Melbourne Park and MCG to become home of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame
Victoria is set to remain the nation’s undisputed home of sport, with the Sport Australia Hall of Fame announcing Melbourne Park and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as its permanent home.
Just months out from the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, Minister for Sport, Steve Dimopoulos, today announced the new partnership, which will establish a long-term home for Australia’s greatest sporting stories at Australia’s most iconic sporting precinct.
A nationally recognised sporting institution, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame preserves the nation’s rich sporting history and represents 616 Members and Legends across 180 years of Australian sport. Its annual Induction and Awards program recognises excellence and achievement at the highest level of sport, while its scholarship and mentoring program provides opportunities for elite young athletes to reach their goals.
As the principal partner, Melbourne Park will host the annual Induction and Awards Gala and national broadcast, with a new multi-day format providing a platform for tourism and interstate visitation. Year-round, a diverse calendar of events and activations will provide opportunities for the community to connect with athletes and elite sporting stories.
Inside the Australian Sports Museum at the MCG, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame gallery will continue to bring visitors face to face with the athletes whose sporting excellence earned them a place among the greats.
From the 1956 Olympic Games, to today with annual events including the Australian Open, Boxing Day Test and AFL Grand Final, both Melbourne Park and the MCG have long been central to Australia’s sporting identity. This partnership is set to add to that legacy, providing new opportunities to showcase achievement in Australian sport, and reinforcing Victoria’s place as the nation’s sporting capital.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Sport Steve Dimopoulos
“Victoria is the sports capital of the nation, so it’s only right that the Sport Australia Hall of Fame remains here for many years to come.” “Melbourne Park and the MCG showcase our city to the world through a packed calendar of sport and major events. They will be a fitting home for such a prestigious organisation.”
Quotes attributable to Melbourne Park CEO, John Harnden AM
“Melbourne Park is proud of the role we play in Australian sport. Our diverse calendar of events already gives people access to some of the best sporting spectacles this country has to offer, and this partnership will provide us with yet another opportunity to connect the community with sporting excellence.”
“Working in partnership with the MCG, we are looking forward to contributing to this important opportunity to recognise outstanding achievements and support the next generation of elite athletes.”
Quotes attributable to Melbourne Cricket Club CEO, Stuart Fox
“The Australian Sports Museum at the MCG is a fitting home for the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, creating a destination to celebrate all Australian sports.
“Last year we welcomed over 180,000 visitors from over 70 countries through the Museum and it’s great to continue our long-term relationship with SAHOF and giving more people the chance to learn about our nation’s greatest sporting stories.”
Quotes attributable to Sport Australia Hall of Fame Chair, John Bertrand AO
“We are thrilled to begin an exciting new partnership with Melbourne Park while continuing our longstanding relationship with the MCG, which has been home to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame for many years. Together, these two iconic venues provide a fitting home for the Hall of Fame and the remarkable achievements and stories of our Members.
“Bringing our Induction and Awards Gala to Centrepiece from 2026 marks an exciting new chapter for the Hall of Fame. We look forward to working with Melbourne Park and the MCC to celebrate the very best of Australian sport in the heart of one of the world’s great sporting precincts.”
John Bertrand AO SAHOF Chair, Patrick Flannigan AM MOPT Chair and Steve Hooker OAM SAHOF Director
About Melbourne Park
Melbourne Park brings people together to share iconic events and unforgettable experiences.
Home to world-class venues including Rod Laver Arena, AAMI Park, John Cain Arena, Margaret Court Arena, Centrepiece and Kia Arena, Melbourne Park welcomes millions of people to hundreds of events each year, including Australia’s iconic Grand Slam event, the Australian Open.
Fuelled by some of Australia’s leading entertainment promoters, Melbourne Park presents one of the most diverse event calendars in the world, showcasing live music and entertainment alongside domestic and international sport.
Melbourne Park’s venues are also home to nine professional sporting teams across five codes, as well as sports medicine and imaging services.
Located on the banks of the Birrarung, Yarra River, Melbourne Park spans 40 hectares and includes public recreational spaces that form an important part of Victoria’s social fabric.
Melbourne Park is managed by the Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust on behalf of the Victorian Government for the benefit of all Victorians.
The Trust acknowledges the Wurundjeri people as Traditional Owners of the land on which it operates and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.
About the Sport Australia Hall of Fame
The Sport Australia Hall of Fame is an independent not-for-profit organisation founded in 1985. It represents 616 Members and Legends across approximately 180 years of Australian sporting history. Its flagship Induction and Awards Gala has been staged principally in Melbourne for almost four decades and attracts more than 1,000 guests from sport, business, government and media.
About Melbourne Cricket Ground and Australian Sports Museum
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) has stood at the heart of Australian sport since 1853. Starting as the home venue of the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC), the ground and Club have evolved over time to where the MCC now manages the stadium on behalf of all Victorians.
The MCG sits alongside grounds such as Wembley Stadium, Yankee Stadium, Lord’s, Old Trafford and Fenway Park among the world’s great sporting arenas.
The ’G, as it’s affectionately known, is home to the Boxing Day Test and the AFL Grand Final. It has also hosted the 1956 Olympic Games, the 2006 Commonwealth Games, the first-ever international Test cricket match in 1877, the 1992 and 2015 Men’s One-Day World Cup finals, the 2020 Men’s and Women’s T20 World Cup finals, several National Rugby League (NRL) State of Origin matches, and international rugby union and soccer. Soon it will play host to the first ever NFL game for regular season points in the Asia-Pacific region, seeing the LA Rams take on the San Franscico 49ers.
As well as sport, the MCG has hosted some of the largest concert crowds in the country, with artists including the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Guns N’ Roses, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift taking the stage.
Located within the MCG, the MCC also manages the Australian Sports Museum. It tells the story of Australian sport through the people, moments and memorabilia that have shaped it, in an interactive, modern exhibition space. From grassroots to elite sport, the museum celebrates Australia’s achievements across 95 sports, in partnership with the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, the AFL, Cricket Australia and the Australian Olympic Committee.