AFL and FFA clash over A-League grand final

The AFL and Football Federation Australia (FFA) are in dispute over the potential non-availability of Melbourne's Etihad Stadium for an A-League Grand Final on 17th May next year if Melbourne Victory or Melbourne City were to host the event.

The dispute has arisen over the AFL's priority booking rights for both Etihad Stadium and the MCG, and the FFA having moved the date of the A-League grand final to 17th May, from its original date of 10th May.

The AFL has scheduled five games at the Etihad Stadium and the MCG on the weekend of Friday 15th May to Sunday 17th May and has issued advice that it "did its best to accommodate the possibility of an A-League Grand Final in Victoria", blaming a lack of communication from Melbourne Victory and the FFA for a potential clash. 

FFA have countered with a statement that reads "the public confirmation of the 17th May date occurred more than five weeks ago on 19th September and was reported in the national media.

"FFA notes the statement by the AFL today blaming a communication breakdown between Etihad Stadium and the AFL for its lack of knowledge of the 17th May date, in preparation of its yet-to-be-released 2015 fixture.

"FFA rejects as irrelevant the reference to direct communications between FFA and the AFL. As standard practice venue hirers such as FFA deal directly with venue managers and government agencies in booking venues, not with other sporting bodies."

Melbourne's AAMI Park is available on 17th May, but it has a much smaller capacity than the Etihad Stadium and MCG.

There is speculation that the FFA will relocate the A-League grand final to be played at ANZ Stadium if either of the Sydney teams was also involved.

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