More games and big crowds mean the AFL finals series has been a major boon for local businesses.
This year, the first two weeks of finals saw 345,869 fans attending the Melbourne Cricket Ground across four games, compared with 150,557 in two games last year.
And football fans aren’t just packing the stadium, they are also filling bars, restaurants and shops in surrounding suburbs
Restaurant manager Leo Breen said it will be all hands on deck this Friday night when Richmond plays Collingwood.
“We will definitely be having extra staff on for the game, as many as we can.”
The MCG will be near capacity on Friday, with Collingwood and Richmond being the two highest drawing teams during the regular season.
“There’s always more traffic when football is on, especially finals, this year has been really big.
We’re expecting to be completely full for Friday,” said Mr Breen.
Seats to the big game were hotly contested, Richmond fan Styfan Siryj was one of many waiting hours outside Ticketek on Exhibition Street to secure a ticket.
“I probably got here at about 7 o’clock.
I live in Essendon, so I was up at about 6 o’clock to get in,” he said.
(Image: MCC and club members queued early for finals tickets in Melbourne, September 17, 2018. Photo: Alex Linton)
Mr Siryj also said he would definitely be at bars with friends before, and possibly after the game.
“Probably going out celebrating, after [Richmond] wins.
I’ll probably have a drink beforehand as well, we normally go down to Arbory and have a few beers.”
And Mr Siryj is not the only one, Mr Breen expects a big crowd both before and after the game.
“Once [the game] starts it’ll be a bit quieter, but I reckon we will be packed from the end of the game right until we close,” he said.
(Featured image: Flags advertising the finals in Melbourne, September 17, 2018. Photo: Alex Linton)
