Snoop Dogg to Headline Telstra Pre-Game Entertainment at 2025 AFL Grand Final

The AFL has confirmed that American rapper and entertainment figure Snoop Dogg will headline the Telstra Pre-Game Entertainment at the 2025 Toyota AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

This will mark Snoop Dogg’s first live performance at the MCG, adding a major international act to the league’s entertainment line-up. The booking continues the AFL’s strategy of securing globally recognised artists for Grand Final Day, following previous performances by Katy Perry, Robbie Williams, and The Killers.

A Full-Day Entertainment Strategy

AFL Chief Executive Andrew Dillon said the league wants Grand Final Day to be “an unforgettable celebration of footy, and beyond the four quarters of the match, a celebration of culture, energy, and entertainment. Snoop fits that brief better than anyone.”

The pre-game show, now in its fifth consecutive year under Telstra’s naming rights sponsorship, reflects the AFL’s long-standing commitment to enhancing the event for both live attendees and broadcast audiences.

Telstra Executive Brent Smart said the company’s involvement focuses on delivering an “unforgettable experience for fans”, noting that Snoop Dogg’s global profile aligns with that objective.

Commercial and Broadcast Impact

From a commercial perspective, international acts of this calibre help the AFL:

• Broaden reach into global markets

• Increase media value

• Strengthen sponsorship activation opportunities

The presence of a cross-generational artist could also lift television ratings during the pre-match slot — a time window of growing value to broadcasters.

Artist Reaction and Next Steps

Snoop Dogg described the Grand Final as “one of the biggest events on the Aussie calendar” and said he was honoured to be part of it, promising to “bring the energy” to a live crowd of more than 100,000 at the MCG.

Further announcements regarding the full entertainment line-up are expected in the coming months.

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