Case Study:
AFL Gather Round

Tourism Value Report

First introduced in 2023, Gather Round is an annual event in the Australian Football League (AFL) Premiership Season, where all matches take place in and around a single location. Since the inaugural event in 2023, Gather Round has been hosted in Adelaide, South Australia (SA).

IER’s research employs a custom fan survey to analyse the visitor profile, comparing day-trip attendees with those staying overnight, and estimating the number of event-related visitor nights. This data allows IER to assess both direct and incremental spending associated with the event and evaluate its overall economic impact on SA. The economic analysis uses an input-output methodology to track the ripple effects across SA and measures the full-time equivalent jobs generated by the event.

In 2026, Gather Round attracted 270,018 attendees and generated a total economic contribution of $114.8 million, eclipsing the 185,195 attendees it attracted in its first year and $83.5 million contributed in 2023.

The research conducted for Gather Round plays a crucial role in the AFL’s collaboration with the South Australian Government, helping to measure the positive economic and social impacts the event brings to the state.