If you love your AFL and you're a mad-keen Marvel Comics fan, today is a pretty good day. That's because, in a partnership with The Walt Disney Company Australia that few saw coming, Melbourne's Etihad Stadium is set to be renamed Marvel Stadium.
An eight-year agreement between Disney and Melbourne Stadiums Limited will see the iconic Docklands sporting ground switch to its new moniker from September 1 this year — just in time for the AFL Grand Final.
On top of the name change, the rebranding will also see a "premium" Marvel retail store installed on-site, and punters can prepare to see a number of brand activations when visiting the ground.
"It is a brand dedicated to audience experiences, which firmly aligns with our vision to create incredible experiences for fans," said Melbourne Stadiums Limited CEO Michael Green said in a statement. "This partnership will allow us to take the stadium atmosphere to the next level and create memorable experiences for a vast array of audiences and we look forward to delivering a truly game-changing experience."
Yeah, we never thought we'd see our interests in AFL and Marvel combine either.