MELBOURNE is doing something no club in the modern era has ever done before – it's giving away an amazing 20,000 tickets for Sunday's game against St Kilda.

If you look at it cynically, you might say it's a cheap publicity stunt aimed at artificially boosting crowd numbers. But when you delve below the surface, it's actually a genuine effort to grow the game and the Demons brand.

President Glen Bartlett has a dream of making the Demons to Melbourne what the Yankees are to New York.

"It's an investment in our future, it's opening the doors to everyone, no matter where you come from," Bartlett said this week.

"We're privileged to hold the name of this great city.

"You go to New York, people want to go and watch the Yankees play, want to go and visit it, experience it. We really want to welcome people to the MCG and this great club."

And, rather than just saying it, Sunday's 'Welcome Game' is an ambitious attempt at doing something to help make Bartlett's dream a reality.

The Demons haven't just thrown 20,000 tickets up in the air at Federation Square, instead they've carefully targeted specific groups and individuals who've shown an interest in attending an AFL game – for most of them it will likely be their first AFL game, if not their first-ever Australian football experience.

Migrants and tourists were a key group to target, and will make up more than 25 percent of the allocation.

Residents with an interest in the Demons' growth corridor throughout the City of Casey have also been identified.

The club got the Department of Education and Training on board, along with Universities, UniLodge and Urbanest to attract international students. Primary schools in the Casey and Dandenong regions, all AFL International Cup participants and LGBTIQ supper groups were also approached.

The club says over 100 nationalities are represented with those who have registered for tickets.

The MCC estimates a crowd of 42,000 for the game, but if the Demons plan comes off that prediction could prove well unders.