Why the league’s new perimeter setup sparked debate over public access to Yarra Park

The NFL’s extended perimeter around the MCG gave a glimpse into how Yarra Park could be used in the future, but also sparked renewed discussion about the privatisation of the key inner-city green space.

Australia’s inaugural regular-season American football game attracted more than 100,000 people last Friday, but regular attendees to the stadium noticed a significant change to how fans entered the ground.

Instead of scanning tickets at the purpose-built MCG turnstiles, a fenced perimeter was installed near the boundary of Yarra Park and acted as a ticket checkpoint. This meant only ticket holders were able to access the precinct and its many fan activation sites.

The NFL’s approach was applauded by many attendees, who said it made entering the venue a smoother process – particularly because fans could enter through any gate.

But the decision has also resurfaced debate regarding the privatisation of Yarra Park. While the space is located within the City of Melbourne, the Melbourne Cricket Club is responsible for its day-to-day management.

The MCC released an updated Yarra Park master plan in June, which announced the intention to scrap permits and install permanent infrastructure in the park. The document is awaiting a response from Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny.

City of Melbourne councillor and East Melbourne resident Owen Guest told The Age it took NFL organisers two weeks to set up in the parkland and some residents’ cars were towed away without fair warning during the process.

“The real issue, really, is a case of big business taking over the public asset by stealth,” Guest said. “There are no checks and balances there. No guardrails, no consequences should they fail to do what they say they’ll do.

“Do we want to lose Yarra Park to the interests of big corporations to make money from?”

“Give an inch, they’ll take a mile.

“Yarra Park is meant to be everybody’s park. It’s not the MCG’s. It’s not the residents’.”

A spokesperson from the MCC said the extended perimeter was not currently being considered for future events, and this decision would primarily lie with a venue hirer such as the AFL or Cricket Australia.

At a Future Melbourne Committee meeting on Tuesday, councillor Rafael Camillo will move a motion reiterating the City of Melbourne’s desire for Yarra Park to remain as public parkland, and not to become “a source of revenue for select institutions”.

“The MCG has a unique and important role in Melbourne, but that role must be balanced with the rights of the wider community to enjoy Yarra Park as public open space,” Camillo said.

“The challenge is finding the right balance between activation and the park’s primary purpose as public open space. Yarra Park should not be treated as either an event-free zone or an unlimited event venue.”

While the extended perimeter has been criticised by the councillors, the NFL’s set-up had support within the AFL community, who suggest it could function well for the league’s upcoming grand final.

Sports broadcaster Gerard Whateley expressed his support for the new entry protocols on the Sports Entertainment Network’s Crunch Time podcast on Saturday.

“It actually opened the whole precinct up … that should be in place for Saturday’s preliminary final. It should certainly be in place for the grand final,” he said.

But AFL spokesman Jay Allen said that complexities, such as the MCC and AFL reserve areas, meant that the traditional gate structure would be required for football matches.

He added that the NFL’s extended perimeter approach meant that the precinct was restricted to those holding tickets, while the league would prefer to open the area to a wider crowd.

“There will be no change on grand final day in terms of fan entry into the match and we encourage everyone to arrive early to soak up the atmosphere,” Allen said.