- Famous club has existed for almost two centuries
- Maintains high standards, especially when it comes to dress code
Australia’s most prestigious sporting club has changed the wording of its dress code to accommodate transgender, non-binary, intersex and other genders beyond traditional men and women.
The Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) is one of the oldest and most prestigious sporting clubs in Australia since its founding in 1838.
It is responsible for the management of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and has a long waiting list, with potential members often waiting more than 20 years for full membership status.
Membership of the MCC gives access to a variety of sporting events at the MCG, including cricket, AFL and other major events.
Membership costs for the 2024/25 season vary by level and location, with full membership costs starting at $875 for metropolitan members, while limited and provisional memberships are lower.
There is also an entry fee of $1210, payable in installments as members progress through the levels.
The club has over 140,000 members, including both full and limited members, making it one of the largest sports clubs in the world by membership.
The Melbourne Cricket Club at the MCG (pictured) is Australia’s most prestigious and exclusive sporting group
The MCC has a very strict dress code to adhere to traditional standards
The MCC also has strict dress codes and behavioral standards for members and guests within the exclusive areas.
The MCC dress code requires a minimum of smart casual attire, with men aged 15 and over requiring a shirt with a collar. At the Jim Stynes Grill, headgear is only permitted if it is part of national or religious dress.
The Long Room, the Members’ Dining Room, the Committee Room and the John Landy Room require a more formal standard, with lounge suits or tailored jackets for men and equivalent attire for women; sneakers, jeans, cargo pants and open-neck shirts are not permitted.
The wording on the MCC website added provisions for members who identify as male or female.
New wording on the MCC website shows the club has entered the modern world with facilities for genders other than male or female
The new dress code provisions at the MCC have not been matched at other Australian venues
Major venues in Australia also have strict dress codes, but so far have not included gender restrictions like the MCC.
Accor Stadium does not mention gender at all in its dress standards list, and neither does the Bankwest Club at Optus Stadium in Perth, Adelaide Oval, Sydney Cricket Ground or the Gabba in Brisbane.
Other Australian stadiums, including Allianz, People First and CommBank stadiums, also do not include facilities for members who identify as a gender other than their birth gender.
The notoriously strict Lords cricket ground in Great Britain also only refers to its members as male and female in its dress code. Premier League clubs are only asking their members to wear smart casual, with no reservations for fans who identify as male or female.
It comes after the MCC came under fire in 2023 after members complained that standards were deteriorating.
Members who paid top dollar to attend events at the MCG said they had been forced to drink from cans, dirty glasses were piling up in the prestigious members areas and food standards had also fallen.
‘Services have declined. Prices have risen… And we have been on a waiting list for thirty years,” wrote one disappointed member at the time.
A spokeswoman for Delaware North said the organization “takes great pride in providing a high level of service to all visitors to the MCG.
“We were disappointed to hear feedback from customers about their experiences at one of the bars during Friday night’s match,” she said.
“We have taken this feedback on board and will add resources during peak periods to ensure this situation is addressed for future games.”