Melbourne CEO Gary Pert has addressed a report that revealed a series of Demons fan-day events are set to take place across regional Victoria.
SEN’s Sam Edmund recently reported that eight events are being organised outside of Melbourne’s control by event company DAPS Entertainment.
Tickets are priced at $149 or $499 for a family pass, angering football fans wanting to attend the Warrnambool event on November 21.
Pert says the commercial premiership events have “nothing to do with the club”.
“It’s one of those ones that are a little bit frustrating, I’ve got to say,” the Demons chief told Sportsday.
“During this period when the players and coaches finish at the end of the year, they have time off and they have a break, during that time it’s very difficult for us to be getting the cup out and about to our supporters.
“In the next couple of days, we’re going to be launching our national tour of the cup, we want to make sure we get it to every supporter nationally that wants to be there, get a photo and see the cup.
“We’ll be starting off the first stage of that in metro Melbourne and regional Victoria because of border restrictions. But eventually, as things open up, it’ll be going to all the supporter groups around Australia.
“There are commercial operations that produce replica or fake premiership cups and they’re paying players, coaches and others to go along … it’s nothing to do with the club.
“For us, we want to make sure that every Melbourne supporter can see and experience the cup for free, our national tour will probably cost around $100,000 by the time it’s finished.
“I do struggle with the fact that commercial operations – that’s exactly what they are, and unfortunately we field a lot of calls, emails and messages that come through to the club answering about two or three, that I know of, commercial ventures that are operating at the moment.”
Melbourne will hold a premiership celebration at the MCG on Sunday December 5th.