north and south ends. The average crowd during the first year was 14,158, 77% of its capacity of 18,500. As a result, the match-day atmosphere would prove to be a marketing asset not just for Melbourne Victory, but also for the rest of the league. It also proved to be a major factor in the club's decision to relocate home games to Docklands Stadium, then known as 'Telstra Dome', from the 2006–07 season onwards, for both safety reasons, and simplicity in membership and match-day attendance expansion. Despite the club permanently relocating to Docklands Stadium, the venue was still used occasionally for both the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons, until being permanently closed in 2009. Docklands Stadium On 2 September 2006, Melbourne Victory played its first ever match against Sydney FC at the 56,000 capacity Marvel Stadium in a 3–2 victory. The match proved to be a runaway success in terms of crowds, with 39,730 in attendance. As a result, the club moved all but one of their home games to the ground. This move to such a large stadium proved to be an outstanding success, with the Grand Final held there. The average attendance rose to 27,728 for the 2006–07 season, 10,000 above the next highest in the A-League. During the construction of the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Marvel Stadium continued to serve as the club's only home ground until the completion of the club's new permanent home, which began hosting games from the 2010–11 A-League season. On 11 March 2016, it was announced that th club had committed to a further lease of 10 years for the continued use of limited blockbuster matches at the venue, ending at the conclusion of the 2026–27 season. This agreement was mutually ended in July 2021, when the club announced it would no longer play any further home matches at Docklands Stadium and would play every future home match at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. To date, Melbourne Victory have celebrated the 2006–07 and 2008–09 premiership and championship victories at the venue. The stadium was also the permanent venue and operational base of the club during the 2008 Pre-Season Cup, although the grand final was won in Wellington, New Zealand. Melbourne Rectangular Stadium Prior to the 2006–07 season the club had planned to move to a new $190 million stadium being built to the east of the current Olympic Park complex. The new stadium was originally expected