Thrills and spills: Melbourne gets serious in bid for Australia's sporting capital title

It’s a title as hotly contested as any in the sporting world: which city can rightfully boast of being the sporting capital of Australia? Melbourne, as host to a number of top-drawer events the year round, regularly lays claim to the crown – and what better time to prove it than on one particularly action-packed weekend last month?

With the 2017 AFL season opener at the MCG and four other games in Melbourne following in quick succession, it was always going to be a busy few days in the state capital’s calendar. Then throw in the season-opening Formula One Grand Prix and, all of a sudden, the eyes of the world are focused on this city and its fanatical sports disciples.

When the sun is out – as it is this weekend – Melbourne truly shines. And with the laneways that serve as the arteries of the city’s heart pulsing with crowds by Saturday brunch-time, it’s clear there is a major international event on: there are not just Melburnians here today, or even Australians; the F1 has attracted a melting pot of nationalities.

With all these international visitors flooding the city, accommodation can be a challenge. However, Melbourne has a wide range of options to suit all budgets. Venue proximity is a big factor for many visitors, with accommodations such as these - https://www.hotelsinvictoria.net/en/near-regent-theatre-408055/ being highly sought after for their central locations, making it easier for visitors to catch the action up close.

At St Ali Coffee Roasters in South Melbourne, the air is thick with talk of cars – chiefly the upcoming qualifying race, and Sunday’s main event at Albert Park. Anticipation is palpable, especially given the hopes resting on the young shoulders of Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo, the Red Bull driver who pundits have as a real chance of success at his home grand prix.

But before that is a trip to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the giant concrete multi-purpose behemoth situated a brisk 20-minute walk southeast from the CBD. If Melbourne is indeed the capital of sport, this must surely be its royal palace, its seat of power.

Any self-respecting Australian sports fan knows all about the MCG: that it claims to be the birthplace of Australian rules football and one-day and Test cricket; that it holds 100,000 people; that it hosted the 1956 Olympic and 2006 Commonwealth Games; and that the world’s biggest football teams have appeared there. They have even played State of Origin, that most un-Victorian of competitions, at the MCG.

Brian Tankey is approaching his 50th year of membership to the Melbourne Cricket Club, the game’s governing body in Australia and managers of the MCG. Tankey, sporting a well-worn pinstripe MCC blazer, is a volunteer guide and, befitting of someone of his age and wisdom, is able to delve below the surface of the facts and figures, both literally and figuratively: after a quick look at the pitch from the sidelines and a sit on the interchange bench, we are taken down into the bowels of the stadium.

Explore the hidden depths of Melbourne's sporting spectacle with a behind-the-scenes tour like no other. Delve beneath the surface to discover a world of indoor cricket nets, top-notch gymnasiums, bustling canteens, and a maze-like network of changing rooms, all meticulously prepared for the thrilling showdown between Essendon and Hawthorn.

During the tour, our guide Tankey shares intriguing anecdotes, like the visible battle scars etched into a wall near the changing rooms. Legend has it that these deep gashes were inflicted by the Sydney team bus driver, who had an unfortunate encounter before last year's AFL grand final against the Western Bulldogs, leaving the Swans players momentarily trapped on the bus. Immerse yourself in the captivating tales of Melbourne's sporting triumphs and tribulations.

Back upstairs, up one of the many flights within the stadium, we are permitted to walk through the exclusive Long Room and members’ dining room, a buffet service restaurant reserved for MCC members and their guests who satisfy the strict and rather complex dress code regulations. Shirts, ties and conservative dresses are in, collarless shirts, zippered jackets and non-tailored casual pants are out.

The room lives up to its old-fashioned reputation; appearance and etiquette are all important here and the tone is one of reverence. A sense of history exudes from the walls, which are adorned with portraits of past MCC presidents and secretaries, including the likes of Frank Grey Smith (who has a bar in the MCC reserve named after him), Sir Bernard Callinan, Hugh Trumble and VS Ransfor.

Next up is the National Sport Museum, also housed at the MCG. This underground tribute to Australian sport is not restricted to cricket and AFL and every conceivable sport is acknowledged in some form – cycling, football, rugbys league and union, basketball, netball, athletics, tennis and everything in between. The highlight, however, is the room containing a hologram of Shane Warne, who delivers a talk about his career, detailing among other things the unfortunate consequences of a hand injury he once suffered. (For the record, he was unable to wipe his own bottom while recovering.)

