Renegades Exit Marvel Stadium for MCG After 15 Years

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Melbourne Renegades leave Marvel Stadium after 15 years, moving home games to the MCG. The BBL franchise will share the venue with rivals Melbourne Stars, with fewer matches in Australia but a bigger stage for marquee games.

Melbourne Renegades have officially ended their 15-year stay at Marvel Stadium. The Big Bash League (BBL) franchise will now play its home matches at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), sharing the venue with crosstown rivals Melbourne Stars. This shift marks a major change for the club and its fans. The Renegades confirmed the move in a statement on Friday, noting that two home fixtures will relocate to the MCG this season. One of those is the Melbourne Derby against the Stars, a match that drew over 68,000 fans last year. A reverse fixture next season will add a third MCG match in BBL16. ### Why the Move Happened The decision isn't just about a new field. It's tied to bigger changes behind the scenes. The Renegades are operating under an interim structure across both the BBL and Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) this season. Cricket Victoria merged the club's operations into a single Melbourne entity ahead of a possible sale of its second license, pending approval for privatisation. Renegades general manager Max Abbott said the MCG offered a natural fit going forward. He pointed to last season's Melbourne Derby as proof of what the venue could deliver on a regular basis. Abbott also thanked Marvel Stadium for its role in the club's history, calling it a major part of the Renegades' identity over the past decade and a half. Renegades captain Will Sutherland echoed that sentiment. He called the MCG one of the most recognisable sporting venues in the world and said players were eager to feature there more often. Sutherland acknowledged the club had gone through a difficult off-season but said the squad was ready to move forward with fans behind them. ### Junction Oval and Fewer Home Games Renegades will also host two matches at Junction Oval, which has recently added floodlights to support primetime scheduling. Even so, the club's home slate in Australia will shrink to just four matches for the 2026-27 season. The team is also expected to be involved in the tournament's opening fixture, which will be played in Chennai, India. One immediate consequence of the switch is the loss of Geelong as a BBL venue. This marks the first season in five years without a Big Bash fixture there. That's a tough blow for local fans who enjoyed watching games in their backyard. ### Marvel Stadium's Legacy Marvel Stadium, known by several other names over the years, has hosted the Renegades since the league's early seasons. But the venue wasn't without its issues. The outfield often struggled to recover from other events held there before BBL matches, and the drop-in pitch drew criticism at times. Its roof kept matches free from rain delays, but it also led to several rule changes covering what happens when the ball strikes the structure. Marvel Stadium general manager Scott Fitzgerald acknowledged the partnership's history in a statement of his own. He credited the venue's 15-year run with the Renegades, including the club's BBL|08 championship win, as one of its most memorable stretches. ### What This Means for Fans With the switch to the MCG now official, Renegades will look to translate the atmosphere of last season's Derby into a full home season. The club's smaller footprint at Australian venues this year puts more weight on marquee matches to draw crowds, and the MCG gives them a bigger stage to do it. Here's a quick breakdown of what's changing: - **Home games drop** to just four in Australia for the 2026-27 season - **Two matches** will be at Junction Oval - **Geelong loses** its BBL fixture for the first time in five years - **The MCG** becomes the primary home ground For fans, this means fewer chances to see the Renegades live in Australia. But the matches that do happen will be at some of the best venues in the country. The MCG, with its massive capacity and electric atmosphere, could turn every home game into a mini-event. > "The MCG is one of the most recognisable sporting venues in the world. We're excited to make it our home." - Will Sutherland, Renegades captain This move is a fresh start for a club that's been through a lot lately. With the backing of their fans and a world-class stadium, the Renegades are ready to write the next chapter of their story.

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