According to Minister for Sport, Tourism and Major Events, John Eren the MCG is preparing to host the latest installment of what is one of the most intense rivalries in Australian sport when Queensland and New South Wales meet for Game Two of the 2015 NRL State of Origin on Wednesday, June 17. Eren added that some 80,000 tickets have already been sold; meaning Melbourne is set to draw a bigger crowd than Game One in Sydney. Not only did the Blues lose at home, the series opener in Sydney failed to sell out. “It’s no surprise Victorians are setting the standard when it comes to the big events and the enormous crowds. Nobody does it quite like us.” Mr. Eren commented “With crunch NRL Premiership games on either side of the Origin game, it’s going to be a busy week for sport and a lucrative one for Melbourne.”
It should be noted that the crowd for Game 1 was posted as 80,122.
Mr. Eren explained that fans from the northern states and beyond are about to flock to Melbourne in their thousands – some 24,000 interstate travel packages have been sold, ensuring our bars and nightspots are bustling and our hotels are full. Our steady stream of visitors keep our economy strong, meaning jobs for Victorians.