The MCG is part of the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct and other sporting venues, including Rod Laver and Margaret Court Arenas (tennis), Hisense Arena (tennis, basketball, netball, cycling), AAMI Park (football and rugby) and Olympic Park Oval (AFL), are within spitting distance. Not far from here, hovering helicopters give away the location of Albert Park, the venue for the grand prix. While that falls outside the designated precinct, it gives a further indication of how compact Melbourne’s sporting landscape is.

These venues lie in the shadows of the skyscrapers that mark out the city’s CBD and the proximity of it all may well be part of Melbourne’s broad appeal to sports fans. Access to and from the stadia is quite literally a walk in the park. And what that means is people are more likely to incorporate a sporting event into a night out on the town.

That theory is put to the test when, following an aperitif at Garden State Hotel, we pay a visit to one of the hottest restaurants in town, Chin Chin, where a 10-dish tasting menu is devoured and yet we still manage to make it to our seats at the MCG in time for the opening bounce of the evening’s big AFL game.

We’re part of a 78,000-strong, majority Essendon, crowd that has come to bear witness to the return of several Bombers players who, having served bans handed out after the 2011 supplements scandal, are finally free to play again. It’s an emotional night, not just for the players and their team-mates, but for the crowd too. Having arrived to a free T-shirt draped over the back of their seats emblazoned with the slogan, “I’m part of the comeback story”, Essendon fans are able to mark the occasion in celebratory mood as they watch their reinvigorated team march to a pulsating victory over Hawthorn.

The electric club anthem reverberates through the state-of-the-art sound system, filling the air with a triumphant energy. As hordes of exuberant fans enthusiastically join in the chorus, the overwhelming emotion becomes palpable. Amidst the ecstatic celebration, a weary woman catches my eye, seemingly drained from the rollercoaster of emotions experienced over the past few hours, yearning for a moment of respite. Such is the unwavering passion ingrained within the hearts of these proud Melburnians, who live and breathe for their beloved footy club.

A mere forty-eight hours earlier, an equally fervent crowd had gathered at the iconic MCG for the highly anticipated season-opener clash between Richmond and Carlton. The culmination of the round establishes a new attendance record, with a staggering 280,000 spectators flocking to witness AFL matches in Melbourne alone, attesting to the city's unwavering dedication and enthusiasm for sports.

An intriguing addition to the sporting tapestry, the Melbourne Rebels, a Super Rugby team, enthralls even more fans as they showcase their talents at the celebrated AAMI Park on a Friday night. Simultaneously, the Super Netball's Vixens captivate crowds at the renowned Hisense Arena the following Saturday. Furthermore, the adrenaline-fueled atmosphere transcends into the realm of motorsports, with the highly anticipated F1 event at Albert Park attracting an estimated 296,000 enthusiasts throughout its exhilarating four-day duration.

In a remarkable display of enthusiasm, more than 500,000 avid sports enthusiasts flocked to Melbourne for an action-packed long weekend, shattering all attendance records. This impressive turnout is especially noteworthy when considering the city's population of 4.6 million, highlighting the passion and dedication of its sports-loving residents.

Among the 97,000 attendees at Sunday's thrilling race, which marked the culmination of the weekend's festivities, countless fans proudly showcased their unwavering support. While an array of Ferrari and Mercedes merchandise was on display, a significant proportion of the crowd donned the iconic colors of Ricciardo's Red Bull team, creating a vibrant atmosphere of rivalry and camaraderie.

Melbourne, Australia, once again showcased its passion for sports, with Formula One fans not letting Daniel Ricciardo's tough weekend dampen their spirits. Despite crashing out in qualifying and experiencing engine failure during the race, Ricciardo's popularity among the crowd remained intact. As the sun set over Albert Park lake, the pinkening sky and Michelin Man clouds created a picturesque backdrop for a moment of reflection on whether Melbourne could truly claim the title of the "center of the sporting universe."

Brian Tankey, who confidently declared Melbourne's status as a sporting hub, had the last word in this weekend's argument. The massed ranks of F1 enthusiasts flooded onto the track, hoping to find a unique memento from the weekend's action, such as an offcut from a degraded tire. Melbourne's vibrant atmosphere and unwavering love for sports make it a strong contender in the quest for Australia's sporting capital title.