Two weekends of grand finals have delivered big wins for the drinks industry, with hundreds of thousands of footy fans flocking to stadiums and venues in Sydney and Melbourne.

Additionally, millions of fans tuned in from living rooms across the country with drinks and footy food in hand.

More than 80,000 fans filled Sydney’s Accor Stadium over the weekend for one of the nation’s sporting highlights, the NRL AND NRLW Grand Finals.

The Sydney Roosters faced the Brisbane Broncos in the NRLW Grand Final followed by the NRL Grand Final clash between the Brisbane Broncos and the Melbourne Storm.

In the Broncos’ changeroom, the XXXX was flowing – and also sprayed jubilantly in the air – following their double win.

The Broncos marked three decades of partnership with XXXX last year.

Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy said: “When you drive around Milton, two things stand out – Suncorp Stadium, the fortress of the Brisbane Broncos, and those famous stainless steel XXXX Brewery vats – together, it just feels like home for Queenslanders.

“It’s why this partnership has stood the test of time and will continue to make its mark and support our great game of rugby league in years to come.”

In 2023, Accor Stadium ordered an additional 6800 litres of XXXX Gold to quench the thirst of Brisbane fans who descended on Sydney for the NRL grand final.

In 2025, catering staff prepared 11,000 pies, 7,000 hot dogs, six tons of hot chips and 400 kegs of beer for the big event.

The influx of Brisbane and Melbourne fans to Sydney has been celebrated as a huge score for the economy.

Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V’landys AM said: “This year alone over 40,000 tickets, which is more than half the stadium, have been sold to interstate and international fans, providing a huge economic stimulus to the local economy.”

Business Sydney Executive Director Paul Nicolaou said the Grand Final filled “planes, trains, buses, hotels, pubs, retail, restaurants and attractions across the city”.

“While we’d have loved to see two Sydney teams in the big clash, there’s a silver lining: hosting two powerhouse interstate clubs will deliver a massive win for our visitor economy, giving a much-needed boost to tourism and hospitality,” he said.

Accommodation Australia data shows hotel bookings for the long weekend were strong – 85 per cent of all rooms in Sydney were already booked out by 3 October 2025.

Accommodation Australia NSW General Manager Stacey McBride said: “September was another strong month for Sydney hotels, with occupancy averaging 80.2 per cent – about 15 per cent higher than the same time last year – but this weekend is set to be even bigger.”

Blockbuster Grand Final results for Melbourne

Last weekend Victoria celebrated a blockbuster AFL Grand Final with a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground.

More than 20,000 hotel rooms were booked for the Friday and Saturday nights of the Grand Final weekend.

Accor Chief Operating Officer Pacific Region Adrian Williams told Hotel Management: “Each year we see thousands of fans travelling to Melbourne, whether to watch from the stands or to be part of the atmosphere, and that translates directly into strong demand for hotels, restaurants and bars.

“Live sport continues to prove itself as one of Australia’s most powerful economic drivers. Grand Final weekend energises Melbourne beyond the stadium – into our hotels, precincts and neighbourhood businesses.

“Australians attach enormous value to events like these. They are willing to travel, spend and celebrate, because the experience of being there in person cannot be replicated online or on television.”

Travelling Brisbane Lions fans also made up part of the 120,000 arrivals at Melbourne Airport in the lead up to the match.

Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major events Steve Dimopoulos said: “We invest in major events because they drive jobs and inject $3.3 billion a year into Victoria’s economy. Our record $43.7 billion visitor economy supports 288,000 workers across the state and it’s booming.”

Following the Brisbane Lions’ win, an esky filled with XXXX Gold was cracked open in the middle of the changerooms and shared on the field among the players.

In addition to its three decades of support for the Broncos, XXXX is a long-standing sponsor of the Brisbane Lions, with the partnership kicking off in 2017.