The entertainment arms race is upon us once again as the AFL and NRL finals loom large.
Blinking first as it often does, the AFL has revealed its hand, announcing that it will bring American rap icon Snoop Dogg to the ‘G on the last Saturday in September for 2025.
Now attention turns to the eternal human thorn in Victoria’s side, Peter V’Landys, to see how the NRL returns serve this year—and, perhaps more importantly, whether it even bothers.
To the AFL’s credit, Snoop is a bonafide international star, almost as well known for his love of a promotional opportunity as he is for his music.
MORE: Snoop Dogg speaks about performing at the AFL Grand Final
This time last year the rapper had just finished swanning around the sporting venues of Paris in a two-week promotional tour for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, so it’s no great surprise to see him back on Australian television screens for another international junket.
It feels unlikely the NRL will serve up an act with a higher profile in 2025, then again V’Landys and Co have only recently returned from the USA so you never know whose signature they may have had tucked away in their duty free.
As for actual grand final performances of seasons past?
No one will ever erase the memories of Meatloaf at the 2011 AFL decider. Ever.
Nor the comical power failure that saw Billy Idol’s much-hyped NRL performance in 2002 cancelled at the last second before stunned fans.
Twelve months ago American pop queen Katy Perry (AFL) went head-to-head with Australia’s own The Kid Laroi (NRL)—with no shortage of opinions about whose performance was better, and more appropriate, as tends to be the case every year.
With this week’s Snoop Dogg announcement, commentary has again been flowing feely across the ether over about which of Australia’s major winter sporting codes puts on a better show for footy fans.
But surely the more pertinent question is, does anyone truly care?