With activities outside the ground and 30,000 tee-shirts for supporters in reserved seats inside the ground, viewers around the nation and at the Oval were treated to a visual spectacular.
Hartlett to supporters: You were unbelievable
And observers have heralded Port Adelaide's launch of the redeveloped Oval, with the ABC's social commentator Waleed Aly telling the station's Offsiders program the club had set the standard for a "fabulous day out".
"There couldn't have been a better advertisement for the move to the Adelaide Oval," Aly said.
"The weather was incredible ... it was a fabulous day out.
"What I loved about it was the way Port Adelaide played it so well in how they were so mischievous they were with hosting the game...I think they put a Port Adelaide tee-shirt on every single seat [in the Eastern and Riverbank Stands].
"This is perfection, this is exactly how you take a move to a brand new stadium and turn it into a traditional immediately, and it came off brilliantly."
Port Adelaide's March from the Mall attracted 5000 supporters at the start of the March and accumulated more as it progressed towards the Adelaide Oval with some observers speculating up to 10,000 ended up crossing the bridge as part of the event.
But it was a mammoth task to put together on the day.
Around 70 volunteers helped cover seats in the Eastern and Riverbank Stands with the teal-coloured We Will Never, Ever Give Up tees.
They were joined by around 30 Port Adelaide staff members in covering those stands with shirt giveaways, intended to create a 'teal sea' for the new stadium and for viewers watching the broadcast at home.
The club also enlisted the help of 40 Clipsal Powerpoint volunteers who assisted supporters with directions and information around the stadium during the day.
Supporter photos
When you consider the volunteers who help get the team onto the park as well - that's over 150 people who sacrificed their time to deliver an amazing gameday experience to Port Adelaide supporters.
It's what makes the club so powerful, according to the club's manager of brand, marketing and digital strategy Stephen Shirley, who organised the 'tealification' of the stands from 8:00am on the morning of the game.
"The fact we got so many volunteers along that early in the morning highlights how engaged our supporters are with the club and the tremendous passion and support they provide us in terms of their willingness and enthusiasm to help the club in any way they can," said Shirley.
"It's things like this that makes our supporters the best in the country.
"It's what the 'We Are Port Adelaide' philosophy is all about - everyone at the club has a role to play and our supporters play the biggest role."
It's what makes the club so powerful, according to the club's manager of brand, marketing and digital strategy Stephen Shirley, who organised the 'tealification' of the stands from 8:00am on the morning of the game.
"The fact we got so many volunteers along that early in the morning highlights how engaged our supporters are with the club and the tremendous passion and support they provide us in terms of their willingness and enthusiasm to help the club in any way they can," said Shirley.
"It's things like this that makes our supporters the best in the country.
"It's what the 'We Are Port Adelaide' philosophy is all about - everyone at the club has a role to play and our supporters play the biggest role."
