Bruce McAvaney inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
“Like Adelaide. As in Perth. As on the Gold Coast, the stadium would not only transform football but the city as well. And the state.
“Because the deal – when we get there – will be good and because we can afford it and because as a code we make big decisions even when we know execution will be difficult.
“We wouldn’t be who we are if we avoided the challenges.”
McLachlan reiterated that the recent multi-year broadcast deal, announced last year, has left the league in a prime position for the next decade.
“Our strong balance sheet and new broadcast deal have set us up for an outstanding decade if we invest it right,” he said.
“As revenue from the $4.5 billion TV deal ramps up, we have a growing war chest over the coming years that we will use to expand the game geographically and demographically.”
Strikingly, McLachlan wants to use 2023 to really relegate the COVID-19 pandemic to the history books.
“This year it’s exciting to be working closely with our clubs to remove all evidence of COVID and focus on getting fans back to our games. And brings the joy back into the game,” he said.
“Also in new ways – it’s planes, trains and cars as the footballing world descends on Adelaide for the first-ever Gather Round [in round five]. There is a lot to be happy about.”
Legendary broadcaster Bruce McAvaney was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame at the start of the season.
The announcement was made by AFL Chairman Richard Goyder in front of invited guests at The Malthouse.
69-year-old McAvaney, who was made a lifetime member of the AFL last year, began his journey to become one of the game’s best callers in the early ’80s when he called the SANFL in South Australia.
Bruce McAvaney.Credit:Getty Images
He made his way to Channel 10 in Melbourne where he used his talent to call horse racing and athletics and read the news before returning to Channel 7 to call Olympia and become the voice of the AFL.
Known for his accuracy, attention to detail, and ability to capture the big moments in games, McAvaney is universally popular with players, coaches, fans, and his media peers for his generosity and accuracy.
He was the voice of Friday night football, his enthusiasm for the game undiminished regardless of the competition. He also became known for being able to share stats on players and clubs throughout the broadcast. McAvaney also hosted the 1990 Brownlow medal count.
Bruce McAvaney was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of FameCredit:Getty
He had his favorite players to name, usually excitement machines like Lance Franklin, Cyril Rioli, Wayne Carey, Matthew Richardson and Patrick Dangerfield. He backed down from his call in early 2021 when he resigned his responsibilities.
McAvaney becomes the 11th person to be inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in the media category.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/bruce-mcavaney-inducted-into-australian-football-hall-of-fame-20230309-p5cqw8.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_sport Bruce McAvaney inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
