Visit Victoria’s national tourism campaign for spring showcases Melbourne’s unrivalled sporting calendar and reinforcing why Melbourne is sport’s home ground.
A 30-second film celebrating iconic sporting moments and events that have shaped Melbourne’s reputation as Australia’s sporting capital is the centrepiece of the campaign - and invites people to 'come to play'.
The film debuted in prime time on the Seven Network and is strategically timed to air throughout the AFL Finals Series and NFL Melbourne Game.
It celebrates historic sporting moments and events that have shaped Melbourne’s reputation as Australia’s sporting and major events capital – and features some of our nation’s biggest sporting heroes taking us back to their iconic moments, made right here in Melbourne.
Visit Victoria’s partnership with the Seven Network is also delivering broadcast integration, Sunrise weather crosses and promotional videos with Seven talent including Hamish McLachlan, Emma Freedman and Nick Riewoldt.
The launch will be followed by an integrated marketing campaign celebrating one of the greatest six-month periods in Australian sporting history.
Following the NFL and AFL, Victoria’s blockbuster sporting calendar includes the Constellation Cup, Melbourne Cup Carnival, Men’s Australian Open Golf, Boxing Day Test, Australian Open, Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, and 150th Anniversary Test.
Visit Victoria is leveraging this incredible six months of sporting action to:
The campaign – which is part of the State’s Every bit different brand platform – is running nationally across television and online video, broadcast and event partnerships, out-of-home advertising, visitvictoria.com, Visit Victoria e-news, Official Visitor Guides, public relations and social media.
Visit Victoria’s spring campaign reinforces the value and benefit of major events – which is supported by new data from the Eventful Year Report showing Victoria’s major events calendar generating $3.64 billion in wide economic impact, attracting 7.9 million attendees and supporting almost 17,000 jobs.
As outlined in Visit Victoria 2030, hosting world class major sporting events does more than fill our stadiums – it drives visitation and a powerful platform to showcase Melbourne and Victoria to audiences across the world – creating demand for future travel.
The six months from September 2026 is a showcase of sport that no one has seen before – it is a great moment for Victoria.
'Come to Play’ is more than a campaign line. It's an invitation, a mindset and a call to action that captures Melbourne's unique role as a city where people don't just spectate, they participate.
At its core, Melbourne is a place that turns global sporting moments into experiences that everyone can be part of. When the world's biggest athletes come to play, so do the fans. The city comes alive with energy, anticipation and celebration, creating an atmosphere that extends far beyond the stadium gates.
Importantly, play is a word with broad and powerful meaning:
‘Come to Play’ works as a behavioural call to action. It moves beyond simply promoting an event and encourages people to actively embrace everything Melbourne has to offer.
Most destination campaigns focus on what visitors can see.
‘Come to Play’ focuses on what visitors can do.
It shifts Melbourne from being a destination to visit, to a place to actively experience. It encourages people to move from spectator to participant, from observer to contributor, from audience member to part of the action.