GRANDSTANDS
There have been 18 grandstands erected at the MCG since the first Members Pavilion of 1854.
The Northern stand and the Great Southern stand have different markings.
A second permanent grandstand seating 2000 and facing both the ground and the parklands (for football viewing) was built in 1876 for the 1877 visit of James Lillywhite’s English team. The first grandstand on the MCG’s northern side was built in 1876 but was destroyed by fire eight years later. A fine new structure, which came to be known simply as “The Grandstand”, replaced it. This stand catered for 450 members and 4500 public patrons. Another deck, added in 1897, doubled capacity. It was demolished in 1955 for the Northern (later Olympic) Stand which had a capacity of 43,200 before a series of modifications from 1984 reduced standing room and some seating areas to accommodate dining rooms, corporate suites and a second scoreboard.
To the western end of the stadium was the Grey Smith Stand (1906) which was demolished in 1966 for building of the Western (later WH Ponsford) Stand. The Harrison Stand (1908) and Wardill Stand (1912) made way for the 1936-37 construction of the Southern Stand, a huge project which accommodated 48,000 spectators, 18,200 of whom were seated under cover.
The Northern stand and the Great Southern stand have different markings.
A second permanent grandstand seating 2000 and facing both the ground and the parklands (for football viewing) was built in 1876 for the 1877 visit of James Lillywhite’s English team. The first grandstand on the MCG’s northern side was built in 1876 but was destroyed by fire eight years later. A fine new structure, which came to be known simply as “The Grandstand”, replaced it. This stand catered for 450 members and 4500 public patrons. Another deck, added in 1897, doubled capacity. It was demolished in 1955 for the Northern (later Olympic) Stand which had a capacity of 43,200 before a series of modifications from 1984 reduced standing room and some seating areas to accommodate dining rooms, corporate suites and a second scoreboard.
To the western end of the stadium was the Grey Smith Stand (1906) which was demolished in 1966 for building of the Western (later WH Ponsford) Stand. The Harrison Stand (1908) and Wardill Stand (1912) made way for the 1936-37 construction of the Southern Stand, a huge project which accommodated 48,000 spectators, 18,200 of whom were seated under cover.
The different stands of the MCG on the different levels in 2012