header between Essendon and Melbourne, and Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs, as well as the Adelaide Hills match between Brisbane and North Melbourne.
Temporary seating infrastructure is being called on to increase the capacity of those matches, which had all been sold out.
Meanwhile, the AFL and South Australian Government revealed plans on Tuesday for the Pepsi Max Footy Festival, which will include a live site for fans on the banks of the River Torrens, walking distance from Adelaide Oval.
Construction of the fan precinct in Elder Park and Pink Flat is underway and will include a 150m zip line across the river, a big screen showing all nine matches, live music and entertainment, and AFL and AFLW player appearances.
"Irrespective of whether you have tickets for the matches or not, gather your friends and gather your family and come to this precinct because there is everything for everyone," AFL Executive General Manager Customer and Commercial Kylie Rogers said on Tuesday.
Ms Rogers confirmed more than 50,000 of the 170,000 tickets sold for the round so far were for interstate and oversea fans, with the SA Government now keen to showcase all the State has to offer.
"The key reason we fought so hard to secure Gather Round was to showcase our state to the rest of the country, and with more than a third of tickets sold interstate and overseas, we’re on track to do that," Zoe Bettison MP said.
"This festival will be a wonderful way for all South Australians to engage with Gather Round, and for visitors to our state to see just how well Adelaide puts on a show."
If you can’t attend Gather Round anymore, can you return your ticket?
If your circumstances have changed, and you can’t get to Gather Round, you can return your ticket via the Ticketek App so other footy fans and members can attend the game. If you purchased a ticket, you’ll get a refund. More details here
