Few images are as emblematic of Melbourne as the MCG, floodlit and heaving with tens of thousands of punters. Packed to the rafters. But this spectacle comes at a cost.

Staff in the MCG control room monitor energy use at the ground during the finals series. Credit:Joe Armao

Have you ever wondered how much electricity is consumed to power those light towers? Or how much carbon is emitted in transporting those fans to the ground, heating their pies, cooling their beers or frying their chips?

The Melbourne Cricket Club, which runs the venue, has. It says the 'G and its surrounding Yarra Park precinct consumes about 1.65 million kWh of electricity during the finals alone. Last September, that amounted to 20,531 tonnes of carbon emissions.

That equates to the average monthly energy demand of around 4000 Victorian homes.