The Essendon Football Club is set to celebrate its vibrant community and welcome new and existing fans to Australian Rules Football with the inaugural Community Game against Fremantle at the MCG this Sunday.
This special event aims to promote that the Essendon Football Club is an inclusive club for everyone to enjoy Australian Rules Football.
The Community Game is our opportunity to bring together over 150 years of the club's diverse community, and provide a supportive environment for new communities to experience an AFL game for the first time.
From its humble beginnings in the heart of Essendon, through the formative years at the iconic Windy Hill, to its current home at the NEC Hangar, Essendon has always been deeply connected to its community. This game underscores the club's commitment to growing this bond and ensure we bring all people in as important part of the club.
The Essendon community is a tapestry of dedicated fans and partners, including:
- Windy Hill Local Traders and Residents
- NEC Hangar local residents
- Culturally diverse community members in the north-west corridor of Melbourne
- Early learning centres and kindergartens in the north-west corridor of Melbourne
- Essendon’s venues situated at Windy Hill and Melton
- Essendon’s school affiliates - St Bernard’s College, Essendon Keilor College & Assumption Collect
- Essendon Sporting Affiliates (Essendon Athletics Club, Essendon Baseball Club, Essendon Bowls Club, Essendon Cricket Club, Essendon Croquet Club, Essendon Hockey Club, Essendon Netball Club, Essendon Rowing Club, Essendon Tennis Club, Essendon Water Polo Club)
- Community club affiliations through the Essendon District Football League & Riddles District Football Netball
- Indigenous communities through The Long Walk
- LGBTIQ community through the Purple Bombers
- Disability Inclusion community through What Ability
- The Tiwi Islands
Essendon CEO Craig Vozzo shared his excitement for the event, saying the game is a testament to the people of Essendon.
“Welcome to the Community Game – a celebration of welcoming everyone to Australian Rules Football, Essendon, and the MCG. Essendon has a rich history of family and community, and as we continue to grow, we acknowledge the importance of connecting with our community to bring new people along on the club journey. Our aspiration is to have as many red and black scarves in as many Australian homes, and this game brings people together,” Vozzo said.
“The Essendon Football Club is more than just a football club. We are strengthened by the loyalty and commitment of our legion of fans – from the northern suburbs to the Northern Territory and everywhere in between, together we are the Bombers.
“The inaugural Community Game against the Dockers will see members of the Essendon Community come together at the MCG, some for the first time, to experience our great game. We strive to represent our community every week and are always striving to make our people proud.”
The event underscores the message that Australian Rules Football is a sport for everyone, with the Essendon Football Club, the AFL, and the MCC making it easy and affordable for new fans to attend.
Essendon staff will be positioned around the concourse and at key access points to the ground to welcome fans to the game and provide any assistance.
New fans are encouraged to head to the Membership Hub outside gate 3 for any help with access or queries around the game.
Members of the Essendon community will help form the guard of honour for the game.
The club encourages all fans to rally together in red and black, embracing the sport and creating lasting memories at the footy.
This Sunday, join Essendon at the MCG for the Community Game and be part of a day that celebrates the spirit of football and community. Together, let's make it a memorable day supporting the Bombers!
