MORE: Gillon McLachlan revealed as new AFL chief executive, Andrew Demetriou to finish in June
McLachlan saw off strong late challenges from Geelong's Brian Cook and Richmond's Brendon Gale and will officially take over from retiring Andrew Demetriou.
He is now the most powerful man in Australian sport.
As an executive, there is nobody more qualified than McLachlan who has spent 10 plus years as a key figure in the AFL's corporate world of suits, comb-overs and extravagant lunches.
But will the average footy family warm to the polo-playing rich kid from South Australia?
Gillon McLachlan expected to be announced as new AFL CEO at 11am. Happy Mustard Jacket Day everybody! @SENfooty pic.twitter.com/OuecGu6h0K
— Mitchell Scott (@WhippingBoySEN) April 29, 2014
McLachlan thinks they will.
However, leaving his affluent image aside, the 40-year-old will already have to make up for lost ground when he takes over on June 5.
That's because the popularity of AFL powerbrokers among footy fans is at by far its lowest level for a decade.
People have always whinged about league headquarters but anyone who listens to talkback radio or talks footy at the pub knows people are now becoming genuinely fed up.
The rising costs of attending a match as well as continuously changing of the rules and aesthetics of the game are the main causes of the bubbling angst.
Another major bugbear of the fans is the increasing media spin and trickery used to sanitise the code's image.
Gillon McLachlan says helping financially weaker clubs is one of his major challenges as #AFL chief pic.twitter.com/aUFG2Dh8lk
— Robert Somers (@rtsomers) April 30, 2014
For starters, finding Melbourne not guilty of tanking yet fining the club $500,000 and the lies and deceit associated with the Essendon drugs saga.
The game's followers will forgive and forget but only if they are listened to. And only if they are made to feel part of the game, not as customers of it.
McLachlan has more than month to go before he officially takes over.
He'd best spend the next five weeks enjoying this great game, but also paying $25 to park at Etihad Stadium, sit way up on the third level at Patersons Stadium and fork out $6 for a bottle of water at the Gabba.
Fans will grow to love his polo shirts and mustard jackets – as long as they see them in the outer and not behind the corporate glass.