The National Rugby League (NRL) has shown interest in having English singer Olivia Dean perform at this year’s grand final, but there are no plans to match the Australian Football League (AFL) in terms of spending on entertainment for its major event. The AFL recently announced that Kylie Minogue will be the headline act for this year’s grand final, following a trend of high-profile performances.
In recent years, the AFL has invested heavily in entertainment for its grand final. For example, Snoop Dogg was paid around $2.5 million to perform at the MCG last year, while Katy Perry headlined the 2024 event. These figures highlight the significant financial commitment the AFL makes to ensure its grand final is not just a sporting event, but a full-scale entertainment spectacle.
Last year, the NRL featured Teddy Swims as its entertainment act, and in the previous year, The Kid Laroi performed to an audience of 80,000 fans at Accor Stadium. The Kid Laroi, a rapper and singer who supports South Sydney and counts Justin Bieber among his friends, has built a strong fan base in Australia.
Olivia Dean, whose song “Man I Need” topped Triple J’s Hottest 100 countdown this year, is set to begin her Australian tour in Melbourne just one day after the NRL grand final. She has two shows scheduled in Sydney the following week, and her presence in the country has not gone unnoticed by NRL officials.
“I’m certainly aware of Olivia Dean, and my daughter is a huge fan,” said V’landys, a key figure in the NRL. “To have someone of the brilliance of Olivia Dean would be fantastic. We know she’ll be in town, and we’ll be reaching out to her people.”
V’landys added that while he believes top musicians require significant investment, the focus of the NRL grand final should remain on the sport itself. “I don’t know what the AFL have spent on getting Kylie, but the reports last year were… Snoop Dogg cost more than $2m. That’s a lot of money. Plus, we had Kylie perform at the 1986 NSWRL Grand Final. It’s only taken the AFL 40 years to catch up.”
Despite the potential for high-profile acts, the NRL remains cautious about spending large sums on entertainment. “If you’re talking about spending $2m for an artist to play for around 10 minutes, you’d be better off spend that money on junior development,” V’landys said.
Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed that Snoop Dogg’s performance last year cost around $2.5m, though much of the expense was covered by sponsors. Previous investments in artists like Robbie Williams and The Killers have helped the AFL attract big names.
In contrast, the NRL’s budget for entertainment is significantly lower. Music industry sources revealed that Teddy Swims, whose hit “Lose Control” reached No. 1 in Australia and globally, cost the NRL less than $400,000.
Looking ahead, the Foo Fighters are set to tour Australia later this year, but their dates do not align with the NRL grand final. Similarly, country megastar Morgan Wallen has hinted at returning to Australia, but even if he is available, he is expected to be well beyond the NRL’s budget.
While the NRL is open to featuring artists like Olivia Dean, it appears the league will not follow the AFL’s lead in terms of financial commitments to entertainment. Instead, the focus will remain on the rugby league itself, ensuring the grand final remains a celebration of the sport rather than just another concert.
